Bella (Australian band)

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Bella
L to R:Lyn Bowtell, Karen O'Shea, Kate Ballantyne, July 2015
L to R:Lyn Bowtell, Karen O'Shea, Kate Ballantyne, July 2015
Background information
OriginNewcastle, New South Wales, Australia
GenresCountry
Years active2002 (2002)–2006 (2006), 2015
LabelsSony
Past members

Bella were an Australian country music trio from Newcastle. They were formed as Anam Cara by Kate Ballantyne, Lyn Bowtell and Karen O'Shea (all on vocals) in 2002. They issued a sole album, Gravity (January 2005) before disbanding in 2006.

History[edit]

Bella were formed in 2002 as Anam Cara (Celtic for "soul mate") in Newcastle as a country music trio by Kate Ballantyne Lyn Bowtell and Karen O'Shea.[1][2] All three had previously entered the Star Maker Quest at Tamworth Country Music Festival: Bowtell won in 1997, Ballantyne won in 1998 and O'Shea was a grand finalist in 1999.[1][3][4]

Ballantyne (born Katrina Aitken, February 1970, Newcastle), on guitar and vocals, had started performing professionally from 14 years-old and issued her debut single in 1991.[4][5] She released three solo albums, Tomorrow's Girl (1994), Too Hot to Handle (1998) and Flowers for Love (1999).[5] Bowtell and O'Shea had both graduated from the CMAA College of Country Music in 1997.[4] Bowtell (born 1976 or 1977,[6] Kleinton, Queensland) on vocals and guitar, was a member of Southern Steel, which issued their debut album, Headed South, in 1996. Bowtell and O'Shea co-wrote "I Can Fly", which appeared on the Various Artists' compilation album, Outback Adventures (1997).[7] Upon leaving secondary school O'Shea started her career in her home town, Darwin, Northern Territory, with a band the Sublimes.[8] As of February 2002 O'Shea and her fiancée, Leo Skliros, owned a mango plantation south of Darwin.[7] Her debut album, Wish, appeared in that year.[8]

By mid-2003 Anam Cara had changed their name to Bella.[8] Their debut single, "Tumblin' Down", was issued in September of that year on an extended play of the same name via AgSongs.[8][9] The label's owners, Barry Harley and Kate Nugent, had caught their show at The Brewery in Newcastle.[9] "Tumblin' Down" was co-written by American country musicians, Melissa Peirce and Jerry Salley.[10] Their second single, "About a Girl", was written by Bowtell and appeared in 2004. They have won Golden Guitars for Vocal Group or Duo of the Year in 2004 and 2005 for the songs "Tumblin' Down" and "About a Girl" at the Country Music Awards of Australia.[11]

Bella released their debut album, Gravity, on 17 January 2005 via Sony/BMG. It provided the group's third single, "She Still Believes", in August of that year, which reached the ARIA Singles Chart top 100. The track had been co-written by Bowtell with Salley. Bella disbanded in 2006 due to problems with their label and changes in their personal lives.[12] Bowtell's father died, and she studied a Bachelor of Music; Ballantyne became a school teacher; O'Shea and Skliros had married and moved to the Hunter Valley where they raised their two children.[12] Bowtell resumed her music career in 2011.[12]

In October 2014 Bella reunited and undertook the She Still Believes Farewell Tour into 2015.[9][12] They performed their final show at the Tamworth Country Music Festival in January 2016.[9]

Discography[edit]

Albums[edit]

Title Details Peak chart positions
AUS
[13]
Gravity 129

Extended plays[edit]

Title Details
Tumblin' Down
  • Released: 1 September 2003
  • Label: AgSongs
  • Format: CD

Singles[edit]

List of singles as lead artist, with chart position
Title Year Peak chart positions Album
AUS
[14]
"Tumblin' Down" 2003 — Tumblin' Down
"About a Girl" 2004 — Gravity
"She Still Believes" 2005 99

Awards[edit]

Country Music Awards of Australia[edit]

The Country Music Awards of Australia (CMAA) (also known as the Golden Guitar Awards) is an annual awards night held in January during the Tamworth Country Music Festival, celebrating recording excellence in the Australian country music industry. They have been held annually since 1973.[15]

Year Nominee / work Award Result
2004 "Tumblin' Down" by Bella Vocal Group or Duo of the Year Won
2005 "About a Girl" by Bella Vocal Group or Duo of the Year Won
  • Note: wins only

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Bella". NewcastleBandsDatabase. 5 May 2004. Archived from the original on 23 March 2019. Retrieved 29 January 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  2. ^ "Bella Can't Resist Force of Gravity". 15min. April 2005. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  3. ^ Ellis, G M. "A History of Star Maker". historyofcountrymusic.com.au. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  4. ^ a b c O'Brien, James (24 November 2003). "New Country Music Supergroup – Bella". Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). ABC New South Wales. Archived from the original on 28 February 2004. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  5. ^ a b "Kate Ballantyne – Biography". Australian Country Music. Archived from the original on 5 March 2003. Retrieved 30 January 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ Dawson, Dave (20 October 2014). "Dave's Diary – Lyn Bowtell CD Review". Nu Country. Archived from the original on 7 February 2015. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  7. ^ a b "Karen O'Shea". connexus.net.au. 12 February 2002. Archived from the original on 30 April 2002. Retrieved 30 January 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. ^ a b c d "Karen O'Shea". Tamworth Rage Page. 12 June 2005. Archived from the original on 18 July 2005. Retrieved 30 January 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ^ a b c d "Bella's Final Celebration of Friendship and Song". InTtouch Magazine. 1 September 2015. Archived from the original on 14 March 2020. Retrieved 30 January 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. ^ "'Tumblin' Down' at APRA search engine". APRA AMCOS (Australasian Performing Right Association, Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society). Retrieved 31 January 2021. Note: For additional work user may have to select 'Search again' and then 'Enter a title:' &/or 'Performer:'
  11. ^ "Past Award Winners". Country. Archived from the original on 25 October 2020. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  12. ^ a b c d Milligan, Nick (16 October 2014). "Country trio Bella reunites for special shows". Maitland Mercury. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014.
  13. ^ Thomas, Tara (14 March 2005). "Week Commencing ~ 14th March 2005 ~ Issue #785" (PDF). The ARIA Report (785). Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA): 9, 19. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 March 2005. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
  14. ^ Thomas, Tara (5 September 2005). "Week Commencing ~ 5th September 2005 ~ Issue #810" (PDF). The ARIA Report (810). Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA): 4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 September 2005. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
  15. ^ "Past Award Winners". Archived from the original on 25 October 2020. Retrieved 2 November 2020.
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