ZFM Country

As an independent Australian artist and creator of original country music, Darren Gillis writes his music around experiences along life’s sometimes bumpy road.

Inspired by artists such as Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Travis Tritt and Merle Haggard, Darren’s music has a country feel with a blues twist … It’s upbeat, fun, and easy to listen to. Each song tells a story, written from the heart, in the hopes that his audience can relate in their own way.

“Here’s to the lessons, that made me who I am, I’m on the up, and I’ll turn a few more pages”.

Gillis’ newest offering, ‘How Bout You’, is about letting go of all the negative energies in your life. Stop worrying about the ‘if I had’, and ‘where I went wrong’ – That’s all going out the door with your dirty shoes.

The energy of the song adds to the punch of the lyrics, as Darren tries to add an element at each twist and turn of the track to keep listeners engaged and interested until the very end.

Darren’s work-life has led him all over Australia. He has worked in some of the most remote locations that our broad country has to offer, both in the Kimberley, and Central Australia. He now resides in the Great Southern Region of Western Australia, where he has been busy writing fresh new stories about his everyday adventures, to be released throughout 2023

Clancy Pye Releases Brand New Single And Music Video, ‘Feels Like Home’. First Single Off Clancy’s Highly Anticipated Debut Album – Music Video Filmed In Clancy’s Hometown, Oberon (NSW)

Central West singer-songwriter, Clancy Pye is set to release the first single off her upcoming debut album on Friday May 12th alongside a music video filmed in her hometown of Oberon, NSW.

‘Feels Like Home’ is Clancy’s first release since launching her self-titled EP in 2020 which featured two #1 iTunes Country Chart Singles, ‘Get Lost’ and ‘Heaven Can’t Wait’.

Having spent the last two years writing towards her debut album, the 2020/22 Toyota Star Maker Grand Finalist penned over 150 songs before heading into the studio to record her upcoming project.

“Songwriting has always been a real passion of mine” states Clancy. “Over recent years, I’ve delved a lot deeper into developing myself as a writer. In the process, I have been fortunate to grow a large catalogue of songs which made it exciting when it came to choosing songs to record for my debut album.”

Written by Clancy and recorded at The Vault Studios with Producer Sean Rudd, ‘Feels Like Home’ is an infectiously feel-good, guitar-driven track that embodies Clancy’s country roots. Having grown up on a property outside Oberon (NSW), Clancy drew a lot of inspiration for this song reflecting on her own family home and upbringing in the country.

“One of the strongest connections I think we all have in life, is our connection to home and those simple things that make us feel at home, wherever we may be.”

“As we go through life, I think we often come to think of ‘home’ as not necessarily a place, but a feeling and I wanted this song to capture those sentiments that other people might relate to as well.”

“Where I grew up has in many ways shaped the person I’ve become and what’s important to me. This song really sets the tone for the album which is why we wanted to release it first.”

Teaming up with Orange based video directors, Dave Smyth and Toby Howell (The Studio Door Creative), Clancy went back to her hometown of Oberon to film a music video which will accompany her single release.

“I really wanted to showcase the place that most feels like home to me in the music video. It was nice to go back to Oberon and film many of the locations I had in my mind when I was writing the song. It’s special to be able to share the places I grew up and my hometown in the video.”

With more songs in the pipeline for release, Clancy looks forward to sharing more music throughout 2023.

“Over In The Holler” was released by Adam Wayne May 1st and is currently going for adds.

Who is Adam Wayne?

Outdoorsman, Entrepreneur, Actor, Performer Adam Wayne also picks a flat-top guitar and writes soulful songs. Being influenced from a musically talented family, Adam’s knack for singing, songwriting and guitar playing came at an early age. While living in Nashville at a young age of 23, he checked out the music scene and worked as a bouncer at the worlds famous Tootsies Orchid Lounge where he rubbed elbows with Brooks and Dunn, Alan Jackson, Kid Rock and recalls carding Miranda Lambert. In the thick of music city, he recalls rooming with songwriters and singers like Jon Pardi, who had that same aspiration in music. Adam has been mentored by very talented singer/songwriters and artists, just like Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings, he was mentored by some of the best.

