Broadcasters' Hall of Fame

The Australian Country Music Broadcasters Hall of Fame was launched in 1997 by the ACMF to honour and pay tribute to those broadcasters, past and present, who have played a significant role in the development of Australian country music.
A long-time country music broadcaster, Brian Howard’s career goes back to Sydney radio, including the popular 2SER FM. Eventually moving to Tamworth, Brian worked on the famous Hoedown (later Country Music Radio or CMR) program on 2TM for many years. When CMR returned to the airwaves more than a year ago, Brian was recruited to once again host part of the program.

My Bio

Being raised on a dairy farm at Whiteman Creek, near Grafton in northern NSW was certainly a solid foundation for a career in country music for Brian Howard. Since the age of nine he was singing with his elder brothers at local dances and performing live on radio before he had reached his teens.

After working in a number of rural occupations, Brian moved to Sydney in 1970 where his association with country music expanded while he engaged with well known country groups including Silver Dollar, the legendry Brian K Kelly, Christina George and finally forming his own band the Wirestrainers.
As well as a professional musician and singer, Brian’s songwriting talents have been recognised by some of the greats of Australian country music recording artists including the late Gordon Parsons, Reg Poole, Glenn Jones and Christina George being just a few that have recorded his work.
In the 1980’s Brian owned and operated the Town and Country Music Store in the Sydney suburb of Concord, which also incorporated a booking agency, co-ordinating entertainment for many of Sydney’s major clubs like the Balmain Leagues Club and the giant Campbelltown RSL Club. Brian and his band also played at the Tollgate Hotel in Parramatta. Stan Coster, Brian Young and Owen Blundell were among some of the stars who made their first city appearances through this agency.
Brian also originated and produced the now famous Country Music Heritage Concerts which sold out to huge crowds at the Tamworth Country Music Festival. Brian’s radio career began in 1980 with radio 2SER-FM, where he remained until 1988 when he moved to 2 TM in Tamworth on the famous “Hoedown” now the Country Music Radio Network, broadcasting nightly to more than twenty commercial stations across Australia.
Being employed in the radio industry, Brian is always in demand as a compare at country festivals all over the country and it’s in this role that he has officiated at the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers, Crowning of Miss Rodeo Australia, the Champion of Champions Quest in Brisbane, the Buttercup Open House and the prestigious Starmaker Quest in Tamworth at festival time.
Brian is also much sought after as a judge of Starmaker and the Golden Guitar of Country music Awards of Australia.

Information supplied by Mike Smith