Col Duncan & Haywire continue the magic of Slim Dusty

The passing of Slim Dusty left a void in the Australian country music industry and in many fans hearts.

Slim sure left big boots to fill, but one Mackay man and a country music band are keeping the magic of Slim's music alive, Not only in North Queensland, but also around the nation, with their Ultimate Slim Dusty tribute show. Col Duncan and the band Haywire (formerly Overload) have an obvious passion for country music - especially Slim Dusty, s. Haywire, a six-piece country rock band based in Mackay, North Queensland, have played around the region for the past seven years. Band members Lavena Stewart, acoustic guitar, Russel Vandenbosch, lead guitar, Russel (Bigsy) Biggs, on drums, Ben Jones on bass, Ray Cullen pedal steel & Gleny Rae (toe sucking cowgirls) on the fiddle & piano accordion, love their country sounds and it shows in their numerous awards. Haywire won the Mushroom Compass Brothers BandStand Award and played at the Gympie Music Muster in 2002. The band won Gold and was named Best Overall Band at the Charters Towers Country Music Festival in 2001, pocketing $6000 prize money. They also played in the North Queensland Showcase at a major venue at the Tamworth Country Music Festival in 2002.

Col Duncan, a bush balladeer, also has a swag of awards under his belt. He's been a member of the Australian Bush Balladeer's Association for three years and won Queensland awards including a Year of the Outback award in 2002 at the Hughenden Country Music Festival and Won the 2004 Mackay Country Music Talent Quest. In January last year, Col was a finalist in the Australian Bush Balladeer Star Quest and was named runner up Bush Balladeer of the year. Col says he had the good fortune to meet Slim Dusty twice and has been an avid fan from an early age. Like Slim Col has an easy-going style and is proud of his Australian country heritage. Col was born in Emerald, Central Queensland, and grew up around Clermont district, working with cattle & horses. He released his debut CD, country music at heart, two years ago.

Gleny Rae was born in Nyngan NSW to a sheep cocky and an extraordinary woman with musical sentiments. Taught piano and violin by a Catholic nun, then attended the Conservatorium High School in Sydney to hone some musical skills and learn about the big smoke. Since then, Gleny has played a variety of styles of music from orchestral delights to honkytonk heartaches. Now she travels the country appearing with various outfits, squeezing her black Excelsior accordion and scratching at her 1931 Roth violin. Bands... Toe Sucking Cowgirls, Rob Luckey and the Luckey Bastards, Gatorbait.

www.theultimateslimdustytributeshow.com