From outdoor festivals, dance halls, ballrooms to your standard honkytonk, he has opened for various well-known artists: Easton Corbin, Shooter Jennings, Tracy Lawrence, Granger Smith, Hoe Nichols, Chris Janson and Trace Adkins. He has performed in front of 10,000 fans opening for Frankie Ballard and Texas country music artist Aaron Watson, The Casey Donahew Band and The Josh Abbott Band. He has also shared the stage with Martin Zeller, Josh Thompson, Kevin Sharp, Bob Wooton (Johnny Cash’s Guitar Player), Billy Don Burns and Outlaw Country music artist Eric Lee Beddingfield and the late Wayne Mills. He has had the opportunity to open for country legends “The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band” and share the stage with members of the mega group “Alabama”.

Adam has released songs to country radio, “Down Every Road There’s A Rodeo”, “Keep On Pushing Ahead”, “Give All Your Love”, “Over In The Holler”. This May he releases “Goin’ Off Grid”.

His drive and perseverance in music has channeled him into acting, He was cast as an extra in a Jon Voight / James Caan / Melanie Griffith movie, “J.L Family Ranch” and hekd a private concert for Jon Voight and the crew in Kentucky. Adam was also cast as an extra in a Nicolas Cage film in 2017.

He continues to perform across the U.S and record songs in pursuit of making great music; something unique, humble-some and down to Earth. He’s Country and Folky with Gospel at heart! He is just a good ole’ hard working country boy, guaranteed to stand his ground and stick around to make waves in this ever changing industry.

You will never hear a fake beat in his music, he’s real and passionate about country music and grassroots will always be the forefront of his style. His songs have been called, “unique and poetic”. He has a zest for performing his craft and is passionate about developing his entertainment career.

“A Memorable Artist With Memorable Songs”

Multi-platinum selling band Parmalee release their next single “Girl In Mine” the follow up to their back-to-back No. 1 hits. Since moving to town with their No. 1 hit “Carolina”, Parmalee has seen a resurgence that is “one of the most under-reported success stories of the last year” (Morning Hangover) – first with their multinational No. 1 smash “Just the Way” with Blanco Brown – which was the most played song on iHeart Country US in 2021 – then their recent multi-week smash hit “Take My Name.” Now that they’ve just hit more than 1 billion on-demand streams (and counting) in their tenure as a band, Parmalee continues their new recipe for success with “Girl In Mine” .

The song was written by Matt Thomas, Ashley Gorley (who has garnered more than 60 No.1 songs at Country radio), David Fanning (who also produced the track), Travis Wood and Casey Brown. Like “Take My Name,” “Girl In Mine” had fans hooked on the song after teasing it on TikTok. With more than 1.8 million TikTok views of front man Matt singing the chorus, TikTok creators have mimicked the video and put their own spin on it.

“With ‘Just The Way’ and ‘Take My Name,’ we really found something that connected with our fans,” says Matt Thomas of Parmalee. “We look forward to continuing that with our new single ‘Girl In Mine.'”

In July 2021, Parmalee released “For You”, a 13-track project which garnered critical acclaim with American Songwriter praising it as “authentically real, genuinely inspired”, Sounds Like Nashville predicting it to be the “next big move in their musical journey” and Billboard saying “Parmalee finds itself in the enviable position of being able to tap into multiple audiences”. Primarily written by Parmalee lead singer Matt Thomas, “For You” draws from personal experiences to speak directly to the heart of their fans, honing in on that connection to make for their most harmonious project yet.

About Parmalee:

ACM “New Vocal Duo/Group of the Year” nominee Parmalee is one of Country music’s most successful acts: the Platinum-selling band of brothers is one of only four groups since 2001 to earn three consecutive Top 10 singles from a debut Country album. Since their debut at Country radio, Parmalee has earned over 1 billion on-demand streams. Heralded as “Country Music’s Breakout Stars” by MSN Entertainment, Parmalee has supported Brad Paisley and Jake Owen on national tours while finding time to perform on NBC’s TODAY show, The Kelly Clarkson Show, The Late Late Show, FOX & Friends All American Summer Concert Series, MLB Central’s Studio 21, The Queen Latifah Show, and more. Comprised of brothers Matt and Scott Thomas (lead vocals/guitar and drums, respectively), cousin Barry Knox (bass), and life-long friend Josh McSwain, the North Carolina natives had a legendary return to the top of the charts with their PLATINUM-certified No. 1 single with Blanco Brown, “Just the Way” with their follow up single, “Take My Name” from their new album “For You”, then becoming a multi-week No. 1 hit at Country radio.

