age 12 as a Mother’s Day present and
relocated to Nashville three years later.
BIGGEST HIT:Love Me Like You Mean It was the world’s
first introduction to Ballerini’s talent. The
catchy, upbeat love song was a slow burn
but, after a year languishing in the charts, the
tune landed the singer her first number one
in 2015. She is the first female country artist
since Carrie Underwood, a decade earlier,
to achieve this feat with a debut single.
ACCOLADES:In 2016, the then 23-year-old became the first
female artist to score three consecutive
number one singles on the Billboard
Country Airplay charts with her debut
album The First Time. The next
year she was recognised with
a Grammy Award nomination
for Best New Artist.
DID YOU KNOW?Ballerini has strong ties with
Australia. As well as marrying
Newcastle-born country
singer Morgan Evans in
December 2017, she’s
also the support act for
Keith Urban’s US June tour.
Incidentally, Urban’s song
Stupid Boy inspired her
to pursue country music.
MUST WATCH
T
here’s a reason the top country
music acts in the world flock to
Australia for CMC Rocks QLD.
The three-day event – held this
year in Willowbank, Ipswich for the fourth
time – is one big celebration that comes
of the back of the CMC Music Awards.
Following a long and impressive line-up of
A-list headline acts, this year’s event features
serious star power in the form of two-time
CMA Entertainer of the Year Luke Bryan.
But that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
With the festival highlights airing on
Country Music Channel this month, hosted
by Aussie duo Baylou, we turn the spotlight
on the performers you won’t want to miss.
LUKE BRYAN, USA
HIS STORY:Born in Leesburg, Georgia, a family tragedy
halted the aspiring singer’s plans to move
to Nashville at 19. Staying closer to home,
he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in
business administration before eventually
making the move to Tennessee in 2001.
BIGGEST HIT:Crash My Party is about trying to win back
an ex. It hit number one on the US Billboard
Country Airplay charts and was the fourth
biggest hit of 2013. His LP of the same name
was the third best-selling album of that year.
ACCOLADES:The performer has sold more than 10 million
albums and, in 2017, landed his fourth number
one album on the all-genre Billboard 200
chart with What Makes You Country.
DID YOU KNOW?Behind every great country song is a tale
of heartbreak – and Bryan has experienced
more than his fair share. After the death
of his brother when he
was a teenager, his sister
died suddenly soon after
his inauguration at the
Grand Ole Opry in 2007.
Then, in another shock,
her widower passed
away in 2014. Bryan
and his wife, Caroline,
didn’t hesitate to
take in his nieces
and nephew. The ballad
Drink a Beer is a tribute
to his departed siblings.
KELSEA
BALLERINI, USA
HER STORY:Despite being raised in Knoxville,
Tennessee, country music wasn’t on
Ballerini’s (pictured) radar until her
teens. She wrote her first song at
CMC ROCKS QLD 2018 Wednesday April 18 at 8pm on Country Music Channel [815] part of the ENTERTAINMENT pack
Luke Bryan leads a who’s who of country music lighting up
the stage at the 11th annual CMC Rocks QLD festival
22 Foxtel APRIL