8 Ball Aitken is returning to Australia for his biggest-ever national tour of the lucky country.
8 Ball will be launching two new albums during his Aussie tour: Southern Hemisphere, a tasty brew of sizzling hot country and blues, recorded in Nashville with Australian-American producer Mike Flanders, and (especially for the blues fans) A Bluer Shade Of Blue, a compilation of 8 Ball’s best blues tracks from his previous five albums.
When not boarding planes to get from gig to gig, 8 Ball has been making the rounds of his new hometown, Nashville, USA.
By day, he has been songwriting with some of Nashville’s most talented tunesmiths, and by night he has become a regular performer of the country honky tonks and steamy blues bars on the Nashville-Memphis circuit.
Over the past few months, 8 Ball has toured and performed at festivals and music venues right across the USA and Canada. His recent journeys through the juke joints of Texas, California, Florida, New Jersey, West Virginia, and North and South Carolina have resulted in his writing and recording a swag of new songs. Three of 8 Ball’s songs have been used this year as soundtrack music for American television shows Justified, Parking Wars, and Breaking Amish.
For 8 Ball, it’s been a real ‘Boy’s Own Adventure’ experience in America – not too shabby for a banana picker from far north Queensland.
He’s appeared as an extra on the international hit TV show Nashville – and now the show is featuring his unique gig posters displayed as background art at the venue sets featured in the program. Another major career highlight has been performing at Loretta Lynn’s ranch. He was a big hit with the punters. As a result, the redhead from FNQ has been asked back to the ranch to play more gigs next year.
In other fresh 8 Ball Aitken infotainment, a brand new animated music video has just been released for worldwide distribution. By popular demand, The Party (one of 8 Ball’s most-requested songs) has hit screens around the globe. Fully fan-funded, the animation features many well-known Australian music fans including the gorgeous River Oak Cowgirls.
Inspired by the signing of the Tamworth-Nashville Sister City agreement in June, the cartoon features an exciting musical journey between some very recognisable landmarks of the two country music capitals (including Tamworth’s Big Golden Guitar and Nashville’s Country Music Hall of Fame) – by way of outer space. The video can be viewed here:
Now it’s time for the Aussies to kick up their heels and get funky at the party. 8 Ball is rolling into town, and you won’t want to miss the fun.
By popular demand, 8 Ball is returning to perform at Ballina Country Music Festival. You can catch him in action on Saturday October 5 when he performs at the Henry Rous Hotel from 4.30pm. He also plays at the Shaws Bay Hotel from 9.30pm. Both shows have free entry.
BUT WAIT…
You can catch 8 Ball again on Sunday October 13 at Tyalgum Hotel from 2pm.
Find this and many other great gigs in Echonetdaily’s North Coast Gig Guide.
