Sara Storer

Sara Bettine Storer (born 6 October 1973) is an Australian country music singer-songwriter and former teacher. She won a record breaking seven Golden Guitar awards in the Tamworth Country Music Festival in January 2004, and as of 2017, she has won 21 in total. Three of her six studio albums have reached the top 30 on the ARIA Albums Chart, Firefly (July 2005), Lovegrass (August 2013) and Silos (March 2016). Silos also won Best Country Album at the ARIA Music Awards of 2016. Storer has been a member of a country music trio, Songbirds (2007–09) alongside Beccy Cole and Gina Jeffries. Her older brother, Greg Storer, is also a country music singer-songwriter and the siblings have recorded and performed together.

Sara Storer
Birth nameSara Bettine Storer
Born (1973-10-06) 6 October 1973
Wemen, Victoria, Australia
OriginKatherine, Northern Territory, Australia
GenresCountry
Occupation(s)
  • Singer-songwriter
  • teacher
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • acoustic guitar
Years active1996–present
Labels
Associated acts
Websitesarastorer.com.au

Early career

Sara Bettine Storer was born in October 1973 in Wemen where her parents, Lindsay and Fay Storer, farmed wheat and cattle on a 5,000 acres (2,000 ha) property.[1][2] Her three brothers, including Doug and Greg Storer, became farmers, she also has two older sisters.[2][3] She attended school in nearby, Robinvale.[4]

Storer later recalled, "I wasn't much of a farmer's daughter. Three brothers – they did everything and they enjoyed it. I would rather sit at home and help out with mum really. I was scared of cattle. I always got yelled at cos I was in the wrong spot you know, didn't really know what I was doing. I was never very good."[3] She completed her tertiary studies in Melbourne, becoming a teacher and then headed north in the mid-1990s. Living in Camooweal, she met a retired water buffalo shooter, Harry Chandler, whose stories inspired her to write, "Buffalo Bill", her first song.[1][2]

Nine months later, Storer moved to Katherine, Northern Territory, where she taught kindergarten level at Casuarina Street Primary School.[5] After a year there she taught at Kalkarindji (466 kilometres (290 mi) southwest of Katherine), for four years.[5][6] Later she co-wrote and recorded a track, "Children of the Gurindji", with Kev Carmody, for her compilation album, Calling Me Home – The Best of Sara Storer (April 2010).

Carmody told Rhoda Roberts of Deadly Vibe, "[Storer] came up here about 12 months ago and we did a song about the Gurindji kids together. The whole basis of the song was, when she went to teach at Kalkarindji – she taught there for a number of years – she said that she came away with the kids teaching her more than she taught them, and that was the chorus of the song."[7]

When not teaching she started playing at parties across the territory. She won a talent quest at Adelaide River which provided a scholarship to the College of Country Music, held two weeks before the Tamworth Country Music Festival, in January 2000. There she met Garth Porter, former keyboard player with Sherbet, and a record producer of fellow singers, Lee Kernaghan and Gina Jeffreys. Porter worked with Storer to record six tracks which he showcased to ABC Music's owners, who agreed to sign her to their label.

Recording career

Sara Storer released her first album, Chasing Buffalo, in August 2000 via ABC Music/Universal Music Australia with Porter producing. It peaked in the ARIA Albums Chart top 100, No. 20 on the Australasian Artists, No. 8 on the Hitseekers and No. 6 on the Country albums charts.[8] She won the Best New Talent category at the 2001 Country Music Awards of Australia for her debut single, "Buffalo Bill", in January of that year.[9]

Her second album, Beautiful Circle, appeared in November 2002, which was produced by Porter again. In January 2004 at the Country Music Awards of Australia she was nominated for eight Golden Guitars, and won seven of them – a then-record number of trophies at one ceremony:[10][11] Vocal Collaboration, Single of the Year and Song of the Year all for "Raining on the Plains" (with John Williamson); Female Vocalist of the Year and Album of the Year for Beautiful Circle, Songwriter of the Year for "Raining on the Plains" (co-written with Porter and Greg Storer); Bush Ballad of the Year for "Boss Drovers Pride" and Heritage Song of the Year for "Drover's Call".[9]

The album reached No. 50 on the ARIA Albums Chart in March 2004.[12] It also peaked at No. 11 on the Australasian Artists, No. 1 on the Hitseekers and No. 2 on the Country albums charts.[13] She promoted it by touring with Australian country singer, Troy Cassar-Daley,[11] and United Kingdom singer, Charlie Landsborough, including playing to an audience of over 40,000 people at the Gympie Muster, Queensland. On 6 October 2004 she issued her first DVD, Stories to Tell, which included music videos, interview footage, acoustic performances and new tracks.[11]

Firefly, the artist's third album, was released in July 2005, which peaked at No. 24 on the ARIA Albums Chart.[10][12] Porter produced the work and it became her first number-one on the ARIA Country Albums Chart.[10] She co-wrote and recorded duets on three tracks: with Greg ("Chiller's Bend"), Josh Cunningham ("Important Things") and Paul Kelly ("Must've Been a Hell of a Party").

