SIX TIME FINALISTS 

BOOK OF THE YEAR - 

1998 
2000 
2004 
2006

CD OF THE YEAR - 2000

BEST SINGLE ON ALBUM 2002

Northern Territory "Country Music Song Writer’s Awards" Lyrics Only

 FINALIST 

2005 

2006 

2008

 WINNER 

2005 

2006

 FOR ALL ENQUIRIES REGARDING  RETAIL AND WHOLESALE PRICES AND ORDERS

1. Son Play Another Coster Song 
2. R.M. Williams - A Man Who Had Tried
3. The Bravest of the Brave [A Tribute to Sophie Delezio]
4. I Never Cried For Elvis But I Shed A Tear For Slim
5. Granddad's Crusty Damper
6. Chasing Buttons
7. The Maintop Balladeer
8. It's Time to Stop the Rumours Lads 
9. It's Nothing Short of Magic
10. Midst the Mulga
11. Sometimes I Forget
12. The Times Have Changed So Quickly
13. A True Blue Home Grown Love Song
14. How Two Boys Lived Their Dream
15. If the Memories Last
16. Down on Dogs and Ducks
17. Boondooma's Balladeer
18. So Many Roadside Epitaphs
19. The Ballad of Faylene Anderson
20. Bluey's Reflections
21. Flowers on a Friday
22. Keeping the Culture
12. That Motel Whiskey Dream
23. The Lady in the Locket
24. Where's the Water Gone?

BUSH VERSE

1. An Old Man's Vows
2. Robby
3. Gran's Last Wish
4. It's Tough To Be a Kelly
5. Mulligan's Mob
6. A Loowd Conversation
7. The Night I Caught the Rat
8. The Passing of Stumpy Shore
9. Blacklisted
10.The First Surveyor
11.Waltzing Matilda- An Allegory 
12.A Sure Thing 
13.Let’sSet Our Children Free *
14.A Bush Kid’s Plea 
15.The Greatest of Loves 
16.The Ballad of the Blowfly 7.Lost
17.Gunsynd - The Goondiwindi Grey 
18.The Ballad of Mary Jane 
19.The Ballad of Muchos Toros 
20.Sarah 
21.Linden Lea  
22.They Don’t Bite Like They Used To 
23.Unlikely Bedmates 
24.It’s Not Australian 16. A Drover’s Life 
25.The Park Bench Reconciliation 
26.I'll Ne'er Forget That Day Old Mate.
27.Basher Brogan's Pride 
28.For I've His Blood In Me 
29.An Ethereal Encounter 
30.Reminiscing With Henry 
31.Crazy Kate  
32.The Wife's Revenge 
33.The Tragedy Of Emma's Dream 
34 Racing Widows  
35.Bush Justice 
36.The Curing of Young Fred McPhie 
37.To Have Loved A Friend 
38.The Drover's Choice 
39.Bitte Sweets 
40.Piccaninny Dawn 
41.Women Of The West 
42.The Secrets Out    

13 TRACK CD 

'IT'S TOUGH TO BE A KELLY'  

Multi Award winning Ballad writer Merv Webster brings you a compilation of nine original ballads along with tracks of Australian bush verse. The album is also complimented by tracks of bush verse by his multi award winning poet wife, Chris Webster. Merv has been the 2005/2006 Winner of the Northern Territory Country Music Song Writing Awards Lyrics Only Section. He has also gained elelven out of the twenty-one finalist spots in the 2006/2007/2008 T.S.A National Country Music Song Writing Awards Lyrics Only Section and has been the winner in 2006/2007/2009. Merv expresses his thanks to Buddy Thomson of Outback Studios for engineering the album It’s Time To Stop The Rumours Lads and playing rhythm & electric guitar along with percussion. Lynne Bennett for harmonies, bass guitar and percussion. His thanks also to Buddy Thomson for engineering The Storyteller and playing rhythm guitar, also Lynne Bennett for playing bass and backing vocals. Kelvin Nolan for playing electric rhythm and lead guitar.

