Melinda Schneider Be Yourself Tour Dates

MELINDA SCHNEIDER SET TO BE HERSELF WITH ANDREW DENTON!

Visit the Enough Rope with Andrew Denton website to watch video snippets, the full interview in audio MP3 or read the fulltext transcript!

Melinda Schneider and her mother Mary are set to talk intimately on Enough Rope with Andrew Denton tonight, coinciding with the release of Melinda’s fifth studio album, the powerful ‘Be Yourself’.

Airing on the ABC from 9.35pm, Melinda and Mary talk with complete honesty about their relationship, life stories and the Schneider family music heritage. The not to missed interview will be topped off by Melinda’s live performance of a magical acoustic version of the album’s title track ‘Be Yourself’. The song was inspired by one of Enough Rope’s interview guests back in 2006, who uttered the words “Be yourself, everybody else is taken”. The message resonated strongly with Melinda. ‘Andrew had asked his guest what she had to say to anyone going through what she’d been through in her life, when she spoke those words they hit me like a tonne of bricks. I knew instinctively I had to write the song and that it would be the basis of my whole next album. It just felt right.’

The album ‘Be Yourself’, in store now on Melinda’s independent label Be Music and distributed by DestraMusic, debuted at #3 on the ARIA Country Chart. The single ‘Be Yourself’ is currently #11 on the ARIA Country Music Top 30 airplay chart (source: The Music Network), #3 on CMC’s top 10 video chart and made The Music Network’s top 20 most added list across all genres, coming in at #19!

MELINDA SCHNEIDER ANNOUNCES NEW ALBUM
‘BE YOURSELF’

To be released July 5th on Melinda’s label Be Music through destraMusic

2008 is promising to be the most successful and exciting year yet for Melinda Schneider. After a thrilling start in January with her win of the CMAA Golden Guitar for ‘Top Selling Album’ for Stronger and returning from the inspiring ‘Great Walk To Beijing’ with Olivia Newton-John, Melinda is proud to announce the release of her brand new, fifth studio album ‘Be Yourself’, her new management team and the launch of her own label, Be Music.

With commitments to her previous record label honoured with the release of 2006’s Stronger, Melinda chose to move on and started to make plans for her own label. She is looking forward to heading up Be Music, saying “I feel so liberated! Launching my own label has given me a wonderful sense of freedom.”

In keeping with the Schneider family music heritage, Melinda is in the music business for the long haul and intends to keep striving to make better records year after year. “I want nothing more than to be writing, singing and touring into my 60 and 70’s just like the country music artists of old whom I respect so much, Slim, Smoky and my mum, Mary and Aunty Rita. Starting my own record label will enable me to do just that, I will always have a home.”

To coincide with the creation of her new label, Melinda is thrilled to have signed a distribution deal for Be Music with destraMusic. Ken Outch, CEO, echoed her enthusiasm, saying “Everyone at destraMusic is very excited to be distributing Melinda’s new album ‘Be Yourself’. Melinda is a truly exceptional performer and songwriter and I consider this to be her finest album to date.”

To complete her new team, Melinda has secured management with Nicole Hart and Tom Sioris at Revolutions Per Minute, who count Shannon Noll among their clients. “I believe the new songs Melinda has written for ‘Be Yourself’ will once again resonate strongly with her audience. She continues to go from strength to strength as a singer and songwriter. I am thrilled to be working with Melinda in this new phase of her career,” Nicole said today.

Album ‘Be Yourself’ in store July 5 on Be Music through destraMusic

Single ‘Be Yourself’ to video w/c 2nd June and radio w/c 9th June

Management: Nicole Hart & Tom Sioris, Revolutions Per Minute – 02 9904 4212
Publicity: Anouk Van Meeuwen, AVM Publicity – 0411 724 598
Bookings: Alex Sinclair, Artist Network Australia - 02 9819 6411

Melinda returns from 'The Great Walk To Beijing'

Hi everyone,
I just got back from Beijing and I am so elated. What an amazing, life changing experience!

Walking along side cancer survivors, doctors and others who had lost loved ones to cancer was an extremely powerful and positive thing. Olivia Newton John was an absolute inspiration, walking for 21 days and over 200 kilometres along the Great Wall. She was so strong, happy and positive every day and her energy filtered through to the rest of us.