Rising Country Rock Singer-Songwriter Dan Henwood Shares His Love Of The Land In New Single ‘This Is Us’

Rising South-East Queensland country rock singer-songwriter Dan Henwood is rapidly finding his place amongst the country music scene. Set to release his new offering ‘This Is Us’ on May 12th, the song, which was co-written with multi-Golden Guitar winner, Lyn Bowtell, tells the tale about being in love and having a good time. This traditional country track with a modern twist also talks about the people on the land, what they do and who they are.

“This song means a lot to me. I grew up on songwriters such as Lee Kernaghan, Troy Cassar Daley and I’ve always wanted to write like them and be able to share my own stories through music to a wide audience by traveling the country”.

At just 22, Dan Henwood is a 2x graduate of the CMAA Junior Academy. Since the age of 11 when he first picked up a guitar, Dan has been honing his craft as a singer-songwriter and guitarist.

Inspired by the great Lee Kernaghan and The Wolfe Brothers, Dan is stepping out with a new set of songs, capturing a traditional country sound whilst harmonising it to modern country rock. His new release compliments his love and feel for the genre.

Dan has performed alongside The Wolfe Brothers where he has been invited to play guitar live on stage at numerous shows. His skill has taken him on the road through many new towns as a session guitarist. Recently nominated in all categories in the Country Music People’s Choice Awards Finals, Dan has gone on to writing new material that he’s excited to share and bring his music to a town near you.

This past year has been history-making for Jelly Roll, including selling out his hometown venue – Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena – for more than 16,000 fans, making his Grand Ole Opry debut, scoring his first Country radio No. 1, a two-week Rock No. 1, and topping Billboard’s Emerging Artist chart for an astounding 25 straight weeks. Jelly’s run marked the longest reign ever to date, for any artist, on the chart.

Following his sold-out Nashville Bridgestone Arena show, he released the riveting anthem “Need A Favor”, which tells the story of man on the verge of losing the love of his life. With nowhere else to turn, he looks to God to do him a favor, even if he doesn’t deserve it. Delving into the internal fight between faith and vices, “Need A Favor” features a gritty rock melody both sonically and lyrically.

The track is another prime example of Jelly Roll’s earnest storytelling and humility. Like his previous single, “Son of a Sinner” we find a man in a moment of vulnerability finally coming face to face with his faults.

Recently, Jelly Roll swept the 2023 CMT Music Awards winning Male Video of the Year, Breakthrough Male Video of the Year and CMT Digital-First performance of the Year, while he performed “Need a Favor” on television for the first time in his career.

Watch Jelly Roll Perform “Need A Favor” at the 2023 CMT Music Awards HERE

Announcing his 2023 44-city Backroad Baptism Tour, which features an all-star line-up of openers: Ashley McBryde, Caitlynne Curtis, Chase Rice, Elle King, Merkules, Struggle Jennings, Three 6 Mafia, Yelawolf, and Josh Adam Meyers. The tour kicks off in February 2023 and runs through May 2023, with stops in major cities across the United States.

In addition to the Backroad Baptism Tour, Jelly Roll will serve as direct support for Eric Church this fall, further cementing his rise to mainstream success.

Jelly Roll’s highly anticipated album, “Whitsitt Chapel”, arrives on June 2nd, with “Need A Favor”, “She” and “Unlive” all set to feature.

About Jelly Roll:

Outright genre-bending singer/songwriter/rapper Jelly Roll has quietly been building a remarkable career, under the radar and on his own terms. Since his days selling his mix tapes out of his car, he has constantly been releasing new music (more than 24 albums), touring relentlessly, consistently topping various iTunes charts, engaging a rabid fanbase and creating videos that have amassed nearly 2 billion views on YouTube. He pairs deeply personal lyrics with music that blends Old-school Rap, Classic Rock, Country, and Soul to create music that is therapeutic, raw and tackles the heaviness in life.

