On Wednesday, 21 January 2026 from 3-6pm at Tamworth Youth Centre, the Buddy Knox Talent Contest, to be hosted by the award-winning blues musician, will provide opportunities for emerging Aboriginal musicians and performers to put on a song and dance.
The talent show will be held in front of an audience and panel of judges – Australian music legend Warren H Williams, Tamworth Regional Conservatorium of Music director Noelene Bosworth, and Aimee Hannan, star of ABC TV program Headliners – who will award prizes in three age categories to play on the FanZone stage at Tamworth Country Music Festival on 23 January.
Hannan, who has performed with Aboriginal Cultural Showcase since 2015, said opportunities like this are important for aspiring entertainers.
‘Entering a competition like this is important to build the many skills that will help later on in their career, plus meeting other artists that will grow alongside them.
‘When I was 10, I won first prize at a street fair in Gladstone, Queensland singing Rockabilly Rebel – and with my prize money, I went and bought my very first guitar (which I still have). I know that’s what helped me build a lot of my confidence and performing skills.’
Joanne Stead, a project officer with Tamworth Local Aboriginal Land Corporation (TLALC), said that while the talent show is a new initiative, in many ways it’s a return to the beginnings of Aboriginal Cultural Showcase.
‘The origins of the Showcase, from 2007-2008 through to 2013-14, were mainly in the format of a walk-up talent contest, with special guest performances in the evenings’, according to Stead.
‘In those years, the event was hosted by Aboriginal Affairs NSW. Since the Tamworth LALC took over management of the event from 2014/15, the format has been changed to allow economic opportunities for musicians and take advantage of the more prominent staging in partnership with Tamworth Regional Council, in the middle of the Festival footprint.’
Stead identified Knox as the driving force behind the showcase.
‘Buddy has been with the showcase team, working behind the scenes as well as performing since 2007. One of his enduring passions and part of his legacy within the Aboriginal music scene is his dedication to mentoring up-and-coming talent, and providing them with performance opportunities through his connections within the industry.
‘So the walk-up format of the Buddy Knox Talent Contest is really a return to the event’s roots, and creates the type of environment that Buddy is really passionate about, with the potential to uncover real, raw, undiscovered and emerging talent from across First Nations communities.’
For his part, Knox, who has released five albums since 2007, said the talent show is an important way of unearthing new talent.
‘When we were coming through, I didn’t have these opportunities to get out there and show the talents we have. But today there are more things to do, so I’m hoping everybody comes and joins in and has some fun, instead of just singing at home to the families.’
Young musicians are at the heart of Tamworth’s story, according to Stead.
‘The Tamworth Country Music Festival is such a big economic opportunity for the town and the Board of the Tamworth LALC is keen to ensure that we facilitate opportunities for our Aboriginal community and Aboriginal musicians to take a part in that.
‘The Aboriginal Cultural Showcase primarily provides opportunities for Aboriginal musicians and performers, but we also provide paid work experience opportunities for Aboriginal young people through back-of-stage and MC opportunities, performance opportunities for local youth via the dance performances as part of the Welcome ceremony, and to Aboriginal businesses to host market stalls and showcase their products.
‘Reinstating a walk-up talent show provides just another avenue for young people to participate, and a chance to broaden the opportunities that are included in the program,’ said Stead, who is ‘very excited’ to have the Aboriginal Employment Strategy and Aboriginal Regional Arts Alliance (NSW) sponsor the contest.
Young, early-career and emerging musicians, dancers, comedians, and performers in other genres are encouraged to enter. A house band will be available to provide ‘big band energy’ to solo vocalists and musicians on the day.
Knox would like entrants ‘coming and having fun… (and) showing their talents’, while judge Hannan said participants should ‘show their true colours!’
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander musicians can register for the Buddy Knox Talent Contest through a Google form.
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