It all began in a small coffee lounge in Tamworth in 1964, when five country music enthusiasts met to discuss holding a "jamboree". The Tamworth Country Music Festival has since grown to be Australia's biggest country music event.
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Certainly there have been difficulties over the decades, but possibly nothing quite like the events of the past two years.
Last year, the festival was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic and lockdown restrictions.
Now, this year, just a week out from start day, the festival has been postponed - again due to COVID. Thankfully, the event is planned to resurface - in April - in what will be the festival's 50th anniversary year.
Our commemorative magazine was written and printed before the most recent surge in coronavirus cases. We have decided to make it available to readers regardless.
In its 84 pages, you'll find interviews with artists including INXS founder Andrew Farriss, The Whitlams' frontman Tim Freedman, Roger Corbett from the Bushwackers, Lyn Bowtell, Adam Harvey and Kasey Chambers.
There are also pages of historic photos looking back over each of the past five decades of the festival.
The full festival program - sadly - will only serve to remind what might have been. Or - happily - what to expect in April!
We hope you will support the many advertisers who appear in the magazine. Now, more than ever, local businesses can do with our custom.
Despite the change in circumstances (or perhaps because of it), the magazine is likely to become a true collectors' edition. Grab a copy with the Northern Daily Leader or click here to read the magazine online.
Listen: new country music podcast
To mark 50 years of country music at the Tamworth Country Music Festival, ACM (publisher of this website) has launched a new podcast, Celebrating Aussie Country.
In the 10-part series, available only on Spotify, you'll hear from established and emerging artists and their music.
The series was recorded and released before the recent surge in coronavirus cases and the postponement of the festival until April.
We are sure you'll still enjoy the interviews and the music. Just bear in mind any performance dates will be changing.
To listen to the podcast, you'll need to download the Spotify app on to your mobile phone and search for Celebrating Aussie Country. If you already have Spotify - and you're reading this story on your mobile - click on the banner below and your phone will take you direct to the podcast.
Each podcast episode includes an interview with the artist and some of their music. People with free Spotify subscriptions will hear a 30-second snippet of the song, while those with premium Spotify subscriptions can enjoy the full version.
