Tamworth debut strikes a cord for local musician

MOOLOOLAH musician Chris Cobb has returned from his first Tamworth Country Music Festival with new fans, renewed confidence in his original music and return performances already locked in for 2027.

For the Sunshine Coast local, the iconic ten-day festival proved to be as much about connection as performance, with street busking opening doors to venue gigs and introductions to some of the most respected names in Australian country music.

“My first Tamworth experience has been huge,” Cobb said.

“I loved busking and sharing conversations with strangers who felt like friends, and just being fully immersed in the country music scene.”

One of his earliest highlights came on day one, when a visit to S. Kidman & Co Tamworth unexpectedly became a festival milestone.

“Playing at the S. Kidman store on my very first day and meeting the amazing team was incredible,” Cobb said.

“They invited me back as many times as I could manage and even dressed me for the Best of the Buskers competition on the final night.”

That performance also proved to be a turning point.

Cobb was spotted by the owner of the Powerhouse Hotel Tamworth and was personally invited to perform at the Coal Bunker Bar. He went on to play four shows across the week, each drawing steadily growing audiences.

The venue holds special significance in Australian country music history, having hosted early performances by Keith Urban, while Troy Cassar-Daley is a regular and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame this year, with a suite at the hotel named in his honour.

The intimate setting allowed Cobb to step away from the intensity of street busking and connect more deeply with audiences.

“I was able to perform off the busy streets and share more of myself in a more personal space,” he said.

Among the standout moments was meeting James Blundell. He also met childhood idol Troy Cassar-Daley backstage, describing it as “the best show, like fine wine”.

A major milestone followed on the final night at Toyota Park, where Cobb performed one of his original songs as a Top Ten Busker to his largest crowd to date.

“I’ve never performed my own originals as much as I did at Tamworth,” he said. “The response has given me the confidence to keep writing and get into the studio to record.”

With new connections made and return gigs already confirmed, Cobb’s verdict was simple: “I’m coming back next year. See you all along the dusty road.”