Wide variety booked for charity gig

Last week, the Te Puke Times revealed two of the more experienced among the dozen outstanding artists who will perform in the Te Puke Country Music Club's 25th charity concert, in The Orchard church, in MacLoughlin Drive, on May 3.

Alongside Dennis August and Joy Adams, an impressive array of talented youngsters are keen to entertain Te Puke fans.

The beneficiary of this year's fundraising will be the Growing Through Grief group, which counsels children and adults who suffer personal loss.

Ticket prices this year are $20 for adults and $5 for children under 12.

Among the line-up are: Peter Jackson - Lord of the Strings; Cameron Clayton; Hannah Cosgrove; Che Orton; Ryan and Hayley Monaghan.

Here's an idea of a few more acts for the concert.

Using a chord melody style, Peter Jackson has been playing plectrum banjo off and on for almost 40 years. Peter plays everything from old-time dance music to traditional (trad) jazz, with country music his current passion.

A former president of Upper Hutt Country Music Club, and presently co-host of the Rimutaka Country Music Group in Featherston, Peter is also a capable rhythm guitarist and can hold his own on a ukulele and a bass guitar.

Young talent

Hannah Cosgrove is a 19-year-old singer/ songwriter from Hamilton.

She has been singing and performing for 11 years, appearing in many shows around New Zealand and Tamworth, Australia.

Some of her major achievements have been winning New Zealand Country Music Entertainer of the Year twice as a junior and twice as an Intermediate.

She has also won the prestigious Gore Gold Guitars Overall as a Junior and as an Intermediate. Hannah has also twice attended Camerata (Junior Country Music College in Australia) after winning scholarships.

Hannah is currently in her second year of a Bachelor of Media Arts Degree majoring in Commercial Music.

Musical siblings

Ryan and Hayley Monaghan are a brother and sister act.

Ryan is 14 and has played guitar for five years after catching the bug from his primary school teacher.

Hayley is 11 and has had an amazing 12 months. After joining the Morrinsville Country Music Club she became Junior runner-up in the Matamata Red Star Awards 2013, and won Junior Overall at the 2013 NZ Star awards in Tauranga.

Since then, numerous opportunities to appear together and in their own right have occurred. The highlight was an appearance in the Opotiki Charity Concert in March. Hayley won the People's Choice Award and Ryan was lucky enough to play his guitar alongside Lance Murch.

They really enjoy being able to do this together and are learning the art of performance to go with their musical talents.

Ryan goes to Hamilton Boys' High School, plays football, and is an Air Training Cadet. He wants to be a pilot, or work in IT.

Hayley goes to Rotokauri School, loves netball, and ballet and wants to be a paramedic.

Forever Elvis

Che Orton has been performing as Elvis for the past 16 years.

He has travelled extensively throughout New Zealand and also performed in shows abroad.

Che placed third in Australasia in the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Contest held in Coolangatta, Australia.

He then went on to win the top Elvis Tribute Artist in New Zealand and place in the top 20 in Europe's largest Elvis contest held in Blackpool, England. Che's award-winning tribute is a must see for any Elvis fan or for anyone who loves good old rock and roll.

Country Cameron

In 18 years on the New Zealand country music scene, Cameron Clayton has achieved an array of awards that many artists take a lifetime to amass.

He started singing country at age 10 and among the awards he has won are the following prestigious accolades:
Transtasman Country Entertainer of the Year in Norfolk Island (2002); NZ Gold Guitar Overall Winner at Gore Gold Guitar Awards (2004); NZ Country Music Associations Country Entertainer of the year (both Intermediate and Senior); NZ Country Music Associations Songwriter of the Year (2005); NZ Pro-am National Country Music Horizon Award. (2010); NZ artist on International Global Concert in Nashville, US 2010.

He was the inaugural Kiwi chosen to attend the first Australian Country Music Association's Camerata school of Country Music in Tamworth, and is a graduate of the CMAA College of Country music in Australia. He has revorded 3 EPs to date.