MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERBODY! - The cast finale from the December 2009 Canterbury Country show ...(video by Tracy Dann)
Dec 2009: New reviews just in by Dave Walker in Country Routes magazine: Collaboration: "...something very different...Bob has husky country vocals and Nicki's voice is powerful and crystal clear...You can't help but hum along and tap your feet to this CD." Classic Twang/Go West"...what an absolute wizard he is on the guitar..." Live concert in the UK"...A full house at Fred's Place, Mapperley Social Club, Nottingham welcomed Nicki Gillis, together with her band Mitch & Bob from Australia and our own Dave and Cozy...the appreciative audience seemed to love every minute of her show...she duetted with Bob on a couple of numbers and one particular song, Life's A Gas, stood out for me..."
29 Nov 2009: The Classic Twang! show rocks Petersham RSL Club, live in concert, starring BOB HOWE, NICKI GILLIS and RALPH P. WHITE with the TROJANS band!
Ralph and Bob play Benny Hill Ralph, Nicki & Bob take a bow!
November 2009: This month a new single, It Doesn't Matter Anymore from the album NICKI GILLIS + BOB HOWE = collaboration
has been released for radio broadcasters via the Rush Released (Hotdisc 131) promotional CD service.
It entered the Top 20 the first week and in the fourth week climbed to # 6. The previous single Chasing Cars spent two weeks at # 3 and five weeks in the top ten...
Arriving at the AUSTRALIAN CLUB ENTERTAINMENT (A.C.E.) AWARDS. Bob and his lovely wife Karen with fellow nominee, Wayne Horsburgh. A wonderful night was had by all, with our many showbiz friends.
9 Nov 2009: BOB HOWE and the Hillbilly Heaven band with NICKI GILLIS were the featured entertainment for the afternoon at the wonderful 2009 Brisbane Water Oyster Festival. Thousands of people enjoyed the festival staged alongside Ettalong Beach on the Woy Woy Peninsula.
20 October 2009: Dr James O Little AO, better known as JIMMY LITTLE, was the special guest of The Debonairs (The Entertainment Industry Lunch Bunch) in Sydney. Jimmy was celebrating his new recording of his classic hit Royal Telephone, raising funds for The Jimmy Little Foundation, to help improve kidney health in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across regional and remote Australia. Jimmy was tracked by a film crew from ABC TV's Stateline program. CLICK HERE to watch a video replay of their story. Friends watching Jimmy sing in the photo above include (back) Buzz Bidstrup, Wayne Rowley, John Coker, Bob Howe, Donny Sutherland, (front) Marienne Shepherd, Martin Erdman, Frank Ifield, Warren Barnett, Wayne Horsburgh (Photo courtesy of Barry Crocker).
Click on the images to enlarge and read the complete reviews...
"Superb and remarkably beautiful material from our Commonwealth and expatriate neighbours....throughout the ten tracks of this album you cannot stop your head from nodding and the toes tapping along to the sublime instrumentals that find themselves accompanying Nicki and Bob's heavenly vocals. If the Gods of Olympus could play one particular album, I'm pretty sure this would be it." - Russell Hill, Maverick Magazine (U.K) Nov. 2009
"The project is an absolute delight...a little gem of a recording." - Susan Jarvis, Country Music Capital News (Australia) Oct. 2009
Broadcasters can CLICK HERE to download the single CHASING CARS...
It was a cool night in Canberra on Oct. 10th when Bob made a surprise appearance at the Canberra Country Music Festival to guest with the Nicki Gillis Band. (Photos by KVee)
It was warmer...
...on the waterfront at Lahaina, on the island of Maui
October 2009: Bob is just back from entertaining onboard the Star Princess, from Hilo, Hawaii to Bora Bora in the French Polynesian Islands.
While he was away, good news arrived via the interweb, that BOB HOWE & HILLBILLY HEAVEN were nominated for the first time in the COUNTRY GROUP/BAND category of the AUSTRALIAN CLUB ENTERTAINMENT (A.C.E.) AWARDS, alongside Buckshot, Chasing Bailey, Feral Swing Katz, The Wolverines and winners...The McClymonts. The awards were presented on 11th November.
Bob is also a member of THE TROJANS who were nominated in the ACCOMPANYING BAND category.
September 2009: This month a single, Chasing Cars from the album NICKI GILLIS + BOB HOWE = collaboration
has been released for radio broadcasters via the Rush Released (Hotdisc 129) promotional CD service. In UP COUNTRY magazine, Stuart Cameron posed a question... "This is indeed an exciting issue with some very hot tracks being shipped to the European and Australian media, and for me the star track this month is from Australians Nicki Gillis and Bob Howe, who recently toured the UK. The two of them have made an album called Collaboration and from it comes their cover of the Snow Patrol rock ballad Chasing Cars. With steel guitar added to the mix on their version it is going to be very interesting to see how it will be received by country radio. The song is a masterpiece but will this version cross over to the world of country? We will soon find out!"
