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Fred Smith at Maleny RSL February 2

Dear House Concert fans,

We are opening Friday night’s concert at the Maleny RSL for songwriter Fred Smith. Fred, accompanied by Liz Frencham (double bass and vocals) are launching his new double CD, Great. Last year Fred presented his Dust of Uruzgan show at the Maleny Community Centre for the Maleny Arts Council.

After discussions with Fred we decided that as we had to turn people away at his last two sold-out house concerts, this time he’s going to Maleny RSL. Fred organised this gig himself but we are helping him with promotion. Highly recommended.

Fred Smith – album launch, Maleny RSL, Friday February 2, 2018 7.30. Tickets: $20 Adults, $15 Children U18

Bookings: https://www.trybooking.com/TIRC

House Concerts 2018

Yes, well will be having another series of house concerts in 2018 with the first date in February yet to be confirmed. Our guests in 2017, including Brad Butcher and Kelly Cork, Cloudstreet, Kieran Halpin and Gone Molly attracted full houses. Enjoy the short video from the Gone Molly concert and check back here in January for an update.

The Goodwills

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdYyqZer0wM[/embedyt]

Gone Molly Maleny house concert October 22

Popular Brisbane folk duo Gone Molly (Sally Harris and Rebecca Wright) are the featured artists for The Goodwills’ next house concert on October 22. Over just two years this exciting duo has become well known on the Australian folk festival and club circuit. They most recently performed at the Neurum Creek and Maleny music festivals in September.

Sally Harris was born in the north of England and writes songs that draw on the traditions of Anglo-Celtic tunes and story-telling. Her songs bring together a love of history, mythology, traditional song, tunes and folk music sessions. She and cellist/singer Rebecca Wright weave these songs and stories into contemporary arrangements for cello, guitar and vocal harmonies.

Rebecca Wright is a solo singer/songwriter and guest cello-singer with numerous acts. Artists she has performed with include Fred Smith, Judy Small, Cloudstreet, Mark Cryle, and The Wish List. Currently based in her hometown of Brisbane, Rebecca plays in a duo with her husband Donald McKay, and a Scottish dance band (The Ceilidh Clan).

Gone Molly (see live video here) is meanwhile finalising a debut CD with producer Pix Vane-Mason at his Conondale studios. Sally and Rebecca successfully financed the project through crowd-funding portal Pozible.

This will be the last Goodwills’ house concert for 2017 and follows a sell-out crowd for Irish songwriter Kieran Halpin on August 6. Other acts to perform in the Goodwills’ loungeroom through 2017 include Brad Butcher and Kelly Cork, Chuck and Chrissy Euston and Cloudstreet.

The Gone Molly concert starts at 3pm with a set from hosts The Goodwills and guest singer/fiddle player Helen Rowe. For bookings and directions, email Laurel goodwills (at) ozemail.com.au or use the contact page on this website. Tickets are $15/$12.

Goodwills’ house concerts are sponsored by the Queensland Folk Federation.

Irish songwriter Kieran Halpin plays Maleny August 6

kieran-halpin-house-concert — Irish songwriter Kieran Halpin

Irish songwriter Kieran Halpin may not know all the answers, but he knows how to construct memorable songs. Some of his best-known songs (like All the Answers and Nothing to Show for it All), have been covered by major UK folk artists.

Kieran’s house concert in Maleny on Sunday August 6 is a long-awaited encore to his 2011 concert at Bob & Laurel Wilson’s home. Kieran is on a 24-date tour of Australia and New Zealand.

Kieran is a prolific songwriter with a base in Germany, from where he keeps up a touring schedule of more than 160 gigs a year. Only the best songwriters have their songs covered by major artists and Kieran Halpin’s name keeps cropping up on albums by the likes of Ilse De Lange, Vin Garbutt, Dolores Keane, The Battlefield Band, John Wright and Niamh Parsons.

