31st August 2009

G'day one and all, I apologise for being a bit slack with keeping this blog updated but things have been fairly hectic, with multiple gigs over the last month.

As you have probably already sussed out, this blog is now attached to my website which will hopefully add some more interest to the site. Since I last updated things I have had a third round of epidural treatments on my back, which is allowing me to cut down on my morphine intake by a considerable margin, which is great. These treatments will continue through until December, when I am scheduled to undergo an operation to replace one of my disc's with a synthetic one, the operation is major, but has great potential to reduce my chronic pain levels and I can't wait.

I have finished my stint of writing and performance workshops at Dalby schools and really enjoyed myself and got some really terrific feedback from both students and teachers alike.

I was once again engaged as roving announcer for the Tara Festival Of Culture and Camel Races which is run every two years at the Tara Showgrounds. This is a great little event and a credit to the small community of Tara that they can run and organise such a successful Festival.

This year they incorporated a Poets Breakfast and I was joined by Jack Drake and Dan Thompson. We had a ball and believe we were successful in initiating a few new people to the enjoyment on modern day Bush Poetry.

The Tara committee tries extremely hard to source entertainment from different cultures every time and once again did a wonderful job in providing a mixed and varied list of very talented performances.

Home just long enough to throw my dirty clothes through the door pick up Cindy and hit the road for my first visit to Anakie for their annual Gemfest. Perter Riddle, Merv Webster, Chris Webster and bush balladeers Buddy Thompson and Lynne Bennett joined me for a very relaxed poets breakfast on every morning of the Festival.

Cindy was in seventh heaven wandering around all the various jewelery stalls and assures me every thing she bought was a real bargain. We had a wonderful time camped at the Sapphire Footy Grounds and performing at Anakie, the people were great and I should say a very special thanks to Bec and Shane Hance who not only took us out to their lease to show us how to fossick, but slapped up a great roast meal at their bush camp. Keep an ear out for Bec Hance, she is a talented singer/songwriter and has just released her second album.

Once again headed south, dropping in at home just long enough to wash some clothes and then off to The Bushman's Heritage weekend at Casino Village RV Resort.

A friendly and relaxed three days of bush poetry in a beautifully maintained facility. Ray Essery, Terry Regan, Noel Stallard and Robyn Tesch assisted me very abley in delivering some wonderfully varied poetry (and an impromptue workshop) to appreciative audiences. A big pat on the back for Julie James for putting the whole weekend together. Hope to see everybody back next year and a lot of new faces for what is a great weekend and a stratigicly timed warm up for those travelling north to the Gympie Muster each year.

Exciting things are happening in the area of development across the energy rich Surat Basin and the Surat Basin Corporation is doing every thing it can to facilitate positive outcomes for all stakeholders in the region. I was honoured to be part of the corporate entertainment at their recent conference dinner and very proud to share the stage with legendary hose trainer Frank Green. Frank raised more than a few eyebrows with a wonderful display of horsemanship, on stage, at the Oakey Cultural Centre.

It was also my pleasure to be engaged to write a commissioned poem about the Surat Basin Corporation. Thank you to all those who took the time to come over and compliment me on this poem and my performance, this type of unsolicited compliment means the world to me and I appreciate it greatly. Rebecca Gleeson organised to get me to the event and was a pleasure to work with. For those who asked, I believe they will recieve a copy of my commissioned poem in their post conference pack, if you don't then don't hesitate to contact me and I can arrange to get one to you.

A weekend off to attend the wedding of Shane and Liz, two good mates of ours from the Sunshine Coast. My whole family was their as was Neil & Colleen McArthur's Clan an we had a great relaxed weekend. All the best to Shane and Liz.

The Australian Heritage Festival at Jondaryan engaged me to perform for a couple of days (and I donated another to this worthwhile attraction) which was great and helped to deaden the pain of missing the Gympie Muster for the first time in 15 years. I will be back next year refreshed relaxed and rearing to go. I hope all those who went had a great time as usual.

I spent Sunday 30th August in Pittsworth to support Sharon Smith, a local bush balladeer who was launching her debut album after winning Starquest at Tamworth this year. Sharon is a great country girl and deserves all the success that comes her way.

Lastley and probably most importantly I would like to let you all know that my daughter, Kelly Fogarty, a fantastic singer, has just released as a single, the song "Where The Brumbies Come To Water" on NFS 133 (compilation album). The song is included on my album "The Tartan Saddlecloth" and even despite my obvious 'proud dad' bias it is a fantastic country song. If you want to help an exceptional young Australian music talent then I would be so grateful if you could contact you favorite county music radio station and request they play the song.

Catch you next time.

Gary Fogarty