Rods Music News:


May - July 2004

To Tour Northern Territory

March - May 2004

To Tour Western Australia

February 2004

To Tour Victoria

January 2004

Rod to perform at the Tamworth Country Music Festival see gigs and events for performances..

Rod & Eve Esam Finalists in th TSA/Capital News "New Songwriter Award" to be announced at the TSA Awards Concert Wed 21st at West Tamworth Leagues Club 7pm.

December 2003

www.rodesam.com new website up and running.

Editorial in RM Williams OUTBACK Magazine, December/January issue

October 2003

Performed at the Broken Hill Country Music Roundup.

Clarence Roy Williams, Rod's pop known as 'Gentleman Jim' (Track 4 of the Earthmover album) passes away and laid to rest.

Left South Australian leg of the Tour and travelling through Outback QLD to hit the Coast at Townsville.
Australian Tour Diary click on link

September 26th - Oct 5th 2003

Perform at the Mildura Country Music Festival

September 2003

Release of third single "Coastal Cowboy" onto NFS 83 Compilation Album for Radio.

August 2003

Earthmover Music Video Clip commences broadcast on Austars CMC. CMC now have a request line Via email and any support with your requests would be greatly appreciated.

July 2003 - October 2003

Commenced Australian Tour. Australian Tour Diary click on link if you would like to share some of our journey. Based at Cockburn 50kms west of Broken Hill and touring Outback SA. Invited by Outback Regional Development Organisation to partner them in a community project to raise awareness and funds for the Outback Telecentre Network.

March 2003

"Earthmover" 2nd single off the album Album released onto the NFS 78 Country Singles Compilation Album for radio air play, not quite making it to the charts as yet but proving popular on Austars CMC where it is currently Broadcast.

January 2003

"Back Outback", released on NFS 75, enjoyed 6 weeks on Australias Top 30 Country Tracks making it to 23rd spot. It is still receiving huge airplay all over Australia especially since the successfull Album launch at Tamworth.

The Album Launch at the Longyard Hotel

Wed 22nd Jan 2003 - a date we'll always remember for the hugely successful launch of our album "Earthmover" at the Longyard.

With over 700 people present it was an amazing experience to bare our souls to the audience and to have them give back such warmth, energy and positive interaction. The Media response has been terrific and in fact the whole of Tamworth, apart from the heat nearly killing us, has been an enormously positive experience with new doors opening everyday. To those of you who joined us at the Longyard we want to extend our sincere appreciation for your support and for those who bought CD's thankyou so much and we hope you are enjoying them.

Of course the launch was performed with the musicians off the album whom we would like to publicly acknowledge as wonderful people and talented musicians.

The Wild Turkey Band consists of lead guitarist Benjy Pocock. Benjy won the Golden Guitar for Instrumental of the year with Michael Fix and Michael Muchow. Good on you Benjmeister, you are a legend. Soni Kildey plays Bass with Mick Mccartin on Drums, thanks guys.

The Harmonica Man Juzzie Smith took out the Golden Harmonica Championships and is now the National Champion for 2003. fantastic work Juzzie, you're one cool dude. On fiddle we thank Hugh Cowley for his great talent and being there for us.

Special guests also included the lovely Donella Plane. Donella joined Rod on stage for the heart wrenching duet "Daddy Let's Play". I don't think there was a dry eye in the whole venue as the duo's strong dynamic vocals told the story of the young cowboy who lost his wife and baby girl in a tragic car accident after a rodeo one night. Rod is the story teller of the young man's sad story while Donella portrays the cowboys wife singing to him from heaven to encourage him to get on with his own precious life.

Angie Mooney was also there whipping up a storm as usual. Angie is a great girl and has been very supportive of us. She has taken out again the Australian Ladies Whip Cracking Championships for 2003. She cracked whips in that hot sun every day of the Festival. She had blisters on her hands by the 3rd day but she didn't let that stop her, she is a trooper.

Sarah and Nikki Hay, NSW Line Dancing Champions did a great job of composing and performing their dances to "Earthmover" and "Coastal Cowboy". Thanks girls, the audience loved you! You will see the girls dancing on the pool table in the Royal Hotel, Taree in our video clip.

Campbell the swaggie was also there and did a fine job representing our Australian swagman during Rod's version of the Henry Lawson poem "Outback".