Kelly described Storer, "You know she's paid attention, heard the bush waking up in the morning, listened to the worries thrashed out at the kitchen table, smelt dry summer wheat up close, dreamed of far away places in a bedroom with a window on a big sky, driven miles on dirt and bitumen and fallen in and out of love. She's found her own way to sing the stories that are all around her and then inside her bubbling out. She doesn't copy over-emotive, fake sincere twangy country singers from overseas. She's found her own restraint and steel and lets her songs do their sweet, sly work."[5]

In December 2005 Deborah Conway established the Broad Festival project, "the idea that I would pull these different women performers together from different genres and call it Broad".[14] Storer joined Conway, Katie Noonan, Ruby Hunter and Clare Bowditch where they performed their own and each other's songs on an Australian tour.[14][15] Conway observed, "Sara you're a gorgeous surprise package, quiet and unassuming offstage; onstage, you had us pissing ourselves every night. I love that simple yet deceptive guitar playing and those haunting songs, which have such a piercing truth to them."[15]

In March 2006 Storer played at the Queens' Lunch during the Melbourne Commonwealth Games. In February and March 2007 she performed a double-headlining tour with fellow country musician, Felicity Urquhart.[11] In November of that year she provided her fourth studio album, Silver Skies, which reached the ARIA Albums Chart top 100 and No. 3 on the Country Albums Chart.[12] It was co-produced by Cunningham and Matt Fell for her new label, EMI Records.[12][16]

Its lead single, "Land Cries Out", appeared in September 2007, which Andrew Tijs of Undercover News described, "an achingly beautiful rumination on the bitterness of being forced to leave the land you love – an all too common scenario during the recent drought. With this heartfelt subject matter, Storer has branched away from traditional country sounds... [she] uses electric guitar and drums to complement the lament."[17] From late January to early February 2008 she supported a tour by American singer-songwriter, Suzanne Vega.[18]

From 2007 to 2009 she joined Beccy Cole and Gina Jeffreys to form a country music trio, Songbirds.[11] The group released a live DVD, You’ve Got a Friend: Live in Concert, on 1 May 2009, which was accredited by ARIA as a gold album by the end of that year.[19] It was recorded at Tamworth in January 2009.[20] It was shown at cinemas from 29 April of that year, Storer opined, "I’m really proud of the Songbirds: You’ve Got a Friend live filming but am worried how pregnant I will look shown on a big screen."[21]

Storer had encouraged her brother Greg, a cropping farmer from "Strawin" 60 kilometres (37 mi) north-west of Warren, New South Wales, to write music, she has performed his work, including duets with him and she is recorded on his debut single, "When I Was a Boy" (December 2009).[22] He recalled, "Sara started off telling me to write some lyrics and then every now and then she said I should get up and have a sing at one of her shows. It was absolutely terrifying to get up and sing in front of some great artists... [its] a bit addictive. The trick is to never put the guitar away – in between wrestling with the kids or doing something else, I can just pick up the guitar."[22]

Storer released her first compilation album in April 2010, Calling Me Home – The Best of Sara Storer, which reached No. 28 on the ARIA Albums Chart and No. 1 on the Country Albums Chart.[12] She had recorded three new tracks, "Calling Me Home", "Children of the Gurundi" (with Kev Carmody) and "Tears". At the ARIA Music Awards of 2010 John Williamson was inducted into their Hall of Fame in October, where Storer performed his tune, "Mallee Boy", in his honour.[23]

The singer-songwriter launched her fifth album, Lovegrass, at the Gympie Music Muster in August 2013.[24] She explained her preparation, "I'm getting there early and we're all going to catch up prior to the Muster for a rehearsal, which is a must especially when I'm releasing a new album and playing the songs with the band for the first time, really. We need a little practice run otherwise we could end up a train smash."[24] Lovegrass, which was produced by Matt Fell, peaked at No. 25 on the ARIA Albums Chart and No. 5 on the Country Albums Chart.[12] In 2015 Storer recorded "Song for Grace", a duet with Lee Kernaghan for his album, Spirit of the Anzacs (March 2015).

