28 Apr 2023 – Sam Buckingham, Beautifully Mad, Papa Surf

Sam Buckingham

Beautifully Mad

Papa Surf

Sam Buckingham is the perfect balance between poetry and pop. Since releasing her 2022 album DEAR JOHN, she has graced main stages at Woodford and Queenscliff Music Festivals, embarked on a six week tour throughout Queensland with the Festival of Small Halls and headlined a 26 date national tour to celebrate the album’s release. Exploring issues of gender equality and freedom of self expression, the album’s lead single “Something More” was hailed as a feminist anthem and, off the back of the song’s success, Sam was invited to tour alongside Kate Miller-Heidke, Paul Kelly, Tim Freedman and Ben Lee. Revered for her soul baring, intimate performances, the new live show sees Sam perform DEAR JOHN’s most loved songs and showcasing a collection of unreleased songs – tracks that have, so far, only been shared online with her fans on Patreon. “I’m not finished with sharing DEAR JOHN yet – there’s still so much to say with those songs. But, as a songwriter, the natural instinct is to move forward, to explore new themes, and to find out what else I have to say” explains Sam. “DEAR JOHN is about being bold, following your own path, and feeling fully expressed – so I’m going to do that by road-testing a handful new songs that I absolutely love… a kind of ‘life after John’ collection.” DEAR JOHN was created after the dramatic ending of a toxic relationship. “The breakup was what started me writing these songs but, in the end, the songs aren’t really about the relationship at all. This album documents my process of healing, learning and rising up to become the woman I want to be. These are my stories and it’s important to share them… because I know they’re other people’s stories too.” Book early – these shows have been selling out! “Buckingham wowed the crowd with her soaring vocals, silencing the room” – Stack Magazine “Byron Bay’s next big thing” – Courier Mail “Iconic” – Kia Handley, ABC

These guys have won the Manly Fig’s hearts before. Their breathtaking original songs are reminiscent of the beauty of James Taylor, some honey from Melodie Gardot, a lyrical spice of Cohen washed down with some Waits-like humour. An acoustic candle that licks at the heels of Folk, Blues and Jazz. Tony King has a reputation for setting fire to a 12 string with his solos, while Kris Ralph melts hearts with her rich, mellifluous voice and nylon string guitar.

Tony is an accomplished composer, electric, acoustic (steel, nylon, 6 & 12 stringed) guitarist, bass player on fretted & fretless Instruments and is gifted with a smooth, creamy voice. He is also a Producer and Film composer.

2014: Winner of Best Lyrics of the International Songwriting Awards judged by Tom Waits, Bernie Taupin and Shirley Manson.
2012: “An Eye for an Eye”, “If I Could Sing You” and” Song for the Newborn” were all shortlisted in the ASA Awards.
2011: “She kept on swimming” won ‘Best acoustic’ in the ASA awards
2009: Tony was Awarded Australian Songwriter of the year. He won an unprecedented 3 categories
Billy’s Dream for best lyrics; When we’re Old in both the open and folk/acoustic categories.
2008: Tyran Parke enlisted Tony to record and produce his debut CD. Tony played guitar with the brilliant Chanteuse, Camille O’Sullivan from Ireland. The Dark Angel played to sell out audiences at The Sydney Opera House.
2006: Tony co-wrote a song with Louise Perryman, Kris Ralph and Bill Risby for Louise’s solo album. The song “Genius of Love” won Song of the Year.
2005-2007: Tony released a series of compositions made exclusively from the sounds of wine, wine glasses, bottles, barrels, corks popping and called it The Wine Music. It was the most requested piece of music on ABC Classical FM radio. Tony and Kris successfully launched The Wine Music in the USA and then in Europe. Tony used 100% of proceeds from sales of The Wine Music to build wells in Ethiopia in a project called “Wine into Water”.
2001 –2003: Tony continued to produce and co-write with Andrew Strong in Ireland and co-wrote and produced an Album ”The Dream” with Elizabeth Geyer.
2002: Tony went to Ireland to co-write an Album Gypsy’s Kiss with Andrew Strong (of The Commitments) then toured Scandinavia with Andrew’s band in conjunction with the release of the album. It reached the top twenty in Denmark and Sweden.
1997 Full of the Moon, Tony & Kris’ second Album of original songs was reviewed by Drum Media:“Hauntingly Beautiful…Together they have combined their talents to produce a stunning array of diverse songs”.
In 1997 Tony composed the score for the Feature film Wanted. Burbank Animation Studios chose Tony to score their series of six Animated Videos beginning with The Secret of Camelot, Mulan, The Three Little Pigs, The Littlest Mermaid and Moses The Prince of Egypt. More projects for Burbank, D4 The Trojan Dog, Silent Night and The Canterville Ghost based on a story by Oscar Wilde and the classic Anna and The King – all of which were screened internationally. Close Contact, tele-movie score written and composed by Tony has been screened locally and internationally.
1995-96 Tony worked with Phil Scott, George Washington, and co-wrote with Gullifer Smith (A Touch of Paradise)
1992: Moonlight Cactus was released and sold out of it’s first pressing by word of mouth.
1991: He won an ARIA for writing the highest selling single.
1987: He wrote the longest running Australian Political radio satire How Green Was My Cactus for which he was nominated for an Awgie for Best Radio Comedy).

KRIS RALPH
Starting at the Riverina Trucking Company for 4 years, she moved to Sydney where she starred in The Department with Tracy Mann and Max Gillies, The Madras House with Peter Carroll and Hugo Weaving, The National tour of Stepping Out with Nancy Hayes, Rowena Wallace and Colette Mann, Willy Russell’s Blood Brothers with Christina Amphlette and Russell Crowe.
Kris formed her own Band The Other Woman with Genevieve Lemon. Although the band’s life was short-lived Kris continued to sing with Genevieve, culminating in performance at the Sydney Opera House in “A Month of Sundays”.
She has co-written songs for Beautifully Mad’s albums, Let Them Fall , Mandarin Sky (Australian Songwriter’s Award in the Inspirational Category).
Kris is an accomplished Singer/Actor who plays guitar, percussion, and paints. Gifted with a mellifluous singing voice, she has been performing on stages all over Australia since she left school.
2007: Kris has been working on original songs and painting commissions for private clients. A major work was commissioned in 2009 for the celebration of the Merimbula Jazz Festival Band, headed by John Cursley. It was 3.2 metres wide x 1.6 metres high.
Kris and Tony won the 2006 Best Song Award in the Open category of the Australian Songwriters Awards with Genius of Love.
2011: “She kept on swimming” won ‘Best acoustic’ in the ASA awards

www.beautifullymad.com
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Papa Surf is a Sydney based surf rock band, bringing you all the retro surf classics, originals and new arrangements.Their debut single “Monster Surf” made the top ten ranking in the Official Surf Charts in 2021. Formed by guitarist Andy Scott (ScotFree, Nardo) and drummer extraordinaire Matt Moore (Gris Gris Combo, Petulant Frenzy) are joined by veteran players Ian Chisholm on bass (Blues Collective) and Craig Corcoran on guitar (Dead Horse Gap Band)