Finalist Best Group or Duo 2008 Peoples Choice Awards
Regularly heard on 2GB playing Ray Hadley's theme song "Everybody's Talkin'"
Movie credits with inclusion on soundtrack to Rachel Ward's movie "Martha's New Coat"
Independent album sales over 5000 copies and still climbing with the release of the new CD in October 2007 "After The Grind"
Tall Timbre have recently completed their second CD “After the Grind”. Ted Simpson’s unique voice and the easy listening, yet driving Australian country sound delivered by the band make this an excellent follow up to their initial self titled debut release which sold exceptionally well.
Tall Timbre’s songs on the first two albums are heavily influenced by Ted and Mark Kirk's life experiences in Australia and draw inspiration from areas as diverse as Mark’s dad’s days as a timber cutter near Glen Davis (Swing That Axe), yearning for home when touring (Murrumbidgee Rolling), falling in love (Roads I Didn’t Take), as well as tributes to Australian pioneers, shipwrecks, lost loves and much more.
And what would any true country offering be without a few songs about lost love, closed rail lines, the plight of starving children and the ever popular country theme of ending it all.
The work also brings together some of Australia’s finest country musicians including Jake Lardot, Stuie French, Michel Rose, Mick Albec, Ian Lees, Glen Skarrat, Rudi Miranda, Mike Kerin, Nicki Gillis as well as the regular Tall Timbre crew Damien O'Dell, Dave Roberts, John Lee and Steve Shepherd.
“After The Grind” is great Australian, highway drivin’ country that you will keep in your CD stacker for months at a time.
Playing live with Ted in Tall Timbre are Damien Odell (pedal steel, acoustic guitar, harmonies), John Lee (fiddle, mandolin), Dave Roberts (drums), Steve Shepherd (bass, harmonies) and Daniel Odell (Lead guitar, harmonies).
Ted and Mark initially met in 1999 and played and wrote together until Mark Kirks recent untimely death in 2008. (We miss you mate!!!)
Tall Timbre’s previous self titled debut CD was launched in 2000 and received several award nominations and the track “Girl With A Country Heart” was used (twice) by Rachel Ward in movie the soundtrack of “Martha’s New Coat” (2003).
Once you've heard Ted Simpson on vocals, you won't forget him. Classically trained with a voice as big as the Great Divide, he stood out enough even in his younger days to win the “Jack Brabham Search for a Star” competition. This show was the then equivalent of Australian Idol and he took home numerous prizes including a car (which he very shortly after rolled.. but that’s another story). He then was a founding member of 70's glam rock group HUSH, but don't hold that against him. He’s tall… his voice has timbre… so you should be able to figure out where the band name came from.
Though once mistaken by a drunken punter as disabled with a special guitar, Damien Odell actually plays pedal steel… and lots of other things with strings like acoustic and electric guitar. He has an excellent voice and plays an integral part in Tall Timbre’s “Eagles” type harmonies. With his boyish good looks and willingness to strike a pose in band photos the boys strongly suspect he has a modeling background
Dave Roberts is rumoured to be a Zen philosopher, willing to sit for hours and contemplate the percussive intricacies of the sound of one hand clapping. He has also written a thesis on the existential meaning of the paradiddle and other drum rudiments. If you believe that… We’ve got a harbour bridge we can sell you… Dave just likes to bang things and make loud noises. We’re just lucky that unlike most drummers, he’s quite handsome and looks half intelligent.
Steve Shepherd is technical genius who continues to amaze and delight the band by composing, blending and delivering tasty licks, slurps and chilled moods from his instrument of choice, the trusty margarita blender. He also plays a bass and sings a bit
John Lee the Blue Mountains Bluegrass fiddler and mandolin player is native to the Appalachian mountains of North Georgia, (yep... we checked... he's alright.. only 10 fingers) but he is known to hide his native American accent when anyone mentions George W. Bush! He's also pretty quiet about his 5 year stint playing sousa on trombone in an American Marching Band.
Daniel Odell plays Lead and rhythm guitar and is rumoured to be capable of channeling the voice of Vince Gill. We think he is possibly related to someone else in the band, but we’re not sure.
To Book Tall Timbre phone Ted Simpson on 0419 446 846 or email talltimbre@yahoo.com.au
you have to watch the entire series!! SO FUNNY!!! I swear, my whole Saturday went by before I knew it, just watching one show after the other. I'm such a loser, I know, lol. Anyways, got any plans for next weekend? ... cuz i doooooooo! oooh, I think the pizza's here, I'm so freakin hungry right now, but it's all good. and that survey thing i was doing - THAT YOU WAS MAKING FUN OF ME FOR DOING!! - i just got paid! $76 for my first check, and since i got paid, I'm gonna do more of em, but I'm already at $184, so I'm loving it. They're so seriously stupid tho - the one I got last night was about my hair and stuff - like what kind of shampoo do I use, do I normally use conditioner ... for real, so easy. you should do it, i'm tellin yah. i guess you'll have to type the link into internet explorer or whatever, but here it is:
thnx 4 the cruise guys, what a fantastic day. hope u all had as much fun as we did, to the Odell bros, sorry i didn't get to say goodbye, u were MIA. have a great new year, I'll see u in Tamworth. tracy xo
Hey Tall Timbre! Great name, great sound great myspace page! Had a ball reading through your page while listening to your music! Thanks for lettting me add you to my friendspace! Have a wonderful week Heather "Australian Bluegrass... full throttle and from the heart!"
The day we lost our beautiful friend MARK KIRK We couldn't stop crying, Guy's I wrote a song once, (Jake put the music down and helped me record it in his studio) It is called YOU WILL NEVER BE A FADED MEMORY AND MARK that is so true, YOU WILL NEVER BE A FADED MEMORY, I do beleive that you are up there watching all of us, When it's our turn, we will meet you at those pearly gates.
I opened my email today to find the sad news of Mark's passing. He was such a kind man. He and Catherine are two of my favorite people to see everytime i came to Australia. I remember him sitting in with me at the house concert Big Ted hosted for me......lovely musician. He was taken too soon. I will be thinking of Catherine in the coming days, and will pray for her strength, and will be thinking of all those that loved Mark as well......Ted and Lyndsey..............my thoughts are with you all. Sincerely, Kevin
Thinking of Mark and the good times he shared with us all....so blessed to have had him in our extended family...Thinking and praying for Catherine.....lots of love xoxox
Whats up? I found this website and thought i'd tell everyone, it shows you if anyone at school likes you... I dont know how it works but its really cool, its revealed a few people who have had crushes on me FOREVER, i called them up and it was actually true! You gotta try it!