Country Spotlight: Stacey Morris

The Metro Gnome got to see Stacey Morris perform at The Vanguard in November. And we just learned that Stacey has been chosen as one of the top ten female vocalists of the year by judges of the Country Music Association's Golden Guitar Awards and joins fellow Best Female nominees including Kasey Chambers, Melinda Schneider, Sara Storer and Beccy Cole on a who's who list of Australian female vocalists. The Golden Guitar Awards (presented annually in January) recognise and promote excellence in Australian country music.

A seasoned performer, but newcomer to the country scene, it's been quite a year for Stacey! Her single Borders and Boundaries, from her debut solo album of the same name went on sale one week ago, just days after the news that listeners to John Nutting's Saturday Night Country show on the ABC had chosen her rendition of the Carole King classic So Far Away as one of the 15 tracks to be featured on the annual Saturday Night Country (SNC) "Hottest Hits" album.

Stacey talked to The Metro Gnome about her reaction when she found out that she was named in the top 10.

"What do I think? Oh, I'm over the bloody moon! (Laughs.) I cried and then I laughed and then I went into my husband and told him. And he sort of went, 'Oh, OK.' And I said, 'Do you realise what I just told you?' And he said, 'No, you’re waking me up.' 'Cause I didn't find out until quarter to 10:00. I'd just come home from a gig - and I woke all the kids up and told them that I’m in the Top 10 and asked them, 'Do you realise what that means?'

"I tried to explain to my kids, we watched the MTV Europe Music Awards 2004 in Rome, and Maroon 5 - well, they really wanted Maroon 5 to win. And I said, "That's how Mommy feels - you know, I'm in there - it's the just country music scene it’s not the rock and roll scene."

She's excited! Home grown talent, great effort, beautiful production - regardless of the outcome, Stacey has really accomplished a great deal - and she's just getting started....

Next month The Metro Gnome is going to dive straight into the Female Country Music scene and Stacey is going to give us an exclusive interview. Until then, look up Stacey Morris in our gig guide and go check out a show.

Gnome Links:

* Stacey Morris’s website is at www.staceymorris.com.au