             Recorded at Outback Studios            

         Engineered by Buddy Thomson

9 TRACKS ORIGINAL BALLAD SONGS AND 4 TRACKS BUSH POETRY, 

1.   It's Time to Stop the Rumours Lads - There are those who ascribe to the theory that Dan Kelly and Steve Hart survived Glenrowan to live out their lives in Queensland.  This song relays the view of a Catholic Priest, father Gibney, who was present and relates how he saw the two boys lying dead in a room at Jones Inn whilst it was burning.
2.   It's Nothing Short of Magic - Whilst visiting Gold Guitar winning ballad writer Wave Jackson on his property Maintop, west of Injune, he was pretty chuffed to finally have a really great season on his property after ten years of drought.  Wave kept telling me that it was nothing short of magic and therefore inspired the writing of the song.
3.   An Old Man's Vows - This poem was inspired by Andrew Barton [Banjo] Paterson's poem Lost.  I always felt that the old man would never have rested until he found his grandson's bones and lay them to rest beside his mother, who had persihed whilst searching for him after he had been thrown by the family's mare.
4.   Midst the Mulga - Over the years, Chris and I have toured and performed out at Quilpie in south-west Queensland and were told that once you drunk from the old Buloo River you woul always go back that way.
5.   Sometimes I Forget -  Throughout the years I have come across folk who had lost a partner or family member, and at times, even years later, have enjoyed doing something that the deceased would have enjoyed and reflected that they would share it with them, only to remember they were no longer with us.  Thank God for memories.
6.   Robby - This moving poem was sent to me as a story in an email.  It moved me to want to put it to verse.
7.   The Times Have Changed So Quickly - Chris and I were returning from the Mildura Country Music Festival one year along the Kidman Way and camped on the southern side of Cobar one evening.  After lighting a fire I was sitting there reflecting on the the red dirt and how tough it must have been for the early pioneers of the district and after comparing their lives with the mod cons of my own I realized that the only thing we had in common was the fire and that Aussie spirit.
8.   A True Blue Home Grown Love Song - The documentary, The Last of the Nomads, a story about a young aboriginal couple, who being of the same skin, could not marry despite their love for each other.  Eventually it was too strong an urge and they fled to the Gibson Desert in W.A. where they lived for some thirty years before being found.  We all know of Romeo and Juliet but this was a true blue home grown love affair.
9.   Gran's Last Wish - Some years back I heard a rather humorous news item about a Gran's one last trip back to her birthplace in England that saw her return home in an unusual way and it tickled the old fancy so I'd thought I'd put it verse.  Chris shares the story.
10. How Two Boys Lived Their Dream - Two of Australia's great bush ballad icons were Slim Dusty and Shorty Ranger.  Theirs is an interesting tale of how two boys love of music and song became a lifestyle.  My tribute to them both.
11. If the Memories Last - During our years of touring in the west we would often stop at the Wellshot Hotel at Ilfracombe and enjoyed having a beer in the back bar which was made of old wood presses and the seats were saddles mounted on pipe to the floor.  Sadly upon returning in recent years I found the saddles were gone.  Like the lifestyle of an old Drover that once was so real to him but now just memories, the reality of sitting in one of the saddles once more became a memory to myself.  This thought inspired the song.
12. It's Tough To Be a Kelly - I have always found the research of the Kelly era rather fascinating and decided that I would like to dedicate a poem to Ned's mother Ellen.  A tough resilient women who found the era quite a challenge.
13. Down on Dogs and Ducks - For some sixteen years I have been performing down at the Tamworth Country Music Festival in front of old Grace Bros. now Target.  During those years the local Lions Club have conducted their Duck Race where they sell tickets in a 1000 or so ducks and on the Saturday morning they toss them in the Peel River and the first duck past the winning post wins.  The monies go to local Charities.  in 2009 the boys asked if I could write a song about it.  In 2010 it won the lyrics only section of the T.S.A. National Country Music Songwriting Competition.

$22.00 AUSTRALIAN AND INCL P&H IN AUSTRALIA 

AUSTRALIAN CUSTOMERS CAN USE PAY PAL Email: thegrey@tpg.com.au

OR 

CAN SEND CHEQUE OR MONEY ORDERS  TO MERV WEBSTER

P.O. Box 8211 Bargara, Queensland 4670

OR

CAN DIRECT DEBIT   Email: thegrey@tpg.com.au

PHONE: [07] 4159 1868

OVERSEAS CUSTOMERS CAN USE PAY PAL Email: thegrey@tpg.com.au

13 TRACK CD 'BUSH BALLADS & VERSE'  

TRACKS HAVE PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON 

FROM BARD TO BALLADEER & BLACKLISTED

Multi Award winning ballad writer Merv Webster brings you a compilation of seven original ballads complimented by tracks of bush verse by his multi award winning poet wife, Chris Webster and himself. Between them, Merv and Chris have been finalists seven times in the Australian Bush Laureate Awards and Merv has been the 2005/2006 Winner of the Northern Territory Country Music Song Writing Awards Lyrics Only Section. He has also gained twelve out of the twenty-seven finalist nominations in the T.S.A National Country Music Song Writing Awards, Lyrics Only Section in 2006/2007/2008/2009/2010/2011 and has been the winner in 2006/2007/2009/2010/2011.   Merv expresses his thanks to Buddy Thomson of Outback Studios for engineering the tracks and playing rhythm & electric guitar along with percussion. Denise Brooks for playing drums. Lynne Bennett for harmonies, bass guitar and percussion. Michael Pincott, lead &rhtyhm guitar. along with mandolin.