In March 2016 Storer released her sixth studio album, Silos, also produced by Fell, which peaked at No. 30 on the ARIA Albums Chart and No. 3 on the Country Music Albums Chart.[12] It earned the musician her sixth nomination for ARIA Award for Best Country Album and her first win in the category, at that year's ceremony.[25] At the Country Music Awards of Australia in January 2017 she received her 21st Golden Guitar – the most by any female artist.[26][27]

In April 2019, Storer will release her 7th studio album, Raindance.

Personal life

When Sara Storer was 18, her parents moved from Wemen, Victoria to a farming property near Warren, New South Wales.[20][28] Storer had lived in Melbourne, moved to Camooweal, North Queensland and then to Katherine and Kalkarindji, Northern Territory in the mid-1990s. By June 2009 Storer was living in Darwin.[20][29] There she married David O'Hare, a cattle buyer, in April 2012 and the couple have four children.[30][31][32] Storer took a break from song writing while focussing on parenting.[24][29] O'Hare left Austrex in February 2014 after being their cattle export manager in Darwin for ten years.[33]

As of May 2017 the family has a farm near Bowna 33 kilometres (21 mi) from Albury, they also have a home in Albury.[27][34][35] In January of that year she acknowledged her family when receiving her Golden Guitars at the Country Music Awards, "Dave has been a great support when I've gotten down about still doing this with four little boys. I have to thank my boys as well, for giving me a little moment every now and then to get a few lines down on paper."[27]


Discography

Studio albums
List of studio albums, with selected chart positions and certifications
Title Details Peak chart positions Certifications
(sales thresholds)
AUS
[12]		 AUS Country
[12]
Chasing Buffalo 99 6
Beautiful Circle 50 2
Firefly 24 1
Silver Skies 60 3
Lovegrass
  • Released: 23 August 2013
  • Label: ABC Music/Universal Music Australia (3737063)
  • Formats: CD, Music download
  • Producer: Matt Fell
 25 5
Silos
  • Released: 11 March 2016
  • Label: ABC Music/Universal Music Australia (4778380)
  • Formats: CD, Music download
  • Producer: Matt Fell
 30 3
Raindance
  • Released: 12 April 2019[38]
  • Label: ABC Music/Universal Music Australia (7737855)
  • Formats: CD, Music download, streaming
  • Producer: Matt Fell
 21
[39]		 3
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that country.

Compilation albums
List of compilation albums, with selected chart positions and certifications
Title Details Peak chart positions
AUS
[12]		 AUS Country
[12]
Calling Me Home – The Best of Sara Storer 28 1

Singles
  • "Buffalo Bill" (2000)
  • "Raining on the Plains" (by Sara Storer and John Williamson) (2002)
  • "These Hands" (2003)
  • "Firefly" (2005)
  • "Land Cries Out" (2007)
  • "When I Was a Boy" (by Greg Storer and Sara Storer) (2009)
  • "Calling Me Home" (2010)
  • "Children of the Gurundi" (by Sara Storer and Kev Carmody) (2011)
  • "Lovegrass" (2013)
  • "Pozie" (by Sara Storer and John Williamson) (2013)
  • "Dandelions" (2016)
  • "Purple Cockies" (2016)
  • "Raindance" (2019)

Music Videos
  • "Buffalo Bill" (2000)
  • "Raining on the Plains" (by Sara Storer and John Williamson) (2002)
  • "Firefly" (2005)
  • "Land Cries Out" (2007)
  • "Long Live The Girls" (2008)
  • "Sitting Here With Fay" (2008)
  • "Since I've Gone" (2010)
  • "One Perfect Day" (2010)
  • "Calling Me Home" (2010)
  • "Tears" (2010)
  • "Children of the Gurundi" (by Sara Storer and Kev Carmody) (2011)
  • "Lovegrass" (2013)
  • "Come on Rain" (2013)
  • "Canoe" (2014)
  • "Dandelions" (2016)

Awards

AIR Awards

The Australian Independent Record Awards (commonly known informally as AIR Awards) is an annual awards night to recognise, promote and celebrate the success of Australia's Independent Music sector.

