2002 Conference

The Australian Institute of Country Music's first conference was held in Gympie on the weekend of August 23 - 25, 2002.

Keynote speaker was Prof James Akenson from Tennessee Technological University.

Keynote Speaker

James E. Akenson is professor of Curriculum and Instruction in the College of Education at Tennessee Technological University in Cookeville, Tennessee. He integrates country music into his elementary social studies teaching methods and secondary social studies teaching methods courses. Akenson also teaches a special graduate course for teachers on country music.

In addition, Akenson is co-Chair and founder of the International Country Music Conference held annually at Belmont University in Nashville. He also serves as treasurer for the Tennessee Folklore Society and is Executive Director of the Tennessee Council for the Social Studies.

Akenson received his BA from the University of Minnesota and his MA and Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin

Program

Friday 23th August

7.00pm - Chair Gerry Crotty

Delegates welcome function - back stage at the National Country Music Muster, Amamoor Creek.

Saturday 24th August

9.00am
Registration at the Gympie Civic Centre

9.30am - 10.30am - Chair Craig Mathisen
Keynote address by James Akenson and response by Graeme Smith

10.30am - 11.00am
Break

11.00am - 12.15pm - Chair Greg Whateley
Bringing Country to the City Church: The Mission of Colin Buchanan (Mark Evans - Department of Contemporary Music Studies, Macquarie University)

Kasey’s Vocal Chamber (Leigh Carriage - School of Contemporary Arts, Southern Cross University)

The Tamworth Music Festival and the Nature of the Performances there in the 1980s/1990s (Phillip McIntyre - University of Newcastle)

12.15pm - 1.15.pm
Lunch

1.15pm - 2.45pm - Chair Rosie Adsett
Gumleaves or Paper Roses? Indigenous and Introduced Traits in the Koori/Goori
Country Tradition (Robin Ryan - Department of Contemporary Music Studies, Macquarie University)

Railways, a Popular Theme in Australian Country Music (Brian Dunnett - Independent, Sydney)

Country Music Management (Guy Morrow - Department of Contemporary Music Studies, Macquarie University)

‘I’ve been everywhere’: place specificity in Australian country music (Peter Doyle - Independent, Sydney)

2.45pm - 3.00pm
Break

3.00pm - 3.45pm - Chair Jon Fitzgerald
Plenary Session - Future Directions

8.00pm - 9.00pm
Conference Dinner at the Muster Site

9.00pm - Chair Gerry Crotty
Graeme Connors session
Phil Hayward (Department of Contemporary Music Studies, Macquarie University)

Sunday 25th August

9.00am
Informal conference "wrap-up" - National Country Music Muster Site, Amamoor Creek Site

10.00am
Bus returns to Brisbane

Sponsors

The AICM is pleased to thank the following sponsors for their support.