Recorded at Outback Studios            

Engineered by Buddy Thomson

1.   Son Play Another Coster Song - I never had the priviledge to meet Stan coster but have always enjoyed his songs and felt I'd like to write a tribute to one of Australia's great bush balladeers.
2.   R.M. Williams - A Man Who Had Tried - I had the opportunity to meet Reg whilst performing out at the Barcaldine Hertiage Centre one year and enjoyed having a chat with him about his love of bush verse.  During the conversation he mentioned that he would like to be remembered as a man who had tried and after his death I wrote this tribute to the man.
3.   Mulligan's Mob - Chris has always enjoyed reciting this poem written by Greg Scott and was given permission to record it on the album.  A tale about one old bushman's ordeal of sharing the birthing experience with his wife.
4.   A Loowd Conversation - For a number of years I had been performing in front of Grace Bros. during the Tamworth Country Music Festival and to fill in a bit of time I began penning this tale about an experience of going into a unisex toilet and having to contend with folk in the cubicles beside me using their mobile phones and the confusion it causes.
5.   The Bravest of the Brave [A Tribute to Sophie Delezio] - After hearing of the second accident involving young Sophie Delizio and seeing the courage the little mate exhibited I was inspired to write some lyrics to reflect my admiration for the her.
6.   I Never Cried For Elvis But I Shed A Tear For Slim - As a young lad I went to see the Slim Dusty Show at the Bowen Show and when the whip cracker came on he asked for a volanteer who'd like to earn threepence.  Well threepence was a lot of money to a youngster in those days so I quickly threw my hand up.  He called me out and told me he was going to place the threepence on my tongue and was going to crack it off with the whip.  I remember closing my eyes and hearing the crack and then having to go home and change my undies, but I did get the threepence.  I also met Slim some years later at the Toolumbilla Rodeo west of Injune and again at the Tamworth Country Music Festival.  After his death I was inspired to write a tribute to him and came up with this song.
7.   The Night I Caught the Rat - Another favourite poem of Chris' and written by Veronica Weal.  A tale about one woman's attempt to be politically correct whilst endeavouring to cath a rat and the trauma she experiences.  Veronica gave Chris permission to ecord it on the CD.
8.   The Passing of Stumpy Shore - Over the years I met a number of Vietnam Veterens who found that their biggest battles were sadly after they returned home from service.  After seeing some youths violate a Veteran I was movd to pen this story to help them see that you can't judge a person always by their appearance.  This poem won the Australian Bush Poet's Associations Written Competition in 2003.
9.   Granddad's Crusty Damper - I oftened enjoyed sharing some of my youth with my grandfather, especially fishing in the McIntyre river at Goondiwindi.  These memories inspired the song.  It won the lyrics only at the 2005 Northern Territory Country Music Songwriting Competition.
10. Chasing Buttons - Whilst visiting the Dubbo Jail one time I was moved by the story of an inmate who had been thrown into solitary confinement.  He told of the harsh treatment dished out by the warders and oftne those placed in the cell would go mad from the dark.  He told how he beat the system by pulling the buttons of his shirt and throwing them in the cell and then would go searching for them in the dark.  This kept his mind occupied and helped keep him sane.  I was inspired by the incident to write the song.  It was a finalist in the lyrics only of the T.S.A. National country Music Songwriting Competition in 2006.  Balladeer, John Battle has since recorded it as well.
11. Blacklisted - Whilst attending the wake of a great poet mate, Bobby Miller, I was talking to fellow poet Neil MaCarthur who has a passion for race horses and he mentioned that there was a horse in the upcoming Melbourne Cup called Thong Classic.  Knowing Neil's love of humour I let the imagination have a run and penned this tale.
12. The First Surveyor - One of Banjo Paterson's classic poems and another favourite of Chris' which she performs.
13. The Maintop Balladeer - Wave Jackson had a number of his songs sung by Slim Dusty over the years and in later years wrote a song called "Where the Yellow Capocks Bloom" and was sung by Jeff Brown.  Both received a gold guitar for the song.  I mentioned to Wave that a lot of folk have to wait until they move on before they get a tribute written about them so I told him I would write one for him before the event.  It took out the lyrics only of the T.S.A. National country Music Songwriting Competition in 2006.