Year Nominee / work Award Result
AIR Awards of 2014[40] Lovegrass Best Independent Country Album Nominated

ARIA Awards

For the ARIA Music Awards Sara Storer has received seven nominations, one for each of her studio albums, and she has won a sole trophy:[25]

Year Nominee / work Award Result Lost to
2001Chasing BuffaloBest Country AlbumNominatedSlim Dusty - Looking Forward, Looking Back
2003Beautiful CircleBest Country AlbumNominatedKeith Urban - Golden Road
2005FireflyBest Country AlbumNominatedKeith Urban - Be Here
2008Silver SkiesBest Country AlbumNominatedKasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson - Rattlin' Bones
2013LovegrassBest Country AlbumNominatedKasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson - Wreck & Ruin
2016SilosBest Country AlbumWonN/A
2019RaindanceBest Country AlbumNominatedMorgan Evans - Things That We Drink To

Country Music Awards (CMAA)

Sara Storer has won 21 Golden Guitars at the Country Music Awards of Australia, held annually in Tamworth in late January.[9][26][41]

Year Nominee / work Award Result
2001"Buffalo Bill"New Talent of the YearWon
2004Beautiful CircleAlbum of the YearWon
Female Vocalist of the YearWon
"Raining on the Plains" (duet with John Williamson)Vocal Collaboration of the YearWon
Single of the YearWon
"Raining on the Plains" (written by Doug Storer, Sara Storer, Garth Porter)APRA Song of the YearWon
"Drover's Call"Heritage Song of the YearWon
"Boss Drovers Pride"Bush Ballad of the YearWon
2006FireflyFemale Vocalist of the YearWon
2008"Land Cries Out" (written by Sara Storer)Heritage Song of the YearWon
APRA Song of the YearWon
2010"When I Was a Boy" (duet with Greg Storer)Video of the YearWon
2011"Calling Me Home"Video of the YearWon
2012"Children of the Gurindji" (duet with Kev Carmody)Video of the YearWon
2013"Women in Song" (trio with Tamara Stewart and Felicity Urquhart)Vocal Collaboration of the YearWon
2014LovegrassAlbum of the YearWon
Female Vocalist of the YearWon
"Pozie" (duet with John Williamson)Vocal Collaboration of the YearWon
2015"Canoe"Video Clip of the YearWon
2017SilosFemale Artist of the YearWon
"Amazing Night"Bush Ballad of the YearWon

