Albums

NEW ALBUM RELEASE IN TAMWORTH 2007

“BENEATH THE QUEENSLAND MOON”

1. Big God Fishing Hole Wave Jackson & Ashley Cook

2. Trains Wilf Elliott

3. Beneath The Queensland Moon Buddy Williams

4. The Road To Kakadu Hurtle Flint & Ashley Cook

5. Drovers Lament Terry Daley & Ashley Cook

6. Happy Birthday Mate Terry & Jenny Bennetts

7. A Bushmans Life Dennis Evan & Shaza Leigh

8. The Dam On The Dawson Trevor Shaw & Ashley Cook

9. I’m A Dragline Keith Jamieson & Ashley Cook

10. The Gympie Horse Stampede Kevin Groves & Ashley Cook

11. Memories John Wright & Wilf Elliott
12. Another Day Another Load. Wally Brummell

"Beneath The Queensland Moon"

It has been a pleasure to have been involved in the career of Ashley Cook. I first saw Ashley perform in a talent quest at the 2002 Tamworth Country Music Festival. I was impressed by his honest delivery and quiet stage manner. I saw in him something that I believed traditional country music fans would grow to like and appreciate. A few years later he spoke to me about producing and album for him. We recorded and released 'Cattle Dust & Leather' and since that time he has cemented a great fan base. Ashley is a country boy, and real family man and loves performing real Australian Country Music. 'Beneath The Queensland Moon' features a great collection of bush ballads from some of the best ballad writers and Ashley has also co-written many of the songs. I believe Ashley will be a major force in the bush ballad field of Australian Country Music. He is already on his way.

Lindsay Butler

1. Heading For The Warwick Rodeo Buddy Williams

2. Where The White Face Roam Buddy Williams

3. Little Jackaroo Buddy Williams

4. Riding Home At Sundown Buddy Williams

5. The Flying Doctor Buddy Williams

6. Away Out On The Plain Buddy Williams

7. Music In My Pony's Feet Buddy Williams

8. Little Red Bonnet Buddy Williams

9. Wild River Buddy Williams

10. Dingo Alison Arthur

11. Over Hilltop And Hollow Robinson/Boosey & Hawkes

Duet with Kimberley Cook

12. Buddy & Grace Ben Jacobs / Shaza Leigh / Ashley Cook

"I Remember Buddy Williams" - Cover Notes -

September 2009 marks the 70^th anniversary of the first recordings of what was then called Hillbilly music by an Australian born recording artist. It was when Buddy Williams first stepped up to the Regal Zonophone microphone and began a recording career that stretched over nearly fifty years. Buddy was a boy from the bush and it was only natural that he sang songs about the life he knew. Over that long career Buddy picked up a legion of fans, right around Australia, who also loved the ballads of our land. The genesis of the Australian bush ballad was certainly amongst Buddy’s early recordings. Songs like “Where The White Faced Cattle Roam” and “Music In My Pony’s Feet” set the stage for a musical form that is uniquely Australian.
Seventy years down the track and more than twenty years after Buddy’s death, those songs have become part of our musical legacy. I know that after all those years Buddy would have been mighty chuffed to know that those songs are still being sung and that young Australian Bushmen and women, not only remember his songs but have gone on to develop the musical style he pioneered and epitomized.

Ashley Cook is a fine example of a boy from the bush who continues the traditions Buddy developed. Ashley sings songs from the land we love, paying tribute to the roots of our music but at the same time he’s part of the process that continues to build on that heritage.
Ashley, this album is a fine tribute to Buddy. You feel the songs while at the same time breathing a fresh energy into them.

On behalf of Buddy’s fans, thanks for a new experience with old favourites. We tips our lid to you and look forward to catching you on tour singing the music you so obviously love.
Garry Coxhead.

2009 marks the 70th anniversary of Buddy's first recording, and if he were here today, I know he'd have a big wide grin on his face listening to this album. Ashley has remained true to the bush ballad and performs the songs in the way in which they were created, but with his own personal style. Listening to "Buddy The Balladeer" brought back some very special memories of our lives on the road travelling with Dad and Mum and the band. As Grace said, maybe they could have done it differently, but then they'd have missed all the fun, the songs on this album tell some of the stories of the experiences of a life and career spent taking music to the people, and now the tradition can continue with this wonderful compilation from Ashley Cook - let the show go on. Harold, Kaye and I would like to thank everyone involved in this project, and feel sure you will enjoy listening to this multi awarded artist's tribute as much as we have.
Karen Williams.

The Buddy Williams recording career started in 1939. It was a remarkable career. He was the first Australian born artist to record the Australian Bush Ballad and set a benchmark for all the rest to follow.
In the 40's and 50's Buddy became a household name and his tours covered the entire country. He was also the first to take his show to the remote outback of Australia including the aboriginal settlements.
I believe I was lucky to have toured with Buddy Williams for 3 consecutive years from 1970 to 1973 as I learnt a lot from him.
One of the reasons he is still revered by country fans today is that Buddy always gave his all. I never once heard him say to a fan 'I'm too busy mate'; he was the ultimate communicator. They still love him for that.
I met Ashley Cook in Tamworth some time back when he was performing in a talent quest. There was a quality in him that reminded me so much of Buddy.

The following year he recorded his debut album in our studio and a couple of years later released his second album 'Beneath The Qld Moon' named after one of Buddy's songs. Ashley is a Buddy Williams fan and so the idea for this album was born. Ashley knows how to sing bush ballads but more importantly, he knows how to treat his fans, family and friends.
He's a true Bush Balladeer and I'm very proud to have been part of this tribute album to Buddy Williams.
Lindsay Butler OAM

Debut Album - "Cattle Dust & Leather"

1. Paddy Dennis Evans / Shaza Leigh

2. Calling It A Day Norm McClaughlin

3. Stringybark & Greenhide A.E Brooks / Slim Dusty

4. A Ringer In The Making Bill Brummell / Ashley Cook

5. The Last Of Her Line K & M Dixon / Slim Dusty

6. Cattle Dust & Leather Joe Daley /Ashley Cook

7. Ride Ringer Ride Wave Jackson

8. The Chestnut, The Old Man And Heeler Dennis Evans / Shaza Leigh
9. Lead Me Down To The Stockyard Stan Coster / Slim Dusty

Duet with Kimberley Cook.

10.Blue Queensland Dogs Lex Mclennan / Wilf Elloitt

11.When The Saddle Was His Throne Wilf Elliott

12. Life On The Blacksoil Plains Wilf Elliott

"A Real Bush Ballad Album"

More traditional Australian Country Music Fans are asking for genuine, down-to-earth Bush Ballad performers and albums

We believe this is one of those Albums performed by a young man from Thangool in Central Queensland who grew up listening to the music of Slim Dusty. Ashley Cook not only sings songs about the bush life but lives that live working in the stockyards on his family property. He is well qualified and genuinely knows all about " Cattle Dust and Leather" . Ashley is the real deal and we hope you'll enjoy listening to his first album of real Australian Country Music.

Lindsay Butler.