The Blackbirds

The Black Birds are the latest trio to hit the country scene. These new kids on the block have a fresh new country folk sound with an edge. Leading this dynamic trio is the pocket rocket Emma Barlow on Lead Vocals, Fiddle and Guitar. At the ripe young age of 19 Emma has spent the last 4 years performing and touring around Australia with various bands and solo performances, playing fiddle alongside Troy Cassar-Daley, Sara Storer, Pixie Jenkins, and most recently Craig Morrison and the Little Cowboys. From playing at the Tamworth Country Music Festival, Gympie Muster and the Mud Bulls and Music festival, Emma is no stranger to the country music industry.

On Emma’s first trip to Tamworth Country music festival in 2006, she won the No Holds Barred fiddle competition, and from then on she has been honing and expanding her musical talents. During the last 3 years, she has been awarded 1st place in the Toyota Kilkivan Great Horse ride Competition with her band The Mudrats, Runner Up in the Toohey’s talent quest and was a grand finalist in both the 2006 and 2007 Young Aristocrat Entertainer of the Year competition. Emma was onstage with Craig Morrison and the Little Cowboys when they won the Tamworth Battle of the Bands competition and she also played fiddle for the legendary, Golden Guitar winning, Webb Brothers when they received a lifetime music award.

Craig Woodward brings a warm and engaging persona to the Blackbirds with a voice to match. Craig has over 10 years live and recording experience in Sydney’s pub scene. He was a TOP 100 finalist in Australian Idol 2006, but notes his greatest achievement thus far as being a TOP 20 finalist in the Telstra road to Tamworth 2008. His love of country music started with John Denver as a child and moved along to the country chick invasion of Faith Hill and Shania Twain in the 90’s. This spawned from an instant infatuation with the melody, harmony and words that all great Country songs posses and many late nights watching and dreaming along with CMC (CMT) television as a teenager. Later down the road it was Keith, Brad, Toby, Casey, Adam H, Adam B and the rest of the Adams in country that have become some of his biggest musical influences. He has a swag of penned songs under his belt and is extremely excited about the prospects of the recently formed Blackbirds. Craig lives his music and loves the creative connection and friendship within the group.

Andy Gatus has been playing drums ever since he can remember, getting his first kit when he was just 12 years old. From there on he went on to win the Billy Hydes Junior Comp. In 2004 he won the Billy Hydes Open Division and scored himself a very sought after endorsement. Andy and Emma have both recently graduated from the Country Music College class of 2009.

The Blackbirds bring together an old time bluegrass feel with a little bit of folk and that extra rocky edge to their music. Emma's original songs have been short listed and awarded in the ASAI National Song Writing Competition and in the CCMA Top 20 Songwriting Awards.

The Blackbirds know how to show an audience how to have a good time and leave them wanting more and more. These little Blackbirds are cooking up a storm, and they’re now ready to open up their wings and fly straight into their bright musical futures.

www.myspace.com/blackbirdsaustralia

The Blackbirds that played on the demo:
Emma Barlow- Lead Vocals, Fiddle, Mandolin
Craig Woodward- Vocals
Mat Sly- Lead and Acoustic Guitars
Ben Corbet- Acoustic Guitars
Steve Stheve- Bass, Vocals, Guitar
Andy Gatus- Drums

The Blackbirds at The Old Manly Boatshed: