Big names coming to Hats Off festival in Tamworth

The 23rd running of the event will take place from July 6-9.

This year's four-day festival has an enviable line-up of acts catering to all ages across 15 venues, including popular collaborators and multi-Golden Guitar winners Adam Harvey and Beccy Cole, Travis List, and songwriting trio Andrew Swift, Ashleigh Dallas and South Australian now Nashvillian Bluegrass favourite Kristy Cox.

Andrew Swift has not performed at the festival since before the pandemic.

"My last one must've been 2019, so needless to say, I can't wait to get back for this year's festival," he said.

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Swift is looking forward to the songwriters' round with Dallas and Cox.

"I love a good writers' round - they're intimate performances where the artists take turns performing and get to exchange the stories behind the songs," he said.

Swift said smaller towns and regional cities are often forgotten about when it comes to music tours.

"Whether it's a festival or not, I'm a huge believer in taking live music to regional areas," he said.

"I've found the people who live in those areas are often my favourite audiences to play to; they're down-to-earth music lovers who appreciate artists coming to their towns, festivals in rural and regional areas are just a great excuse to swing by more often."

Teenager Lane Pittman will also be in concert at his farewell show as he prepares to head on tour with Nashville superstar Luke Combs in August.

Pittman was a 2022 contestant on The Voice Australia, where he impressed all four judges with a rendition of Comb's Even Though I'm Leaving in the blind auditions.

"I like to give my audience a high-energy show every time I step out onto that stage," he said.

"My main goal is to make sure they walk away happy and feeling entertained."

The tour with Combs is a massive coup for the young performer, and Pittman can't wait to hit the stage.

"The thing I'm most excited about for this tour with Luke is playing my music to these massive arenas full of country music-loving fans," he said.

"I wanna show them what Lane Pittman has to offer."

Tamworth Regional Council country music coordinator Cheryl Brown, said the festival had proved popular with festival-goers over the years.

"It really has been successful as a cosy festival that shines a spotlight on songwriters and bush balladeers but always makes a big splash with country rock acts so everyone in the community can get amongst it," she said.

"It's particularly for the regional community to participate in.

"It's a perfect time for lovers of a cooler climate to visit Tamworth instead of braving the heat during January's iconic Tamworth Country Music Festival."

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