$22.00 AUSTRALIAN AND INCL P&H IN AUSTRALIA 

AUSTRALIAN CUSTOMERS CAN USE PAY PAL Email: thegrey@tpg.com.au

OR 

CAN SEND CHEQUE OR MONEY ORDERS  TO MERV WEBSTER

P.O. Box 8211 Bargara, Queensland 4670

OR

CAN DIRECT DEBIT   Email: thegrey@tpg.com.au

PHONE: [07] 4159 1868

OVERSEAS CUSTOMERS CAN USE PAY PAL Email: thegrey@tpg.com.au

15 TRACK CD 'THE STORYTELLER'  

BUSH POETRY AND BUSH BALLADS

The art of the Storyteller has captured the hearts of true blue Aussies ever since they first learnt to light a campfire. Multi Award winning Bush Poet and Ballader Merv Webster has mixed his skills as a Poet and Balladeer to bring you fifteen original tales that portray the Laughter and Tears of the Bush of this great Nation we call Home. Merv has been a finalist five ties in the Australian Bush Laureate Awards and 2005/2006 Winner of the Northern Territory Country Music Song Writing Awards Lyrics Only Section. He has gained nine out of the seventeen finalist spots in the 2006/2007/2008 T.S.A National Country Music Song Writing Awards Lyrics Only Section and has been the back to back winner in 2006/2007.

Merv expresses his thanks to Buddy Thomson of Outback Studios for engineering the album and playing rhythm guitar, also Lynne Bennett for playing bass and backing vocals. Kelvin Nolan for playing electric rhythm and lead guitar and John and Eleanor Briskey of Sundown Records for their support over the years and Soundwarp for their expertise in mastering the album.

             Recorded at Outback Studios            

            Engineered by Buddy Thomson

9 TRACKS ORIGINAL BALLAD SONGS AND 6 TRACKS BUSH POETRY, 

1. Boondooma's Balladeer
2. So Many Roadside Epitaphs
3. The Oriental Cure
4. The Ballad of Faylene Anderson
5. Bluey's Reflections
6. The Wallet
7. Old Jacko in the City
8. Flowers on a Friday
9. Keeping the Culture
10.Something For Our Stevie
11.Caravanning Mayhem
12.That Motel Whiskey Dream
13.The Lady in the Locket
14.The Payday Dilemma
15.Where's the Water Gone?

$22.00 AUSTRALIAN AND INCL P&H IN AUSTRALIA  

AUSTRALIAN CUSTOMERS CAN USE PAY PAL Email: thegrey@tpg.com.au

OR 

CAN SEND CHEQUE OR MONEY ORDERS  TO MERV WEBSTER

P.O. Box 8211 Bargara, Queensland 4670

OR

CAN DIRECT DEBIT   EEmail: thegrey@tpg.com.au

PHONE: [07] 4159 1868

OVERSEAS CUSTOMERS CAN USE PAY PAL EEmail: thegrey@tpg.com.au

EP/CD 'FROM BARD TO BALLADEER' 

OUT OF STOCK & NOW AVAILABLE ON CD

BUSH BALLADS & VERSE

1. Son Play Another Coster Song 
2, R.M. Williams - A Man Who Had Tried
3. The Bravest of the Brave [A Tribute to Sophie Delezio]
4. I Never Cried For Elvis But I Shed A Tear For Slim
5. Granddad's Crusty Damper
6. Chasing Buttons
7.The Maintop Balladeer 

* BUSH LAUREATE FINALIST - BEST SINGLE OFF AN ALBUM

1.Waltzing Matilda- An Allegory 
2.A Sure Thing 
3.Let’sSet Our Children Free *
4.A Bush Kid’s Plea 
5.The Greatest of Loves 
6.The Ballad of the Blowfly 7.Lost
8. Gunsynd - The Goondiwindi Grey 
9.The Ballad of Mary Jane 
10.The Ballad of Muchos Toros 
11.Sarah 
12. Linden Lea  
13.They Don’t Bite Like They Used To 
14.Unlikely Bedmates 
15.It’s Not Australian 16. A Drover’s Life 
17.The Park Bench Reconciliation 
18.I'll Ne'er Forget That Day Old Mate.