Leading Australian country music duo “The Sunny Cowgirls” will perform an informal acoustic set in the V8 Ute Paddock this weekend at the Clipsal 500. They will play as part of the Series tenth year celebrations, which will begin with Round 1 of the 2010 Yokohama V8 Ute Racing Series – protected by Armor All at Adelaide Parklands, 11 – 14th March.
The Sunny Cowgirls appear courtesy of V8 Ute driver Captain Robert Jarvis who has an affinity with Country Music that has seen him in the past form a tight friendship and racing alliance with multiple Golden Guitar winner Adam Brand.
The likeable hard charger from Billinudgel on the NSW/QLD border has unearthed another Country music connection and pulled off quite a coup enlisting the duo as his “grid girls” for the weekend.
These sassy sibling songstresses (Sophie and Celeste Clabburn) have never been to a race event, let alone one like The Clipsal 500 so Captain Rob was keen to oblige and even cheekily suggested that they adorn his starting spot on the grid each day.
“They’ve agreed but I don’t know that they really know what to expect,” grins the cheeky Jarvis, “however it’s great exposure for them and they’ll have a fantastic time.”
Sophie and Celeste have stormed on to the country music scene with their earthy, cheeky and unique form of musical Australiana and now have four albums under their belt – the most recent (Summer) being released in January of this year.
There’s a strong connection for the girls with former Jarvis garage-mate and team racer Adam Brand.
He’s their mentor and in many ways the man who discovered them.
The plucky sisters who had worked as jillaroos, fruit pickers, roustabouts, cattle ranch hands and even enrolled in a wool classing course while playing country music at agricultural shows, landed themselves in the CMAA College of Country Music in Tamworth at a seminar on marketing and networking conducted by singer Adam early in 2005. They listened intently, took him at his word and handed over a copy of their independent album of covers and originals, Little Bit Rusty. As Sophie recalls: “I walked up to him and gave him a copy – he looked at it and said ‘I’m going to play it in my Ute when I leave here’ and we were like, ‘yeah, right, he’s not going to listen to it’.”
He listened along with Compass Brothers Records head Graham Thompson and within weeks Australia was listening to an album that shot straight to number three on the ARIA Country Charts (with Golden Guitar nominations to follow.).
Now, the Sunny Cowgirls face their toughest gig – standing on the grid at The Clipsal 500.
A coup for Country Music and V8 Ute fans will be the fact that the girls will appear throughout the event in Captain Rob’s pit area and sign autographs too.
“We’re all really excited about having Sophie and Celeste on the team,” grins Jarvis, “We might not be Dancing on the Darling (one of the Cowgirls’ hit singles) but we’ll them clapping and cheering them at the Clipsal 500.”
The Sunny Cowgirls will play in the V8 Ute Paddock Saturday, 13th March at 1:00pm and on Sunday, 14th at 9:00am. Below is a full schedule including signing sessions and races.
Thursday, 11 March 8:50am Practice 1 – Legend
Thursday, 11 March 12:35pm Practice 2 – V8 Ute Series Driver
Thursday, 11 March 2:15pm Signing Session (V8 Ute paddock)
Thursday, 11 March 4:15pm Qualifying 1 - Legend
Thursday, 11 March 6:00pm Qualifying 2 – V8 Ute Series Driver
Friday, 12 March 2:50pm Signing Session (V8 Ute paddock)
Friday, 12 March 4:55pm Race 1 – Legend
Saturday, 13 March 12:15pm Race 2 – V8 Ute Series Driver
Saturday, 13 March 1:00pm Sunny Cowgirls Perform (V8 Ute Paddock)
Saturday, 13 March 1:30pm Signing Session (V8 Ute Paddock)
Sunday, 14 March 9:00am Sunny Cowgirls Perform (V8 Ute Paddock)
Sunday, 14 March 9:30am Sunny Cowgirls Perform (V8 Ute Paddock)
Sunday 14 March 11:35pm Race 3 – “Ten Years of Legends Race”
The Ten Years of Legends Race (Race 3) will be televised LIVE on Network Seven on Sunday, 14th March.
