KATHY COLEMAN

Kathy comes from a small country town in NSW (Dunedoo) and is one of 12 children. She has always been surrounded by country music, as a child at home her mother played the piano, acoustic guitar & Lap Steel, her brother the organ & 2 sisters played the piano. There were always plenty of sing-alongs and all the children were encouraged to join in & have some fun. Kathy learnt to play the classical guitar, recorder & to read music in primary school. Kathy met a fellow that was the President of the Hunter Valley Country Music Association when she was 14 & that was the start of regular practice nights, guest spots around the Hunter Valley & participation in Charity Events & Talent Quests, at which she won many trophies. It was at one of these Charity events that Kathy met her future husband Kelvin, who was a well respected musician in the Country Music Industry. From then on they were inseparable & formed a 5 piece covers band called “Rawhide” that played around the Hunter Valley area for many years. Around 1999, duo’s were more appealing to the entertainment venues than the bands & so, gone were the band days & Kathy & Kelvin started working together as the duo called “Double Deal”. Kathy has played a huge number of gigs as the duo "Double Deal" at clubs, pubs, Weddings, Tocal Field days, Steamfest & the 4wd expos at Maitland & the Central Coast. Double Deal was also the resident band at the “Old Texas Ranch” for a period of 7 years & for the past 3 & 1/2 years have played at “Buttai Barn” near Newcastle on most Saturday nights with their “Buckin’ Country Show” providing live music, teaching bush dancing, organising games together with mechanical bull rides on “Nutcracker” ending in December 2011. Kathy attended a song-writing workshop in Tamworth in January 2006 where Allan Caswell was the tutor & it was this that inspired her to start to write her own songs. Kathy entered one of her songs “One Piece at a Time” in the National Country Song writing Competition in Tamworth in 2009 and was a top 5 finalist. This spurred her on to record an album of all original material, which was completed in September 2009 with a release date of 22nd November. Kathy also attended the “Jaws 2009” masterclass with Renee Grant-Williams, Karin Paparelli, Bill DiLuigi & Gary Tally from Nashville which covered, voice, guitar & song writing. Kathy’s Debut Album “Waitin’ on a Good Man” contains 12 beautiful country songs about life, love & emotions that we all go through. The first single from the album “Little Piece of Heaven” was released to radio on NFS 137 in December 09 & reached the Final (top 5) of the 2010 TSA National Country Songwriting Awards in Tamworth, Traditional Section & also was a finalist in the People's Choice Awards 2010 in the Bush Ballad section. The second single was released on the 3rd May 2010 & was the "The Old Man's Money" which did extremely well on radio & earned Kathy a top ten placing in the ASA Songwriting Competitiion in 2010 & a finalist spot for Songwriter of the Year Award in Tamworth 2011. Kathy originally recorded this album for herself, as this was something personal she wanted to do & she didn’t care if she didn’t sell 1 copy because the number one reason you play music for is the love of it, not the money. It just so happens that the album has turned out absolutely beautiful & she wants to share it with people out there that love true country music and songs that touch the heart, the kind of songs that make you cry and the ones that make you smile.
Being able to connect with people through music is a beautiful thing & Kathy hopes that her songs will reach out & touch the hearts of many country music loving people. Kathy finished recording her 2nd Album "Hot & Bothered" in Nashville during 2011 & released the album in Australia on the 6th November 2011, all are original songs written by Kathy & 2 of the songs have already gained wins at the Canberra Country Music Songwriting Awards in Nov 2011, being "Dunedoo Station" for best "Australiana" song & "Why Did You Go" for the "Judges Commendation Award". Kathy is getting out further afield during 2012/2013 & taking her music to the people throughout Australia & spending time improving her song-writing skills.