When the track entered the Hotdisc Chart at # 7 he continued...
"Yes, it HAS crossed over to country radio with some superb steel guitar work to the fore."
It went on to spend two weeks at # 3 and five weeks in the top ten...
Lots of activity here at the website for you to check out:
For a blast from the past, look at the Then & Now page and see what 25 years does to a band.... or read the latest on-going addition to My Story, The Mid-Seventies...
Also below, new CD releases and a book that include contributions from Bob; Tracks Of Tragedy, No Charge, Too Pretty For Pop and The ABC Book of Australian Country Music...
13 August 2009: Bob was delighted to share a show at Dapto Leagues Club with long-time friend and exceptional vocalist EMMA HANNAH.
Emma sang a number of songs from her album Wayfaring Stranger and also made a surprise appearance during Bob's spot to recreate live her cameo vocal on Plaisir D'Amour from Bob's album Classic Twang.
Later that day, Bob was off to Canterbury Country for another huge show...
Two very different new CD releases that include contributions from Bob:
No Charge, the classic collection by DENIESE MORRISON (guitar on Thank The Cowboy For The Ride)
...and Too Pretty For Pop by BLAKHATZ (guitar on Falling & Good Enough For Elvis)
"The ABC Book of Australian Country Music is a comprehensive list of all Australian country music artists who are active and successful in country music or have made an indelible impression on the Australian country music scene."
Released 10 July 2009 - available from all good music stores. 16 tracks by various artists, including I See Your Face performed by Bob Howe, written by Jerry Arheleger and Bob Howe.
From the liner notes by John Nutting - Saturday Night Country, ABC Local Radio:
"Tracks Of Tragedy has been part of ABC Radios long running Country Music show Saturday Night Country since the beginning, over 16 years ago. Each week I play a Track Of Tragedy from my library of these songs of misery. They are part of Country Music, as important as love songs, leaving songs, and cheating songs ... these are songs about dying. Now, the best of Saturday Night Country's Tracks of Tragedy have been compiled on this CD so you can enjoy the misery whenever you want!!!" More details...
July 1st - August 1st 2009:- Bob has returned from a five-week tour of the United Kingdom playing guitar for NICKI GILLIS. Scroll down for some more photos, watch the clips on the VIDEO page and re-live the journey via Nicki's Blog...
For the Great North and Norfolk Festivals and (pictured here) 'Fred's Place' (Mapperley), the band was joined by Mitchell on acoustic guitar. L to R: Dave, Mitch, Nicki, Bob, Cozy (photo by Tracy)
The BARBARY COAST Band 25-year reunion at the Great North Country Music Festival near Castle Barnard, County Durham. L to R: Bob, Bugsy, Robbo, John, Cozy Watch a song from the reunion here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=0c6jnuyIZ48
NEWSFLASH! AUSTRALIANS DISCOVER CAPTAIN COOK
21 July 2009: After a genuine heatwave at the start of the tour, the traditional English summer arrived in Whitby, just as the Australian contingent discovered this monument to Captain Cook.
L to R: Tracy, Lee, Nicki, Bob (photo by Dave)
20 July 2009: The Nicki Gillis UK band at the Angel Of The North L to R: Cozy, Nicki, Dave, Bob (photo by Lee Gillis)
This review just in from The Viking Club in Selsey: July 4th. We had a debut visit from Nicki Gillis and her band. They had arrived in England only a few days earlier. She told me that they are over here for 5 weeks. If you where unable to see this lady here at the Viking, look her up and try to get to one of her gigs. Tall and statuesque with a voice to match. Singing songs from her album, she had a Viking audience eating out of the palm of her hand. Her backing group consisted of three guys; Bob Howe on guitar, Dave Clemo on bass plus Cozy Dixon on drums.
Three sets packed full of songs that were both amazing covers along with haunting songs from her 'Lucy's Daughter' album. She also covered songs from Snow Patrol, Alan Jackson, a wonderful rendition of Nancy Sinatra's 'These Boots Are Made For Walkin' and as for Patsy Cline's 'Crazy'... Peep's that stayed at home missed a wonderful night packed full of wonderful songs that kept people listening in awe. Nicki Gillis is a very nice lady, who enjoys a chat, very approachable and may I say that the purchase of her CD is money well spent. A song I've not heard and one to watch for is Richard Thompson's 'Wall of Death'. Her sets where packed full of dance friendly numbers along with her own. 'Price of Love' almost brought the house down with a brilliant thumping wonderful drum beat. Nicki and her band got their well deserved encore. A vintage Viking night with DJ Andy filling in the breaks, made it a complete all-round night of enjoyment.
