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Awards
'98 |
Lithgow
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The Australian Blues Music Awards were held on the last weekend in November from 1994 to 1997. The objective was to recognise the best in Australian Blues Performers and Bands. This was a "People's Choice Award" voted on by blues enthusiasts throughout Australia. Nomination forms were sent to past blues festival patrons, over 90 Community Radio Stations, advertised in the Drum Media and Sydney music magazines, distributed through Sydney Blues Society and at various venues, and to Blues Appreciation Societies in each state and of course here at this site. The votes were counted and the top nominations in each category are then faxed to 2 industry representatives in each state, the winner in each category is then determined.
The last
Awards Presentation was
held at the Basically Blues Club on Saturday 28th November 1998 at
the Fitzroy Hotel Windsor.
1994 - 98 Australian Blues Music Award Winners
To highlight the historical connection between blues music and the blue collar industries, the Lithgow, Australian Blues Music Awards Trophy was handcrafted from the relics of the coal mining industry in the Lithgow Valley. The Trophy incorporated a gold plated skip line mounted on a wooden base in the shape of a poppet head. The skip line came from the Lithgow State Mine and the wood was cut from the timber from the original wooden poppet head at the Oakey Park Colliery. Oakey Park Colliery, located just below the historic Zig Zag Railway, was opened in 1888 and closed in 1941. The mine featured a wooden poppet head and 65 coke ovens which supplied the Blast Furnace nearby, Lithgow being the birthplace of the steel industry in Australia. The mine poppet head was rebuilt in 1988 as part of the bicentennial. Unfortunately the poppet head was partially burn't by fire in the 1997 bushfires which surrounded the Lithgow Valley. Lithgow State Mine was opened in 1916 as a railway mine to supply the coal for steam engines and the adjacent Lithgow power station built in 1928. The mine closed in 1964 due to flooding, at its peak employed 800 men and boys. Many of the original buildings at the state Mine have survived including the complete rail siding. Work is now under way to establish the State Mine Railway Heritage Park on the original site.
From Lithgow, the 'Heart
of Australian Blues Music', |
This
page was created by Debweb. Debra Morris
Last update: 30 Nov '99