You may have heard people sing his tunes at folk clubs, pubs and festivals. Songs like All the Answers, Angel in Paradise, Nothing to Show for it All and Mirror Town are among those covered multiple times. Some of Kieran’s songs have been translated into German, Finnish and Spanish. He has recorded 22 albums in his native Ireland, Scotland, London, Nashville, Oxford and Sydney and his latest, Doll, was recorded in Germany.

On stage Kieran Halpin is powerful and passionate, intimate and intense. As one critic said, he has a ‘‘wonderful stage presence and surprising humour.”

“Every song has a story and every lyric paints that story clearly”

The concert on August 6 starts with a short set of original songs from house band The Goodwills, often heard on Australia all Over.

Tickets are $15. Bookings are essential as seating is limited. Email Laurel goodwills (at) ozemail.com.au.

Chuck and Chrissy at Goodwills Maleny house concert

goodwills-house-concert — Mr Chuck & Missy Chrissy, aka Chuck and Chrissy Euston, coming to Maleny on June 25.

Brisbane musical duo Chuck and Chrissy Euston will bring their own brand of blues and jazz to the Goodwills’ lounge room on Sunday June 25, 2017.
Known as members of the folk band Stockade, as a duo ‘Mister Chuck and Missy Chrissy’ play everything from roots and blues to jazz, with hints of gospel and country swing. The duo are recording a new album, Bluesy End of Town, which will follow “Jazzy Side of the Street,” their fourth album. www.chuckandchrissy.com.au
“So the harmonica, accordion, stomp, slide and acoustic guitars are all getting a work out,” Chrissy said.
Chrissy, known for her howling blues harmonica playing, held a popular workshop last year at Neurum Creek Festival, where the duo also performed.
Resident band The Goodwills will present an opening set of old and new originals and other people’s songs.
The concert starts at 2pm. Tickets are $15/$12 and afternoon tea will be available.

Email Laurel goodwills(at)ozemail.com.au for bookings and directions.

And one for your diaries

On Sunday August 6 we have an international guest, Irish songwriter Kieran Halpin (All the Answers, Angel of Paradise, Mirror Town). He makes an overdue return to Maleny, a town he visited twice while on a round-Australia holiday. If you are not familiar with his work, go to his website and be amazed. He is a captivating performer and his songs are excellent. He is bringing two new albums with him on this tour of Australia and New Zealand

Goodwills house concerts are sponsored by the Queensland Folk Federation

Kelly Cork and Brad Butcher house concert April 23

Our next Maleny house concert on April 23 features two talented alt-country songwriters, Kelly Cork and Brad Butcher. They’ll be performing in a songwriters-in-the-round format.
Kelly is a third-generation Maleny-ite known around the alt-country ridges as a classy songwriter. He recorded his first solo album, One of These Days, in 2015 after playing in bands including As the Crow Flies and The Rain. Kelly has just finished a new album with a bunch of talented friends including one Kevin Bennett. Find his website here.
Brad Butcher is also heading to the studio this month to put the polish on songs developed on a recent trip to the US. His new album out later this year will follow the acclaimed Jameston. He and Kelly last performed on the same stage in Tamworth but also at last year’s Maleny Music Festival. The concert on Sunday April 23 starts at 2pm. Tickets are $15/$12 and if you want to book (recommended), send Laurel(goodwills@ozemail.com.au) an email or use the contact form on our website.

Goodwills’ house concerts later in 2017

While you’re here, make a note in your diaries for these other dates for Goodwills house concerts.

Chuck-and-Chrissy-Euston — Mr Chuck and Miss Chrissy

Sunday June 25, 2pm: Brisbane singer-songwriters Mr Chuck and Miss Chrissy are founding members of Brisbane band Stockade. Last year they performed at Neurum Creek Festival, where Chrissy also held a very popular harmonica workshop.

Sunday August 6 2pm: Irish songwriter Kieran Halpin (All the Answers, Angel of Paradise, Mirror Town), makes a welcome return to Maleny. He is visiting from Germany and on a tour of Australia. If you are not familiar with his work, go to his website and be amazed.