I’d like to thank my good friend Lizzi Dayney – Morrissey for getting me involved in the first place and Olivia for doing me the honour of recording my song ‘Courageous’ as a duet for the ‘Great Walk’ album. To all my new friends, Sigrid, Tammy, Angela, Phil and Louise, Paul, James, Debbie, Henry and Estelle...I love you guys!

This has been a week I will never forget and carry with me always.

You are......you are courageous.......walk on......walk on......these are the times that can make us courageous and strong...

Love and strength,
Melinda xxx

Melinda, Sigrid, Olivia, Lizzi	Tammy, Sigrid, Sir Cliff, Melinda
James, Melinda, Lizzi	Melinda, Ian, Sigrid

Melinda Walks Great Wall For Cancer With Olivia

Hi Everyone,
Just a quick email to let all my mates know that at the end of April, in just a few days, I am part of Olivia’s walking team for ‘The Great Walk To Beijing’!

This event will help raise money to build a much needed Wellness Centre for the Olivia Newton John Foundation.

As you know, I lost my beautiful dad, Keith to Cancer four years ago now and miss him terribly, so I will be walking in his memory. He’d be looking down and smiling I’m sure…he always taught me to try and help others in any way possible….so here goes.

To help raise this money, the walkers need people to sponsor their steps. I would love to give this my best shot, so even if you could donate the minimum amount of $10, that would be wonderful...every bit helps!

I have also been lucky enough to have recorded a duet with Olivia for her ‘A Celebration In Song’ Olivia Newton-John and Friends album...with a song I wrote...Courageous.

To sponsor my steps is easy...
1) Click Here
2) Then on that page click on the amount you would like to donate
3) Then go to the checkout button to pay by credit card

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this and for your constant support.

When I return home from the walk, I'll be hitting the ground running with the release of my brand new album ‘Be Yourself’, in stores July. I’m looking forward to seeing you all when I come to your area and start touring again in a few months time. Check back here for tour dates and all the latest news.

Love and strength,
Melinda xoxo

MEDIA RELEASE: MELINDA WALKS AND SINGS WITH OLIVIA

Melinda has committed to complete Stages 5 and 6 of the Walk, which takes place late April and will see a team of high profile international celebrities, Olympians, business leaders, corporate partners and cancer survivors take part to help Olivia raise funds for the global fight against cancer.

The trek itself covers 228 kilometres over 21 days and is something Melinda is thrilled to be a part of: “When Olivia asked me to join her on the great walk and I learned how the monies raised would be used, I said yes straight away. I lost my dad to lung cancer four years ago and the fight against cancer is very close to my heart. I’m in training now and hope that as many family, friends and country music fans sponsor me so that I can really contribute to Olivia’s mission.”

Each step of Melinda’s trek can be sponsored at www.greatwalktobeijing.com and all funds will be driven back through the ONJ Foundation to build Australia’s first Wellness Centre, providing complementary therapies to support patients on their cancer journey.

Melinda and Olivia have formed a special bond, recording Melinda’s new song “Courageous” as a duet to be featured on Olivia’s album “Songs Of Hope And Inspiration: Olivia And Friends”, which is being released as a charity album to coincide with The Great Walk, all proceeds going to the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Centre.

Following Melinda’s successful start to the year, winning her fifth CMAA Golden Guitar, this time for ‘Top Selling Album’ with Stronger, will be the release of her brand new album, Be Yourself. The title track and first single “Be Yourself” will impact at media w/c 21st April.

For more information on the event, visit www.greatwalktobeijing.com
For more information on the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Centre Appeal visit www.oliviaappeal.com

For further information on Melinda Schneider:
Anouk Van Meeuwen Publicity - Ph: 0411 724 598 or email:

PRESS RELEASE : Tamworth 2008

Melinda Heads Star Studded Line Up

Three Huge Talents – One Big Show

Melinda Schneider has announced a sensational lineup for her Toyota Country Theatre Show at TREC on Saturday January 19th 2008 in Tamworth. Joining Melinda for performances will be Australia’s Queen Of Yodeling Mary Schneider, plus one of Australia’s finest and most accomplished singer-songwriters, Deborah Conway.

Building on a friendship forged during the Broad Tour of 2006, Melinda was delighted when Deborah agreed to come and perform a set at Melinda’s Tamworth TREC show: “I have always admired Deborah’s talent, courage and musical conviction and having been inspired by my experience with the Broad Tour last year I am excited to return the welcome to Deborah, for what is actually her Tamworth debut! When ‘It’s Only The Beginning’ was a smash radio hit, I was so impressed. To me Deborah is the epitome of strength, vocally and personally. She stands alone musically, there’s nobody out there like her. And then there’s her brilliant portrayal of Patsy Cline in the ‘Patsy’ theatre show”.

