Tamworth Country Music Festival Unveils Full 2015 Program & Line-Up

Acclaimed country performers Kasey Chambers, Lee Kernaghan and veteran troubadour Paul Kelly sit atop an epic line-up of acts set to grace the free-entry 2015 Toyota Country Music Festival Tamworth early next year, but the festival has ramped up the preparations with the revelation of its full program today.

Opening with a live concert and fireworks display on Friday 16 Jan, the festival will kick things off with a performance from Chambers alongside Nashville troubadours Jerry Salley & Kirsty Cox, Harry Hookey, 2014 Toyota Star Maker Jaerd Porter and the public-vote winners of the recent Load & Launch talent search, The Hillbilly Goats. A few days later, on Friday 23 Jan, Kernaghen will take to the stage to lead the charge for the Toyota Concert For Rural Australia alongside the likes of Jared Porter and three yet-to-be-named Toyota Star Maker grand finalists.

There's plenty of time for additional entertainment over the ten-day run of the festival, with performances taking place from 10am-5pm every day, and live concerts a night. For example, on Sunday 18 Jan, punters will be treated to new event Unwrapped, boasting a spread of some of the nation's finest up-and-comers including X Factor finalist Caitlyn Shadbolt, ex-The Voice contestant Taila Gouge, Karrie Hayward and Josh Needs.

"A lot of hard work has gone into providing fans with a wide variety of artists and entertainment in Toyota Park," festival director John Sommerlad said in a statement. "The concerts are free, there have never been so many artists, and we have shows day and night for the entire Toyota Country Music Festival Tamworth."

On Monday 19 Jan, local artist Jodie Crosby will host the Tamworth Proud Concert, featuring some of the town's top talent, such as Lindsay Butler, Shazza Leigh, Peggy Gilchrist, Boltoncrook and Lawrie and Shelley Minson the line-up the following evening will comprise yet-unrevealed international drawcards.

Monday 21 Jan will see the arrival of The Bushwhackers' Bush Dance, with sunset bringing out the big guns in the form of Anne Kirkpatrick and Dianne Lindsay, plus more than 40 other performers at the "Back To The Bush" Bush Balladeers Concert.

The remainder of the festival offers no less diverse an array of attractions, including acts such as Mustered Copurage, Jenny Queen, Marlon Williams and The Whiskey Drop, closing-day drawcards Christie Lamb, Little Bastard and the Adam Eckersley Band, and the public-voted Best Of The Buskers Concert and LandCruiser Country 4WD Experience.

The 2015 Toyota Country Music Festival Tamworth takes place from Friday 16 Jan to Sunday 25 Jan. For more information, see our dedicated event page.