November: A 20th anniversary surprise. Date and details to be revealed.

Cloudstreet Maleny concert Feb 19

Internationally renowned folk group Cloudstreet return to Maleny on Sunday February 19 for their fifth appearance as guests of The Goodwills (Bob & Laurel Wilson).

Original members John Thompson and Nicole Murray, now teamed up with fiddle player and singer Emma Nixon, performed six times at Woodford Festival 2016. Their latest CD, Clouded House, the 8^th Cloudstreet album since John and Nicole began performing together in 1999, was launched in late 2015. Clouded House includes a bizarre song about a colony of beavers relocated to a new home – by parachute! Here’s a more serious trad song from the same album – The Catalpa – performed in two time signatures.

Cloudstreet perform New Australian folk music, a combination of Anglo-Celtic and Australian traditional songs and tunes, coupled with trad-styled original songs. Their music is arranged for an array of instruments including guitar, concertina, flute, whistle and fiddle and now includes the fiddle playing brilliance and vocals of Emma Nixon.

Nicole and Emma have also performed at a Goodwills’ house concert as The Wish List. The duo performed at the Illawarra Folk Festival last month and taught fiddle at the festival school.

Host Bob & Laurel Wilson (The Goodwills) will present a preview of their latest project, a collection of essays written by Bob, each based on the topic of a song. Bob is aiming to publish the book with an accompanying CD, “Goodwills by Request” before Christmas 2017.

This is the 20th year The Goodwills have held concerts in their home, first at Fairfield, Brisbane, then for the past 14 years in Maleny, mostly to full houses so it pays to book ahead.

The Cloudstreet concert starts at 3pm. Tickets are $15/$12 and afternoon tea will be available. Bookings are essential. Email Laurel [goodwills at ozemail.com.au] or use the contact page.

Goodwills house concerts are sponsored by the Queensland Folk Federation (QFF).

Penny Davies and Roger Ilott Nov 20

penny-and-roger — Penny Davies and Roger Ilott

Penny Davies and Roger Ilott made their second appearance at the Goodwills’ house concert series on November 20.

The Granite Belt-based folk duo last performed at Bob & Laurel Wilson’s home in February, 2014, fresh from appearances at Woodford Folk Festival. Penny and Roger are stalwarts of the Australian folk scene and have performed at most major festivals and many smaller ones. They are known for their long association with folklorist Bill Scott. This collaboration produced classic Australian folk songs such as Hey Rain! and Where the Cane Fires Burn. They have released more than 20 albums of Australian contemporary folk music since 1983. Their lengthy association with the ABC radio programme Australia all Over brought them critical acclaim and a loyal following. Songs aired on Australia all Over include Hey Rain, Where the Cane Fires Burn, Beside a Railway Line, Ridin’ on the Fruit Train and The Monkeys Sing Soprano. Three of their songs were included on Macca’s Top 100 album in 2012.

The Goodwills (Bob & Laurel Wilson) performed an opening set, including songs from their latest album, The Last Waterhole, followed by afternoon tea then a set from Penny & Roger.

Goodwills house concerts are sponsored by the Queensland Folk Federation

Fred Smith in concert

fred-smith-dark-and-mysterious-credit-geoff-dunn — Fred Smith image by Geoff Dunn

Australian diplomat, singer-songwriter and newly-minted author Fred Smith was our house concert guest on Sunday October 16. Fred’s gig sold out again. He was here in 2015 with Liz Frencham playing to a full house (we had people sitting on the veranda too).

Fred has recently published a book, ‘Dust of Uruzgan,’ through Allen & Unwin and is now on a solo tour to promote the book and sing songs from his many albums. The most recent album, Home, was recorded after Fred completed his two-year stint as a diplomat in Afghanistan. Fred has recorded six other albums based on his experiences as a diplomat in the Solomon Islands, Bougainville and other exotic locations. He has also recorded an album of songs with the Spooky Men’s Chorale and a CD called Texas based on a residency in the US.