Shane Nicholson
Since the release of Pretty Violet Stain’s debut E.P. Blush in 1997 Shane Nicholson has inhabited a rare space in the music industry: songwriter, recording artist, producer/engineer, multi-instrumentalist, guitar pedal builder, whiskey-enthusiast, motorcycle-lover, and musical mentor.
Shane has received three ARIA awards – for his solo album Hell Breaks Loose in 2015 and for his hit collaborations with Kasey Chambers – Rattlin’ Bones and Wreck and Ruin. He has also won 11 CMAA Golden Guitar Awards – including 2021 APRA Song of the Year – and an APRA award. He has been nominated twice for an Americana Music Association Award.
His production credits include Alex Lloyd, Michael Waugh, Beccy Cole, Tori Forsyth & Camille Trail.
He has three cats.
Cookie Baker
‘Rushing, driven, sublime folk and a great voice make this one impressive debut.’ – Nat Tencic, triplej
‘An undercurrent of angst and an overcurrent of sunshine.’ – Nkechi Anele, triple j
‘A piquant, poignant and evocative release.’ – Peter Goers, ABC Radio
2020 SA Music Award-nominated (People’s Choice – Country) Cookie Baker is a pint-sized melodic force to be reckoned with. A walking, talking exercise in compact contradiction and adaptation. As gutsy in person as she is empathetic on stage, as careful with her picked guitar as she is unapologetic with her incisive words, as warm in her interactions as she is unafraid of bringing airtime to the hard stuff. Through a whirlpool of contemporary folk and country songwriting, Cookie’s singularity is tantalisingly refreshing.
More often than not penning songs of keenly observed lost love and found habits, Cookie speaks honestly of longing, loss, displacement and isolation, and the emotional debris resulting from these experiences.
Raised on a farm by the seaside in rural South Australia, perpetually stoked Cookie Baker has performed live unstoppably her whole life; from force-feeding ‘concerts’ to her family on the front verandah on Christmas Day through her brand new Young Talent Time microphone, to the obsessive nature of a tween in youth theatre, to the all-consuming hold of secondary school drama, to the discovery of effortlessly putting the stories she had always written to song and crafting a magical, musical life of sharing them. The deceivingly gentle melodies, cool wordsmithery, and sparkling grit of her vocals that audiences have come to adore have taken Cookie performing around Australia and brought her to share stages with many esteemed Australian artists, including Augie March, Kate Miller-Heidke, Ben Lee, Angie Hart (Frente!), Mick Thomas (Weddings, Parties, Anything), Little Birdy and The Audreys.
Extensive touring has shown Cookie at her most personal, personable and intimate best, previewing material from her ongoing collaboration with Sydney-based engineer and producer, Michael Carpenter (Love Hz Studios), which produced the 2019 album, This Is Not A Love Song, released on November 29. The album features the singles Little Engine, The Summer (featuring Tim Rogers of Australia’s beloved You Am I), Don’t Start A Fight and the title track lead single.
Cookie Baker is also a vocalist with festival favourite Sun Records tribute, ‘Sun Rising – The Songs That Made Memphis’, and is the Founder and Director of Melbourne-based contemporary choir collective, ‘If You See Her, Say Hello’. In 2019, Cookie toured Australia with Mick Thomas (Weddings, Parties, Anything) as part of Mick Thomas’ Roving Commission. She regularly mentors youth in songwriting and freeform creative expression through song, and runs a regular music series and an artist residency program on a heritage family property on the Yorke Peninsula in South Australia
Kaelin Haimes
This year we offered an Emerging Artist Scholarship to eight of 25 applicants. In addition to music business mentorship with artist Kelly Brouhaha, sound tips from engineer John Simpson and venue tips from owner Mike Roberts, scholarship winners get to perform a couple of songs at the start of a show. We are really looking forward to hearing Kaelin Haimes kick off this magic night at The Barn at Wombat Flat!
Kaelin Haimes is a 15 year old singer/songwriter from Streaky Bay, on the Far-west coast of SA. Her original country/folk songs are performed at numerous venues around the Eyre Peninsula. During 2020, she played at her first Tamworth Country Music Festival. She’s currently studying music under Jodi Martin, at Streaky Bay Area School. 2021 has been a busy year for Kaelin with the grand finale right here at The Barn!
Ricca Terra Wines, Food stall, Eudunda Bakery goods, beer, soft drinks, hot drinks for you to purchase on the night.
NO BYO FOOD OR DRINK PLEASE.
Gates open 5:30pm / Show 7:00pm