FIRST WEEK OF THE U.K. TOUR:
The U.K tour is underway...the band at BBC Merseyside in Liverpool Bob, Dave, Cozy, Nicki
You never know who you'll meet at the Beeb...
Nicki and Bob performing live for the Spencer Leigh radio show...
Renowned broadcaster/writer Spencer Leigh and Bob (Photos by Tracy Dann) "Spencer's great book 'Let's Go Down To The Cavern' has been in my collection for years!" - Bob
Just Released - June 2009: NICKI GILLIS + BOB HOWE collaboration 9 vocal duets and one instrumental...
TRACK LISTING:
01. Wall of Death
02. Chasing Cars
03. Life's A Gas
04. Gonna Lay Down My Old Guitar
05. May You Never
06. It Doesn't Matter Anymore
07. Lay Back In the Arms Of Someone
08. Everybody Hurts
09. The Price Of Love
10. Gonna Lay Down My Old Guitar (Instrumental version)
Purchase your copy now, only $15.00 (Australian)... CLICK HERE...
Saturday 20th June 2009:- Bob and Nicki performed live on SATURDAY NIGHT COUNTRY and chatted with guest host AMBER LAWRENCE. The show was broadcast from ABC 702 Studios in Sydney on ABC Local Radio nationally, plus the Web and Radio Australia.
NICKI GILLIS, AMBER LAWRENCE, BOB HOWE
BOB AND NICKI LIVE IN THE 'STAR CHAMBER' @ 702 (Photos by Tracy Dann)
16 June 2009: At the 33rd Australian Entertainment 'MO' Awards...
Bob congratulates FRANK IFIELD OAM (left) on his recent recognition in the Queen's Birthday Honours, where he received a Medal of the Order of Australia for services to entertainment.
Frank's review of COLLABORATION:
"This is an album that deserves listening attention. It is a collaboration of two fine talented artistes in BOB HOWE and NICKI GILLIS.
Nicki is credited with vocals and mandolin while Bob provides vocals, instruments, loops and the CD's design.
Each of the ten tracks on the album offer unique tonal colours. while the diversity of songs, like the haunting Chasing Cars and the Everly Brothers' Price of Love or the bluesy Gonna Lay Down My Old Guitar to the popular Everybody Hurts, should guarantee the listeners attention from start to finish.
PS: Paul Anka's Classic It Doesn't Matter Anymore suits Nicki's voice to a 'T'
PPS: I wish you a successful tour of the U.K. this July - You'll WOW 'em."
Thursday 11 June 2009:
On the eve of Nicki's U.K. tour (with Bob on guitar), and to the delight of a capacity crowd at Canterbury-Hurlstone Park RSL Club in Sydney, CANTERBURY COUNTRY hosts NICKI GILLIS and BOB HOWE launched their new vocal duets CD entitled Collaboration.
They performed 7 of the 10 tracks during the concert and spent a long time meeting the audience and signing copies after the show.
Thursday 14 May 2009: Another milestone for CANTERBURY COUNTRY - our
'9TH BIRTHDAY SHOW'
featured the irrepressible legend Lucky Starr, duetting with the exciting new sounds of his son
Craig Morrison, plus young rising star Kaylah Anne. To the extra delight of the audience, surprise guests included the entire Nicki Gillis Band and
world-travellers Jetty Road!
HOSTS NICKI GILLIS AND BOB HOWE WITH THE BIRTHDAY CAKE (Photo by Terry Phillpot)
Our drummer and resident photgrapher Terry Phillpot has made a special page of his outstanding photos of the 9th Birthday show - check it out by clicking on this link:
www.eyegraphics.net/cc
33rd Australian Entertainment 'MO' Awards Nominations!
BOB HOWE & HILLBILLY HEAVEN are honoured to have been nominated for the second time in the COUNTRY GROUP category of the 33rd Australian Entertainment 'MO' Awards, this year alongside Buckshot, Rockabilly Express, The Wolverines and the winners - The McClymonts.
(left to right): Allan Tomkins, Nicki Gillis, Terry Phillpot, Bob, Tomi Graso, Doug Boyd
Bob is also a member of THE TROJANS who were nominated in the ACCOMPANYING BAND category along with the Bob McKinnon Band, the Graeme Fisher Allstars, the Vince Lombardo Band and the winners - Western Front.