See also

References
General
  • Williams, Sue; Milte, Catherine (1 September 2008), "Chapter 5: The Sweet, Sly Work of Song: Sara Storer, near Wemen, Victoria", Women of the Outback: Inspiring True Stories of Tragedy and Triumph, Penguin Australia, ISBN 978-0-7181-0494-8
Specific
  1. "'Buffalo Bill' at APRA search engine". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Retrieved 19 November 2017. Note: For additional work user may have to select 'Search again' and then 'Enter a title:' or 'Performer:'
  2. Dawson, Dave (19 October 2003). "Dave's Diary: Sara Sows Crops in Beautiful Circles". Nu Country. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
  3. Fidler, Richard (4 December 2007). "Australian singer song-writer Sara Storer on the joys of simple living". Conversations with Richard Fidler. Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). Retrieved 19 November 2017.
  4. Thorburn, Max (27 January 2017). "Ex-Wemen singer inducted into Tamworth's Galaxy of Stars". Mildura Independent. Archived from the original on 19 May 2017. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
  5. "Sara Storer". ABC Music (Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)). Retrieved 20 November 2017.
  6. "Sara Storer". Australian Music Online. Australia Council for the Arts. Archived from the original on 17 August 2008. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  7. Roberts, Rhoda (3 September 2012). "In the Studio with Kev Carmody". Deadly Vibe. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  8. Kellaghan, Ronan (25 February 2002). "Week Commencing ~ 25th February 2002 ~ Issue #626" (PDF). The ARIA Report. Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) (626): 2, 6, 10–11, 16–17. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 March 2002. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
  9. "Golden Guitar Winners 2000s". Country Music Association of Australia (CMAA). Retrieved 9 October 2016.
  10. Thomas, Tara (22 March 2004). "Week Commencing ~ 22nd March 2004 ~ Issue #804" (PDF). The ARIA Report. Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) (804): 2, 5, 10, 12, 19. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 August 2005. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
  11. Morris, Helen. "Sara Storer". Tamworth Rage Page. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
  12. Peak positions for Australian charts:
  13. Kellaghan, Ronan (8 March 2002). "Week Commencing ~ 8th March 2002 ~ Issue #732" (PDF). The ARIA Report. Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) (732): 5, 10–11, 17–18. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 April 2004. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
  14. Elliott, Tim (19 August 2008). "Lady's Night at the Beckoning Microphone". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 5 June 2011.
  15. Conway, Deborah. "Broad 2005". Broad Festival. Archived from the original on 15 May 2007. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
  16. Dawson, Dave (29 October 2007). "Dave's Diary: 29 October 2007 – Sara Storer". Nu Country. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
  17. Tijs, Andrew (28 August 2007). "Sara Storer Promises Silver Skies". Undercover News. Paul Cashmere, Ros O'Gorman. Archived from the original on 18 May 2008. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
  18. Tijs, Andrew (2 October 2007). "Suzanne Vega and Sara Storer Tour". Undercover News. Paul Cashmere, Ros O'Gorman. Archived from the original on 17 May 2016. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
  19. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2009 DVDs". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on 10 August 2020.
  20. Dawson, Dave (16 June 2009). "Dave's Diary: 16/6/09 – Preview of Episode 2 – Series 12: Sara, Gina and Beccy – Golden Guitars". Nu Country. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
  21. Cashmere, Paul (20 April 2009). "Gina Jeffreys, Beccy Cole and Sara Storer Head to the Big Screen". Undercover News. Paul Cashmere, Ros O'Gorman. Archived from the original on 17 May 2014. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
  22. Bell, Nicola (27 December 2009). "Warren's Singing Farmer". The Land. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
  23. Ferris, Rina; Brennan, Kristyn (25 October 2010). "Special Guests Line-Up to Salute Music Icons" (PDF) (Press release). Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  24. Hamley, Sophie (August 2013). "Interview: Sara Storer". Jolene: The Country Music Blog. Archived from the original on 9 June 2017. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
  25. ARIA Music Awards for Sara Storer:
    • Search Results 'Sara Storer': "Search Results for 'Sara Storer'". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Retrieved 20 November 2017.
    • 2001 winners and nominees: "Winners by Year 2001". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Archived from the original on 26 September 2007. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
    • 2003 winners and nominees: "Winners by Year 2003". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Archived from the original on 26 September 2007. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
    • 2005 winners and nominees: "Winners by Year 2005". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Archived from the original on 26 September 2007. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
    • 2008 winners and nominees: "Winners by Year 2008". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Archived from the original on 13 August 2009. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
    • 2013 winners and nominees: "Winners by Year 2013". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Retrieved 20 November 2017.
    • 2016 winners and nominees: "Winners by Year 2016". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Retrieved 20 November 2017.
  26. "Golden Guitar Winners 2010s". Country Music Association of Australia (CMAA). Retrieved 19 November 2017.
  27. Young, Chris (28 January 2017). "Golden night for Sara Storer and Fanny Lumsden". The Border Mail. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  28. O'Sullivan, Jodie (6 January 2017). "Songstress Sara Storer finds inspiration in everyday pleasures at her Bowna farm". The Border Mail. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  29. "Storer thrilled with top 'Pozie'". NT News. News Limited. 27 January 2014. Archived from the original on 29 January 2014. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  30. Johnstone, Jenna (11 September 2014). "O'Hare's Passion for Ag Started Young". North Queensland Register. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
  31. Belt, Rebecca (20 January 2016). "Sara Storer on life, appreciation and a new album - video". The Northern Daily Leader. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
  32. Felicity (9 April 2012). "The Milliner Is on the Move Again..." Milliner on the Move. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  33. staff writer (11 February 2014). "People on the Move: Elders, Ruralco, Austrex, AMPC, FPE and more". Beef Central. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  34. Byram, Vickii (25 May 2017). "Singer songwriter Sara Storer performs tonight at LUSC". Macquarie Port News. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
  35. Torenbeek, Denise. "Sara Storer: Happy on Homesoil with Silos". Country Update (80). Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  36. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2004 Albums". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on 10 August 2020.
  37. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2007 Albums". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on 10 August 2020.
  38. "SARA STORER Raindance". JBHiFi. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  39. "ARIA Australian Top 50 Albums". Australian Recording Industry Association. 22 April 2019. Retrieved 20 April 2019.
  40. "CARLTON DRY AIR AWARDS 2014 NOMINEES ANNOUNCED". speaker tv. September 2014. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  41. "Sara Storer The Silos Tour". Sara Storer. 28 September 2016. Retrieved 9 October 2016.
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