His 2020 single “Save Me” – a confessional, vulnerable expression of self-doubt set the stage for his new season of life and took him to new heights, with more than 141 million views on YouTube and Platinum certification from the RIAA . Born and raised in Nashville’s Antioch neighbourhood, the former addict and drug dealer released his album “Ballads of the Broken” in 2021, ahead of his sold-out hometown show at the famous Ryman Auditorium, which sold out in under an hour. The introspective 10-track album shows Jelly Roll’s growth as an artist and man, drawing from his personal experiences to tell the story of a man who has been through the ringer and isn’t afraid to share his raw truth, featuring his multi-week No. 1 Rock hit “Dead Man Walking” and his No. 1 Country debut single “Son of a Sinner”. Now after a history-making “breakthrough year” (American Songwriter), having just sold-out Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena and released the riveting anthem “Need A Favor” along with the soul-stirring ballad “she” from his highly anticipated forthcoming album, the reigning No. 1 of Billboard’s Emerging Artists chart for 25 weeks is well on his way to mainstream, multi-genre stardom.

Straddling the intersection of country, rock and pop, Hinterland have pushed the genre boundaries with each release, demonstrating their ability to adapt, their various influences and their broad appeal. Not only are Hinterland not afraid to take risks, they seem to revel in it. So brings us to their highly anticipated first single for 2023, “Fragile”.

“Fragile” is yet another sonic departure for the band, this time taking a hard swerve into the world of pop-country. “Fragile” invites you into the overly analytical mind of Hinterland singer/guitarist, Jesse Emmanuel, and her struggles with her own mental health after some heavy life experiences and reflection during the pandemic lockdowns. “Fragile” is a bit like Taylor Swift’s “Anti Hero” if she made it during her Red era – dealing with feelings of inadequacy and childhood traumas but with an upbeat, catchy melody with a hook in every line.

“It felt like I was being beaten over the head with super happy ‘love yourself’, ‘you’re perfect the just the way you are’, ‘life is great so let’s party!’ songs,” Jesse explains, “which are fine of course, but I was going through some real introspective stuff, not loving everything about myself and trying to figure out how to improve. I think that’s an important message – it’s ok to feel confused, to want to make changes, to seek therapy. A lot of the things that shape us are out of our control and there’s something powerful about admitting that you’re a work in progress.”

Emmanuel was also coming to terms with her personal journey, processing her formative years with an overwhelmed Mum and rockstar Dad (guitar legend Phil Emmanuel) and now facing the challenges of motherhood herself, juxtaposed with her new “online” persona as a country star, navigating social media and all the self-identity pitfalls that entails.

“With all that heavy on my mind, I wrote ‘Fragile’. It’s not doom and gloom, though. I like to find the humour in everything. Maybe that’s another problematic coping mechanism, but Fragile is a good example of working through those thoughts. I really hope that people can relate to some of these feelings and enjoy my little anecdotes.”

Emmanuel brought the song to her bandmates, siblings Robbie and Rachel Bostock who quickly recognised it as the perfect opportunity to show another side of Hinterland. A clear difference to the pop-country tropes of whiskey, beer, small towns and utes, ‘Fragile’ is here to explore real emotion and the human experience in a truly progressive move for country music.

Get ready to saddle up, because country music duo Zac & George are back and better than ever with their latest smash hit single, “Sleep On It”. After a hugely successful NSW tour that left crowds in Sydney and Wagga Wagga begging for more, the dynamic duo is once again ready to set the country music scene ablaze with their soulful harmonies and head-turning melodies.

Distributed via MGM, “Sleep On It” is the perfect example of Zac & George’s ability to seamlessly blend traditional country sounds with a modern twist. Co-written by the duo and their good friend Nicole Miller, who hails from Nashville, this song is sure to make your heart sing with its up-tempo contemporary vibe. And let’s not forget about the incredible co-production skills of ARIA award-winning MSquared Productions, helmed by Michael Paynter and Michael DeLorenzis.

Zac & George have been waiting for just the right moment to release this gem, and they couldn’t be more thrilled to finally share it with their devoted fans. “We knew we had something special on our hands the day we wrote ‘Sleep On It’,” says Zac. “It’s been tough keeping it under wraps, but we’re excited for everyone to finally hear it,” adds George.

In addition to their previous chart-topping success, it’s worth noting that both of Zac & George’s previous singles, “Bar Stool” and “Red Wine & Roses”, landed in the top 10 on the National Country Airplay charts. This impressive achievement is a testament to the duo’s undeniable talent and their ability to captivate audiences with their music. With their latest single “Sleep On It” already generating buzz, there’s no doubt that Zac & George are destined for even greater success.