Congratulations to all our friends and colleagues...a full list can be found at the 'MO' Awards website. Winners were announced at the gala awards night on Monday 15th June 2009 at Bankstown Sports Club.
Above L to R: Felicity Urquhart, John Nutting, Bob Howe - photo by Dan Driscoll
19 April 2009: Bob was there to join in the fun when FELICITY URQUHART co-hosted John Nutting's SATURDAY NIGHT COUNTRY to launch her new album Landing Lights at the Sydney studios of ABC Radio 702.
March 2009: Hungry Man's Army are an American 'New Folk Revival' band based in Southampton, Massachusetts. Bob was delighted to contribute harmonica and slide guitar to the recording of their song Land of Plenty. On March 17th it was featured as GarageBand.com's Americana Track of the Day!
Check out the band's Website, MySpace and GarageBand pages to hear the song...
Above L to R: Bob Howe, Tania Kernaghan, John Nutting - photo by Dan Driscoll
14 March 2009: Bob was there to join in the fun when TANIA KERNAGHAN co-hosted John Nutting's SATURDAY NIGHT COUNTRY to launch her new album Livin' The Dream at the Sydney studios of ABC Radio 702.
27 February 2009: While entertaining aboard the cruise ship Tahitian Princess from Cairns to Guam, Bob took time off to visit the township of Rabaul in Papua New Guinea.
Back on-board and departing from Simpson Harbour, the active Tavurvur volcano can be seen billowing smoke in the background behind Bob.
Released January 2009: John Nutting's Saturday Night Country - 15th Anniversary Edition 2-CD compilation of 39 tracks by various artists including Iris Dement, Lee Kernaghan with Catherine Britt,
Ralph Stanley, Reg Lindsay, Anne Kirkpatrick, Slim Dusty with Kasey Chambers, Fred Eaglesmith, Neil Murray, Alan Jackson, Gretchen Wilson, John Williamson and many more including Bob Howe playing Diamondtina Yodel. Available now from your favourite retailer and online...
Entered the ARIA Top 20 Australian Artist Country Albums Chart at #17...
Bob played his brand new Tomkins guitar at 20 shows over 13 days (see photos below)... including the Roll of Renown concert, The Country for Lifeline benefit, Allan Caswell's album launch, the Tomkins Guitar Showcase (pictured right as compere), the Travis List Band and the new HONKY TONK NIGHTS at the Family Hotel with Bryen Willems and the Hillbilly Heaven band and special guests which was a huge success on its first outing!
(Tamworth photos courtesy of Peter Versace)
At Wests...in Legends (left, with Hamish Davidson on fiddle)...
...in Blazes (right) at the Tomkins Showcase with Nicki Gillis in rock-chick mode...
COUNTRY FOR LIFELINE at Tamworth Town Hall... L to R: Bob, Doug Gallacher on drums, Rod Coe on bass
HONKY TONK NIGHTS at the Family Hotel with (on Tuesday) L to R: Kirk Steele (piano), Bob Howe, Gary Brown (dobro), Bryen Willems, Terry Phillpot (drums), Briana Lee, Allan Tomkins (bass), Jo Ellis (fiddle)
Allan Caswell's Rules For Love album launch at the Longyard Hotel L to R: Bob on harmonica, Allan, Drew McAlister, Gary Brown
Travis List Band 2009 at West Tamworth League Club L to R: Bob Howe, Peter Figures, Travis List, Warren Neilsen, Allan Tomkins
played at Wests Legends Bar most nights from midnight to 3am!
Travis List was touring to promote his new CD Cloud Eight. Recorded in Nashville, Bob makes a cameo appearance on harmonica for Travis's version of I Remember You which is proving very popular with the live audiences. The band has performed in Sydney and the Central Coast, plus the Redhill Festival in Victoria, followed by 12 appearances in Tamworth.
2008 News Archive...
The Tomkins Guitar Showcase in Nashville, Tennessee, CD reviews from France, recording sessions for Allan Caswell and more, Reg Lindsay tribute, CLASSIC TWANG 'live show' debuts, 'I LISTEN TO MY HEART' added to playlists world-wide, 3 'MO' Awards Nominations, Bob produces new CD for Wayne Horsburgh, plus photos - Miss Connie Smith, Jerry Arhelger, Leo Sayer, Audrey Auld, Travis List, Amber Lawrence, Saturday Night Country with John Nutting in Tamworth plus Lee Kernaghan, The McClymonts, Adam Brand, Sharnee Fenwick and Makaylie Foodey, Geoff and Tabbi Mack, Nicki Gillis, Glen Campbell, Tracy Killeen, Donna Boyd on radio 2CCR, The Howie Brothers at the Smoky Dawson tribute concert, Little Pattie, Frank Ifield, Normie Rowe, Canterbury Country 8th Birthday with The Harmonators, Peter Pratt, Camille Te Nahu and Stuie French, Santa makes a new Tomkins guitar for Bob who's been good all year, Christmas Back To The Tivoli show and more...