In addition to Deborah, Mary Schneider takes the stage on a Melinda show for the first time with a full band. “It seemed only fitting to turn the tables in 2008. I started out singing at my mother’s shows, and now I’m able to welcome her on mine. Apart from the fact she’s my mum, Mary truly is a musical phenomenon”, said Melinda.

Roll Of Renown inductee Mary Schneider has won countless awards and been wowing fans for over 50 years with her amazing vocal and instrumental ability. She’s been ‘Yodelling The Classics’ all over the world, and has performed with the likes of José Carreras, Sir Peter Ustinov and Bryan Ferry.

Melinda herself has been stunning audiences Australia-wide for the last decade winning four coveted CMAA Golden Guitars along the way and, barely taking a breath since the release of her hit album STRONGER, has spent most of November 2007 recording her fifth studio album in preparation for an early 2008 release. This stellar performer and songwriter presents a stunning show which takes the audience on a journey from the deepest most heart-felt ballads, to the lighthearted and often infectiously joyous and real songs she is so well known for. No doubt a memorable three-way collaboration is bound to occur, in what is destined to be a spectacular opening to the 2008 Festival season at Toyota Country Theatre on January the 19th.

Melinda Schneider Dates:

Toyota Country Theatre at TREC - Saturday 19th January 2008 - 2pm
Special guests – Mary Schneider and Deborah Conway www.visittamworth.com.au

West Tamworth League Club – Blazes Friday 25th January, 12 midday
special Guest Peter Denahy Ph: 02 6765 7588

For interviews -  
Email:        management@melindaschneider.com

Melinda Schneider and Deborah Conway Q & A

Two of our most accomplished singer/songwriters, Melinda Schneider and Deborah Conway team up at the Toyota Country Theatre for Melinda’s January 19th Concert at TREC. The show is destined to kick-off the venue’s 2008 Festival season in a spectacular way. Melinda has cemented her credentials as a true star of country music, but what inspired her invitation to rock icon and Broad spearhead Conway, who makes her Tamworth debut this year with guitarist- partner Willy Zygier?

We caught up with Melinda and Deborah amidst their busy schedules to find out more about how this musical connection came about…

>> When did you first hear each others music?
 
Melinda: I have always been a huge fan of Deborah’s. When ‘It’s Only The Beginning’ was a smash hit on the radio, I thought it was so cool. To me Deborah is the epitome of strength, vocally and personally. She stands alone musically, there’s nobody out there like her.
 
Deborah: I had produced a show called BROAD in 2005 basically pulling 5 female singer/songwriters from as wide a genre base as possible. (Everyone is on stage together to collaborate on each other’s songs and to conduct a discussion revealing some intimate workings of us as songwriters.) I was putting the 2006 version of it together and listening to a whole bunch of different female country singer/songwriters when I came across Melinda. She blew me away, her voice had so much clarity and cut and she had a very artful way of song construction. I loved her stuff immediately.

>> How did you come to work together?
 
Melinda: I received an email early 2006 from Deborah asking me if I’d like to be a part of her all female show ‘Broad’. It took me about a second to read the email and call her back to say I’d love to be a part of it.  We toured all around Australia and had an absolute ball!
 
Deborah: Well once I’d heard this voice and those songs I got in touch with her via her then record company and made her an offer to participate in BROAD. She was very open to the idea and responded quickly and positively.

>> What did you learn about each other from being on the road together?
 
Melinda: Deborah is an innovator. When she has an idea, she goes for it. I felt very empowered by her strength and belief that anything is possible.


Deborah: I just fell in love with Melinda’s warmth and openness, she lays herself out which I believe is the source and strength of her songwriting. She’s a wonderful collaborator and she brings an enormous depth of musicality to her performances.


>> How did your love of country music begin?
 
Melinda: Mine started pretty early, thanks to my mum. She bought me Ricky Skaggs’ ‘Country Boy’ album when I was about 10 and I have been hooked on Country and Bluegrass music ever since. My mum and Aunty Rita (The Schneider Sisters) also had a hillbilly double act back in the 50’s for about 25 years and were very cool and very much ahead of their time, so being exposed to that from birth was a huge influence on me musically.
 
