GOA Awards and Fundraising Dinner
On Monday 25th August, GOA held an awards dinner with a difference as part of its Inaugural Conference proceedings.
We recognise that tour guides have a story to tell and the nature of our career leads us into a world of many and varied situations. We celebrated the stories (the funny and the moving ones), and with the assistance of Jim Haynes as MC and entertainer, had an awards event with a difference!
The MC for the evening was Jim Haynes
"My humour and songs are very Australian," says Jim, "I want to make people laugh and feel good. That's the attitude I always take on stage."
Helen Dickie, National Party President and conference convener, calls him, "... simply the best genuine Australian Comic Entertainer we have"
While teaching in country NSW, he formed the Bandy Bill & Co Bush Band, which had some impressive hits. He had a solo hit with "Mow Ya Lawn", a song that led to that all-important break in the music business. Jim became a singer/comedian and wrote and recorded many songs, including hits like "Since Cheryl Went Feral" and "Don't Call Wagga Wagga Wagga".
Jim has toured his own shows all over Australia and performed overseas at Expo '92 in Spain and toured as a guest of the Western Folklife Centre in the USA. He has also hosted many shows and tours for artists like Slim Dusty, Lee Kernaghan, Adam Brand and Gina Jeffreys.
Fifteen years ago Jim decided to start the first Bush Poetry Breakfasts at Tamworth's during the annual festival. Against all predictions, they were an instant success, and ten years ago moved to the West Tamworth Leagues Club, becoming the phenomenally successful Big Bush Brekky Show, combining Jim's unique mix of country music and humour with big name guests.
- The author of twelve best selling books of stories and verse, Jim is currently writing three more.
- Jim has total sales of over 70,000 albums. Over 25,000 sales alone of the album 'It's Nothing Serious'.
- 'Since Cheryl Went Feral' was No 1 on the Australian Country Airplay Charts for 5 weeks and spent 26 weeks on the charts. Jim has had 5 other top 5 hits on Country Charts Including 'Don't Call Wagga Wagga Wagga'.
- Jim has won 'Comedy Song of the Year' at the Tamworth Festival 4 times and three Australian Bush Laureate awards for 'Book of the Year'.
- Jim is the resident Australiana Humorist on Radio 2UE and appears regularly on TV and radio.