2007 News Archive... BOB WINS 2007 AUSTRALIAN COUNTRY MUSIC PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARDS - MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR, plus photos with Barry Crocker, Louie Shelton, Little Pattie, Judy Stone, Lucky Starr, Ian Turpie, Warren Williams, Sara Storer, Lee Kernaghan, Felicity Urquhart, Amber Lawrence, Jim Haynes, Albert Lee, Gina Jeffreys and Adam Brand, Canterbury Country photos and videos, Bob releases new instrumental album CLASSIC TWANG, produces FRANK IFIELD E.P. and WAYNE HORSBURGH album tracks, cruises New Zealand, Norfolk Island, Far East, co-hosts John Nutting's Saturday Night Country and sings live on ABC Radio, nominated for MO Award, presents ACE Awards, appears at Tomkins Guitar Showcase, plays on Lifeline EP and more...
2006 News Archive... BOB WINS MO AWARD, releases solo instrumental album - GO WEST, photos in Where Country Is book, live radio with LEE KERNAGHAN, Felicity Urquhart, Bill Chambers and John McEuen, Nokia Music Recommenders, Tomkins Guitar Showcase, ACRA Awards with SWEENEYKILLEEN, interviews with Barbara Morison, Lennon reunion, Hank Williams Birthday Bash, Karen Beckett, Tivoli show tours Queensland, Tony Pantano, Saturday Night Country with John Nutting and Melinda Schneider, reviews for GO WEST, GO WEST festival on OXFORD ST WEST Bondi Junction, Helen Kay Show interview, Sunday TV cover story - Remembering Frank Ifield, Capital News magazine article 'Gone West', EMMA HANNAH new album, Go Hannah Presents Donna Boyd In Concert, 30 year recording anniversary, Don Spencer and BABY KARAOKE, Patti and Bert Newton, Desmond de Silva, Saturday Night Country Hottest Hits - Vol 2, REDD VOLKAERT and more...
2005 News Archive... Saturday Night Country hottest 100 voting, Mark Lucas and The Dead Setters CD cover photo, Mildura Country Music Festival, Session Work (COL ELLIOTT and ALLAN CASWELL, ALEX WATT, CRAIG GILES, Bob's remix of FRANK IFIELD's I Remember You, DONNA BOYD releases new album and E.P., WAYNE HORSBURGH releases two albums, Chan Romero tours, 'This Train Terminates at Redfern' theatre production, Crows Nest Country Music Street Fair, interviews with Barbara Morison, Saturday Night Country live broadcasts with REBECCA LEE NYE - ALEYCE SIMMONDS - Trev (T-Bird) Warner - Lex Marinos - John Nutting and Jim Haynes, FRANK IFIELD Autobiography Volume One, Tomkins Guitar Showcase, Love That Country Music show, Telstra Road to Tamworth, Jimmie Crawford R.I.P., Tamworth Tonight with Bushfaery, Pandora Box and Normie Rowe and more...
2004 News Archive... BBC 2004 Bondi Band Compilation CD, Mildura Country Music Festival, DONNA BOYD, BBC Radio Shetland, Barbara Morison, Donna Fisk and Michael Cristian, Songwriters: Up Close & Personal, Sydney Country Music Week, Judge Bob, ALBERT LEE, The First World Guitar Congress, The Charlie Lamb Award for Excellence in Country Music Journalism, 21st Annual International Country Music Conference, Brenda Lee, Nashville - Tennessee, John Nutting, The Rotary Club of Galston Community Service Award, LITTLE PATTIE, Tamworth Festival, JESSICA MAUBOY and more...
2003 News Archive... THE MIGHTY GUYS, SLIM DUSTY, JIMMY LITTLE, RE'AL CROCHE Festival de Musique Nord-Américaine, KEITH GLASS, Barbara Morison, Canterbury Country 3rd Birthday, Belinda Miller, crusing from India to the Maldives, Finalist for 3 Country Music Awards, John Nutting, Metro Magazine and more...
November 2009: 
13 August 2009:
Bob talked to 
July 1st - August 1st 2009:- Bob has returned from a five-week tour of the United Kingdom playing guitar for 
Released January 2009:
