Beccy Cole

Beccy Cole (born Rebecca Diane Thompson, 27 October 1972), also known in her early career as Beccy Sturtzel, is an Australian country music singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. She has released ten studio albums, with six reaching the ARIA Albums Chart top 40, Little Victories (January 2003), Preloved (September 2010), Songs & Pictures (September 2011), Great Women of Country (with Melinda Schneider, November 2014), Sweet Rebecca (April 2015) and The Great Country Songbook Volume 2 (with Adam Harvey, April 2017). Her video album, Just a Girl Singer (August 2004), peaked at No. 6 on the ARIA Top 40 DVD Chart. Cole has received nine Golden Guitar trophies at the CMAA Country Music Awards of Australia. During December 2005 to January 2006 she performed for Australian Defence Force personnel in Iraq. Her related single, "Poster Girl (Wrong Side of the World)" (May 2016), expresses her support for the troops. It won the 2007 Song of the Year at CMAA awards, and its music video was listed at No. 1 on Australia's Country Music Channel. In March 2015, she published her autobiography, Poster Girl. Cole is the most awarded Golden Guitar Female Artist of the Year, winning the title five times. At the 1994 Country Music Awards of Australia, Cole won the Golden Guitar trophy for Best New Talent. The album generated lukewarm responses and Sony decided not to record a second album. Cole married Mick Albeck late in 1997 and gave birth to a son on 2 March 1999. Cole and Albeck divorced in 1999. Later in 1999, Cole began touring with Darren Coggan, Felicity, and Adam Harvey as the 'Young Stars of Country'. Susan Jarvis of Capital News noted that the "friendship between the three girls is very much in evidence" where each "performs some of their songs solo, but the three come and go in a wonderfully fluid and organic way, providing a feeling of warmth and spontaneity".

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation announced on 22 January 2021 that Cole would become the new host of Saturday Night Country, its long-running national country music radio program, heard on regional ABC stations and on ABC Country. On 13 February 2021, Cole commenced presenting the program from studios at ABC Radio Adelaide. The show has a history of retaining its hosts for long time periods with Cole having only two predecessors, John Nutting and Felicity Urquhart.

In 2022, Cole was inducted into the Australian Roll of Renown.

Personal life During the mid-1990s, Cole and Gina Jeffreys were flatmates, while Mick Albeck and Rod McCormack were also flatmates. She published her autobiography, Poster Girl, in the previous month. Cole and O'Donovan were married on 2 February 2018 with fellow country musician Tania Kernaghan officiating. The civil ceremony was attended by Adam Harvey, Gina Jeffreys, Kasey Chambers, Lyn Bowtell, Chris E. Thomas, Bec Willis, Kym Warner, Trev Warner and Gina Timms. It was announced on Cole's Facebook page on 5 February 2022 that her marriage to O'Donovan had ended.

Discography

Studio albums Beccy Cole (1997) Wild at Heart (2001) Little Victories (2003) Feel This Free (2005) Preloved (2010) Songs & Pictures (2011) Great Women of Country (with Melinda Schneider) (2014) