To celebrate International Women’s Day, we’ve compiled a list of some inspirational women in the Newcastle music industry.
Kristy James
Kristy is a a well-rounded, experienced entertainer who has been performing since the age of 11. Growing up in Newcastle, Kristy honed her skills playing at the Steel City Country music club every Tuesday night. Kristy inspired many local musos last year, when she funded her EP through the popular crowd funding site, Pozible.
Francine Bell
Since her arrival in Australia, Francine has starred in theatre, films, television, commercials, corporate videos and functions, music clips and voice-overs for Australia and the overseas market. She co-starred in the award-winning musical “NINE” with Nancye Hayes and Caroline Gillmer and played the female lead in the children’s Opera for Expo ’88 New Horizons, opposite former South Australian Premier, the late Don Dunstan, Doug Parkinson, and Rick Price.
Sue Carson
Sue’s astounding vocal range is perhaps her greatest attribute. She has amazed audiences during her 15 years as a professional musician, with her ability to capture any genre of music from contemporary pop, country, folk, to opera and musical theatre. Sue won the award for Best Female Vocals at the 2003 1233 ABC Newcastle Music Awards, and was also one of five finalists in the best folk song category.
Miriam Allan
Born in Newcastle, Miriam is a talented and highly sought-after opera singer who has been based in England since 2003. She has been a soloist with leading orchestral and choral organisations all over the world. This year Miriam will work on Les Arts Florissant’s Monteverdi project, touring the 6th and 7th Book of Madrigals in venues around France, including the Chateau de Versailles and Cité de la Musique, Paris. Debuts will be made in China, with the Academy of Ancient Music, performing Fairy Queen and with the Canadian ensemble, Les Violons du Roy this December for concerts of Handel’s Messiah.
Amy Vee
It’s Amy Vee’s enchanting vocals and unconventional guitar style that caught the attention of audiences and industry peers in her early years. Amy’s unique voice is highly sought after, allowing her to perform and record with Australian dance music greats Groove Terminator (as Australian tour support for Moby) and ON (ABC Music Awards Artist of the Year). Amy also inspired local musos when her debut solo album, Fits And Starts was released in 2013 as the result of a successful $10,000 crowd-funding campaign. The album’s release has been marked with launch shows in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne, complete with a six-piece band.
Karyn Raftery
Often remembered for her role as ‘Georgie’ in one of Newcastle’s most respected musical outfits, The Curvettes, Karyn’s voice continues to shine every weekend while fronting her pop duo, Iguana. On top of that, she also shares the vocal duties with Marty Worral in The Rumour, wrangles two children, inspires young singers through her teaching and remains one of the most down to earth and motivational people to ever grace a stage.
Lyn Bowtell
Lyn is a 2013 APRA Song of The Year finalist, two-time Golden Guitar winner, MO Award winner, Toyota Star Maker winner, and was nominated for two Golden Guitars in the 2013 Country Music Awards for Best Female Artist and Best Alternative Album of the year. On top of all that she writes a killer song and has just put the finishing touches on her latest album. Her lyrics and attitude have become a major inspiration for many people.
Teresa Conicella
Even though we couldn’t find a photo of her online, we had to include Teresa. Even if it was just for her passion for theatre, dance, film and cultural events in Newcastle. She has inspired many artists, secured funding for entertainment-related programmes and created employment for performers. A true motivator, Teresa has been a source of inspiration, funding and direction for many local musicians and now holds the role of Head of School for Hunter TAFE’s Music Business program.
Catherine Britt
Britt has accomplished the most essential job a singer \ songwriter can hope to do: make music that is at once fresh and invigorating enough to speak to a new generation of fans, and yet naturally and firmly rooted in country\folk tradition and the essential truths it has always brought to light. In May 2015 Britt was diagnosed with breast cancer. Amidst surgery and chemotherapy, her wedding to long-time partner James Beverley went ahead in October of the same year. In January 2016 she won her fourth Golden Guitar at the Country Music Awards of Australia, for Female Artist of the Year.
Melody Pool
After releasing the album independently, Melody the went on to sign with Mushroom Music Publishing & Liberation Music who re-released The Hurting Scene in July 2013. She toured with Californian duo The Milk Carton Kids, who then invited Melody to tour Europe. Iain Shedden from the Australian called Melody’s debut, “one of the most accomplished debuts by an Australian singer-songwriter for many years”.
So who did we miss? Nominate your choices for inspirational women in the Newcastle music industry in the comment section below.
