I'M sure all broadcasters, of whom I am one, wonder from time to time what their listeners think about their programs and relish feedback they get on the subject.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$1/
(min cost $8)
Login or signup to continue reading
2MCE's volunteer presenter Tim Herbert was delighted to hear from a young Australian country singer recently after he played some of her songs. More about that later.
Tim is into his second decade as a 2MCE volunteer. Every second Wednesday afternoon he presents The Country Music Show for two hours from two o'clock.
Australian artists, particularly those who may not get much airplay on most commercial stations, are highlighted.
Australian artists, particularly those who may not get much airplay on most commercial stations, are highlighted on Tim's programs.
You may hear performers who aren't well known but Australian country music is extremely strong, despite the COVID pandemic.
To mention just two, one of his favourite groups is The Wolfe Brothers, a quartet led by Tom and Nick Wolfe who were placed second in the sixth season of Australia's Got Talent.
The listener I mentioned above is Sally Jane, a young singer-songwriter from Western Australia who expressed her appreciation when Tim played her songs on a recent session.
The recordings which Tim plays are usually selected from the Australian Music Radio Airplay Project, a website produced by the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia designed to promote Australian content of various genres.
Sometimes he celebrates special days or events such as Anzac Day, Saint Patrick's Day or NAIDOC Week.
A particular challenge is to find early very Australian country recordings as far back as the 1940s.
Each weekend he spends several hours sourcing his music, giving him a greater perspective of music of many genres.
It's not surprising that Tim Herbert attributes his interest in country music to his farming background and how the stories which are often told by country music bring back memories.
For Tim, those lyrics are a very emotive force.
About 14 years ago, when Tim finished work, he "put his hand up" when 2MCE was searching for volunteers.
He hadn't expected that presenting a radio program would have commenced a new journey in his life, but as he told me: "Here I am. Wheelchair and all. I feel very privileged, especially as a person with disabilities, to have such a positive input into society."
He is especially grateful to 2MCE because it has become such an important aspect of his life.
Tune in to your community radio station on 92.3 Bathurst and 94.7 Orange, or stream from 2mce.org.
You can hear Tim's country music program every second Wednesday afternoon from 2pm to 4pm.
You can also follow us on Facebook @2MCEcommunityradio, Instagram @2MCEsocial or Twitter@2MCEorg.
