Welcome to the Country Music Store where we sell only Country Music, and have one of the biggest lists of Aussie Country Music product on the net, and we also list our latest overseas releases in Australia. Everything listed is a CD and priced in Australian Dollars unless specified as DVD or Book etc. Looking for an artist, a song or a title? Simply drop a word in the search box! We update daily, so check back often

TUESDAY, JANUARY 10, 2012   Vale – Eric Watson

Eric Watson – the first recognised historian of Australian country music – has died at the age of 84.

The author, who was also well known as a songwriter, record producer and record label operator, died in The Cedars Nursing Home at Casino in northern NSW on Sunday night. Eric had been battling serious ill-health for a number of years. As the owner/operator of the Selection Records label, Eric was responsible for the solo recording careers of Owen Blundell, Evelyn Bury, Glenn Jones, Reg Poole and Barry Thornton and many more Australian independent artists. In a tribute to his former record label boss, Reg said Eric's passion was to protect the health and wealth of Australian country music and he was never backward in coming forth with his views. "He was a prolific songwriter and a wonderful Australian," Reg said. During his long career in the Australian music industry, Eric was involved in numerous activities that furthered "the cause", not the least of which was his time with the Tamworth Songwriters' Association of which he was a long time committeeman and President on numerous occasions.

But it was his coverage of country music in his two books "Country Music In Australia" volumes one and two that will most likely be Eric's most significant legacy to the Australian country music industry. The first volume was published in 1975 to great acclaim with public demand leading to the second volume in 1983. Volume one followed the 16 original artists and groups who recorded before the 1950s arrived and volume two went from there up until the early 1980s, exploring the explosion of interest in country music in the cities during that decade. Apart from a number of rare photos in the books, one of the most notable elements is a series of extensive discographies of the artists. Following a number of years out of print, in 2005 the two volumes were republished as one book.

Eric's funeral will be on Monday (January 16) at the Casino Uniting Church at 11am. He will be interred at the Casino Cemetery. There will be a memorial service held for him at the Tamworth Country Music Festival on Tuesday 24th January at the Uniting Church.

- www.countrymusicbulletin.com.au 10 January 2012