To celebrate the release of “Sleep On It”, Zac & George are taking their show on the road and headlining at Dirt N Dust in Julia Creek in late April, as well as supporting The Wolfe Brothers at the Pre-Rodeo Street Party in Nebo mid-May. These festivals are the perfect opportunity for Zac & George to showcase their talent and entertain their fans. “Performing live is why we do the music for,” says George.

So, grab your boots, put on your Stetson, and get ready for Zac & George’s latest toe-tapping, heartwarming single, “Sleep On It”.

Who is Adam Wayne?

Born Of The Minnesota Woods, Outdoorsman, Entrepreneur, Actor, Performer Adam Wayne also picks a flat-top guitar and writes soulful songs. Being influenced from a musically talented family, Adam’s knack for singing, songwriting and guitar playing came at an early age. While living in Nashville at a young age of 23, he checked out the music scene and worked as a bouncer at the worlds famous Tootsies Orchid Lounge where he rubbed elbows with Brooks and Dunn, Alan Jackson, Kid Rock and recalls carding Miranda Lambert. In the thick of music city, he recalls rooming with songwriters and singers like Jon Pardi, who had that same aspiration in music. Adam has been mentored by very talented singer/songwriters and artists, just like Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings, he was mentored by some of the best.

From outdoor festivals, dance halls, ballrooms to your standard honkytonk, he has opened for various well-known artists; Easton Corbin, Shooter Jennings, Tracy Lawrence, Granger Smith, Joe Nichols, Chris Janson and Trace Adkins. He has performed in front of 10,000 fans opening for Frankie Ballard and Texas country music artists Aaron Watson, The Casey Donahew Band and The Josh Abbott Band. He has also shared the stage with Martin Zeller, Josh Thompson, Kevin Sharp, Bob Wooton (Johnny Cash’s Guitar Player), Billy Don Burns and Outlaw Country music artists Eric Lee Beddingfield and the late Wayne Mills. He has had the opportunity to open for country legends “The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band” and share the stage with members of the mega group “Alabama”.

Adam has released songs to country radio, “Down Every Road There’s A Rodeo”, “Keep On Pushing Ahead” , “Give All Your Love” and this May Adam releases his 4th National release “Over In The Holler”. A song about the hard working farmer.

His drive and perseverance in music has channeled him into acting. He was cast as an extra in a Jon Voight / James Caan / Melanie Griffith movie, “J.L Family Ranch” and held a private concert for Jon Voight and the crew in Kentucky. Adam was also cast as an extra in a Nicolas Cage film in 2017.

He continues to perform across the U.S and record songs in pursuit of making great music; something unique, humble-some and down to Earth. He’s Country and Folky with Gospel at heart! He is just a good ole’ hard working country boy, guaranteed to stand his ground and stick around to make waves in this ever changing industry.

You will never hear a fake beat in his music, he’s real and passionate about country music and grassroots will always be the forefront of his style. His songs have been called, “unique and poetic”. He has a zest for performing his craft and is passionate about developing his entertainment career.

“A Memorable Artist With Memorable Songs”

In 1932, Australia was a different place. It was the middle of the Great Depression, jobs were scarce, and money was tight.

Still, we had a few things to look forward to as it was the year the Sydney Harbour Bridge was being opened after eight long, expensive years.

Our heroes were Don Bradman, Phar Lap, and a nine-year-old boy from Leongatha in South Eastern Victoria named Lennie Gwyther.

Lennie made headlines all over the country when he rode his pony solo, 1200 miles return, to watch the opening of the bridge. Along the way he won the hearts of Australians everywhere. ‘Lennie You’re A Legend’ celebrates Lennie’s story.

Golden Guitar winning singer/songwriter Matt Scullion loves Australia, and his forthcoming album ‘Nation Of Abbreviation’ certainly reflects his passion for our sleeping stories and larger than life characters.

Written over many dusty road trips and recorded in his recently built home studio in Glencoe NSW, Matt took a giant leap of faith playing most of the instruments and producing it himself.

But then again, Matt’s always been a songwriter in demand, having his songs recorded by the likes of Lee Kernaghan, Tania Kernaghan, Adam Harvey, Travis Collins, Amber Lawrence, and even legendary rockers Cold Chisel. Twenty-Six of those going to the top spot on the charts.