 
Deborah: I guess Hank Williams was my first true country music love affair, the songs, the rawness of those performances, they cut right through. I loved Patsy Cline’s voice though I don’t think I really appreciated what an extraordinary singer she was until I had the privilege of playing her in the stage show of Always...Patsy Cline in 2001. At that point, listening as I did with the attention of a student learning from the master,  I grasped what a profound talent she was. Lately I have found that my country music appreciation is getting deeper, Gillian Welsh and Dave Rawlins, those amazing Bluegrass performers like Alison Krauss, Alison Browne and Ralph Stanley.

>> What will people be able to expect to hear at your show at the Toyota Country Theatre at TREC?
 
Melinda: I’ll be performing a lot of the songs that people kind of expect me to sing, as well as trying out some of the songs from my new album due out 2008 that I’m really excited about. I’m also thrilled to have my mum Mary as a special guest on the show this year. Life’s funny, I started out singing with her at her gigs, now she’s singing at mine! The three of us might even get to warble on something together…I hope.
 
Deborah: a warm, woody performance with Willy and myself going hard at it with our geetars. We’ve been writing songs that reflect this recent love affair with country/roots music and I have to say I can’t wait to get them in front of discerning country music fans. Of course we’ll throw in a few old faves and what would you say after learning that I’ve played Patsy Cline if I couldn’t throw in a couple of her tunes too.  Should be a fine afternoon for music lovers – no doubt I’ll worm my way into of Melinda’s set at some point too. Irresistible.

Love you Billy, goodbye…..

2004 CMAA Awards Melinda and Billy Thorpe sing "When The Last Child Leaves Home" photo courtesy of the CMAA.

When I heard the news yesterday that Billy Thorpe had passed away I was deeply saddened.

He has been so supportive of me over the years that I felt I needed to write about it.

I first met Billy about 8 years ago at the Emerald Country Music Festival where we were both performing. He had invited all of the other acts on the bill to get up on stage with him and join him on his last song "I Got My Mojo Working".

Everyone took a verse but I felt Billy was waiting for someone to really rock. When it was my turn, something inside me snapped, I grabbed the mic and started singing throwing in some wailing blues/gospel licks between each line. I looked over at him and he had a big beaming smile on his face, nodding his head and yelling ‘yeah’! In that moment, through music, we had connected. We traded a few licks, the song ended and after the show he came up to me and said ‘Who are you?’ I said, ‘Melinda Schneider’, he told me he had known my mum in the 60’s, he’d met her on a Brisbane TV show called ‘Teen Beat’.  I had heard her speak fondly of Billy my whole life.

Then he paid me the biggest compliment, ‘you sound just like my good friend in the States, Becca Bramlett’.  Well, I idolize Becca, so that was the highest compliment he could have paid me from another singer’s point of view.


2004 CMAA Awards Melinda and Billy Thorpe sing "When The Last Child Leaves Home" photo courtesy of the CMAA.

From that day we vowed to write together. It didn’t happen for a couple of years, we just didn’t get around to it. Then one night I bumped into him at an APRA function and we made a date. In early 2002 I turned up at his studio in Surry Hills and I must admit, I was a little nervous. He was larger than life, very strong and I wanted to deliver the goods as a writer - after all, he was one of the best. We sat down with our Maton guitars and started to strum and talk. We spoke about life, as I always seemed to with Billy and he was telling me about when his wife Lynne and he were living in LA and their daughters left home, they had suffered a bit of empty nesters and as I recall it was the catalyst for them moving back to Australia. I can’t remember who came up with the title ‘When The Last Child Leaves Home’, but as soon as we had that, the rest of the song quickly followed. It was a simple, heartfelt country song and a real tear jerker.

I recorded it on my album ‘Happy Tears’ and soon after, Billy and I did it as a duet. Again, a day of recording I won’t forget, he got his part in one take and nearly blew up the microphone with his power! We performed it at the 2004 Golden Guitar Awards, as always he was impeccably dressed, in fact he was probably the first person to don a dinner suit on stage at Tamworth.

His elegance, confidence, originality and positivite outlook will stay with me always. His unwavering belief in me I will draw on whenever I lose faith. His brutal honesty is something I aspire to.

Thank you Billy for all your words of wisdom and advice, stories about life and for your friendship, I’m gonna miss you.