Hot off the back of an ARIA Award win and a swag of Golden Guitar nominations, Casey Barnes is among the first artists announced in the Gympie Music Muster 2023 line-up.
He joins household names like Adam Brand, The Angels, Brooke McClymont and Adam Eckersley, Busby Marou, Kasey Chambers, Melinda Schneider, Troy Cassar-Daley and The Wolfe Brothers on stage in Amamoor State Forest, north of Brisbane, in August.
Heading into its 41st year, the four-day not-for-profit music festival is a critical source of fundraising for more than 30 rural and local charities.
It returned in 2022 after a three-year break due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nominated for five Golden Guitar awards, including Song of the Year and Male Artist of the Year, Barnes said he was excited to be returning to the Muster.
"It's one of the most unique and incredible festivals we have in Australia," he said.
"It's great to see big festivals like these ones back and running again after COVID set everything back to the last few years."
He said it was an honour to feature alongside some of the biggest names in the industry.
"They're guys that I have huge admiration for and it's nice to be billed alongside them now," he said.
"It's definitely been a good year ... and [I'm] already looking forward to what's in store for next year."
Canadians head Down Under
The festival will also have an international flavour with Canadians Dan Davidson and Gord Bamford signing up for the gig.
Gympie Music Muster program director Oz Bayldon said the rest of the line-up would be announced early in 2023.
"After the success of this year's festival, we really are proud to kick off the line-up with 10 2023 Golden Guitar nominees and an array of awesome Aussie and Canadian talent," he said.
"We look forward to presenting more than 30 artists every day during the festival. There will certainly be plenty of variety to keep everyone happy."
The Gympie Apex Club has been involved with the Muster since the first one was held in 1982, and life member and historian Craig Mathisen has attended every event.
He said over the years the benefits had extended beyond the service club and the local charities.
"This is a charity event run by community to raise money for those less fortunate ... we've raised lots of money for farmers," he said.
"That was the trajectory it took us from a Queensland event to a truly a national event and it hasn't stopped growing."
A veteran of the festival, Melinda Schneider has been a regular on the stages over the past 20 years.
"It did my heart good to be asked to play the Gympie Muster next year because I love the Muster," she said.
"It is a real nostalgic event for me because I've been there a lot over the last 20 years and it's always a one-of-a-kind event; there is nothing else like it really in the world."
The festival will be held from August 24-27, 2023.
Muster line up so far
In alphabetical order:
Adam Brand, Andy Golledge, The Angels, Angus Gill, Ash Grunwald, Bill Chambers, Bondi Cigars, Brooke McClymont, Adam Eckersley, Brooke Schubert, Busby Marou, Casey Barnes, Catherine Britt, Dan Davidson, Don Walker, Felicity Urquhart, Josh Cunningham, Gina Jeffreys, Gord Bamford, Hat Fitz & Cara, Hayley Jensen, Hussy Hicks, James Blundell, Jayne Denham, Jeff Lang, Kasey Chambers, Lachlan Bryan & The Wildes, Melinda Schneider, Southbound Xo, Sunny Cowgirls, Taylor Moss, The Pleasures, The Weeping Willows, The Wolfe Brothers, Travis Collins, Troy Cassar-Daley, Vixens Of Fall, 19twenty, The Muster Bullride.
