Gippsland Country Music Festival Announces The Winners Of The 2023 Local Country Showcase

The winners of the 2023 Local Country Showcase for Gippsland Country Music Festival have been selected from more than 25 entries. Songwriter Harry Hook is Real from Sale, and duo No Promises from South Gippsland (featuring Janine Garvey and Eric Collier) will join the impressive 2023 festival line-up on April 22.

Organiser Aidan McLaren said the team received an incredible response from Gippsland musicians.

“We were thrilled by the level of interest in the showcase and impressed by the breadth of country music talent in the Gippsland region,” he said. “This was our first year running the Local Country Showcase in Gippsland and we’re excited to continue it as part of the festival. We can’t wait for fans to see the amazing talent displayed by the winners at the festival. With so many talented artists applying, we’ve realised how much talent there is in the Gippsland region, especially when it comes to country music.”

There was a dedicated team who went through each application to determine the winners.

“With an abundance of incredible submissions and talented musicians applying, selecting the top artists to perform at the Local Country Showcase proved a difficult task,” said McLaren. “We are thrilled to have picked a diverse range of talent that celebrates country music within Gippsland. The number of applications received showcased the strength of the music community in the region. We will certainly keep an eye on some of the applicants to see what they will be up to next.”

In selecting who was successful, both Harry Hook is Real and No Promises stood out to the team.

“It was their unwavering dedication to their craft and their strong connections to the local community,” added McLaren. “They embody the spirit of country music, with their heartfelt lyrics and powerful vocals, they truly showcase the best of the genre.”

The team at Gippsland Country Music Festival have always had a community focus for the festival, and the inclusion of the Local Country Showcase will continue that tradition.

“We have been proud to feature some of Gippsland’s finest local artists as part of the line-up in the past,” said McLaren. “Among them, The Strzelecki Stringbusters have consistently received a fantastic response from the audience. Therefore, we are eagerly anticipating the community’s reaction to the incredible talent that will be showcased this year. Moreover, we look forward to celebrating and sharing the unique stories and music of the showcase winners. Providing musicians in the region with the opportunity to perform on the same stage as renowned artists is a remarkable opportunity, and we are honoured to launch the Local Country Showcase for the first time in 2023.”

Gippsland Country Music Festival celebrates its third year in 2023 with a move to Lardner Park, the addition of onsite camping, and a line-up headlined by Lee Kernaghan and Troy Cassar-Daley, with Adam Brand, Beccy Cole, Sara Storer, Kaylee Bell, Josh Setterfield, Jade Gibson and Gareth Leach.

More information and ticket sales via gippslandcountrymusicfestival.com