Agnes singer to learn from country music greats

AN AGNES WATER singer has been accepted into a major music workshop that has housed some of the greatest musicians.

Amanda Heartsong has been accepted into the Country Music Academy Australia

AN AGNES WATER singer has been accepted into a major music workshop that has housed some of the greatest musicians.

Amanda Heartsong will begin a two-week program at the Academy of Country Music at Tamworth in January.

Heartsong said she did not expect to be accepted.

"I put an application in July not expecting to be accepted but I nearly fell of my chair when I saw the email," Heartsong said.

"I looked at all the people who came before me and they are all these huge country music stars."

"I'm just a little old person who plays around Gladstone," she said.

Heartsong has been performing for two-and-a-half years but before that worked in the military for 15 years.

She said music had helped her overcome PTSD and allowed her to express her emotions.

"I didn't come back very well from Afghanistan. I had PTSD and kind of fell out of the world a little bit," she said.

"The music really helped with the PTSD and gave me a chance to express myself."

Since 1997, The Academy of Country Music has produced many successful artists such as The McClymonts, Jessica Mauboy, Caitlyn Shadbolt and The Davidson Brothers.

The workshop will house Heartsong and other artists for two weeks where they will live together and be mentored by some of the greats in the industry.

Heartsong said it is very exciting to be mentored by artists such as Kevin Bryant and Catherine Britt.

"Kevin Bryant is a very well known songwriter and it is exciting to be able to work with him," she said.

Heartsong hopes her learning from the workshop will lead to bigger things for her music career.

For their graduation, artists will perform on the main stage for the opening of the Tamworth Country Music Festival.

"I'll also be a roving reporter during the event and will interview famous artists," she said.

Until then, Heartsong will perform with Laurie Rayment in their band Beautifully Broken 1770 at gigs around town.

The duo have played at Agnes Blues, Roots and Rock Festival, Tamworth Country Music Festival and CQ Music Festival.

They are set to release their first album early next year.