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One of the biggest questions during the lead-up to the annual Tamworth Country Music Festival is: Who will be the young country singer catapulted to fame and a professional career as winner of the Toyota Star Maker?And the 2009 question will be answered when the curtain falls at the Tamworth Regional Entertainment & Conference Centre (TRECC) on Sunday, 18th January during Toyota Star Maker’s 30th Anniversary event.Since 1979, Toyota Star Maker has been identifying and launching new talent into the ranks of country music professionals.The winner’s prize offers a chance to follow in the footsteps of previous winners like Lee Kernaghan, Keith Urban, James Blundell, Gina Jeffreys, Darren Coggan, Beccy Cole, Brendon Walmsley, Travis Collins, Samantha McClymont, Kirsty Lee Akers, current Toyota Star Maker title holder Talia Wittmann and many others.“More than enough to keep aspiring country music stars lining up for a tilt at the big one,” according to Barry Harley, General Manager of organisers, Rural Press Events (RPE).“Already, with entries closing just weeks away on October 31, there has been an avalanche of entries from all over Australasia.”Included in the Toyota Star Maker nomination list are winners of regional and state talent quests across Australia. Other aspirants come from the Country Music Association of Australia College of Country Music.
Advertise here“For the winner of the Grand Final in 2009 it will be something very special as Star Maker celebrates its 30th Anniversary,” Barry said. “Toyota Star Maker offers a huge prize package including a big budget full album record deal, a list of professional gigs, the use of a new Toyota vehicle with fuel card for 12 months and much, much more,” Barry said.“It gives them a unique opportunity to be recognised and endorsed by true professionals of the Australian country music industry; a chance to showcase their talents throughout the nation and as a nominee in the following year’s Country Music Awards of Australia.“Above all, Toyota Star Maker offers winners a one-off opportunity to leapfrog their peers straight into the ranks of Australia's music professionals. No wonder the hopefuls line up in their hundreds!”Entrants to Toyota Star Maker must be over 18 and are required to complete the application form.This coming year will see a change in the Star Maker process whereby a panel of industry experts will narrow the entrant numbers down to a top 10 (in past years it has been a top 20). The top 10 are then invited to Tamworth to compete at the Toyota Star Maker Grand Final.For the first-time in 2009, each Grand Finalist will be presented with The Maton Bill May Memorial Encouragement Award which includes a cash prize of $1,000 paid to all Grand Finalists in recognition of achieving the status of being the Top Ten emerging country music artists in Australia.The 10 Grand Finalists will compete for the title of 30th Anniversary Toyota Star Maker at the Tamworth Regional Entertainment & Conference Centre on Sunday 18th January at 12.30pm, followed that evening with a once in a lifetime celebration concert Star Trek - Star Maker’s spectacular 30 year journey at 8.00pm.Toyota Star Maker 2009 entry forms can be obtained direct from Rural Press Events on 02 6762 2399, by emailing starmaker@ruralpress.com or by downloading from the Toyota Star Maker page on the Capital News website www.capitalnews.com.au.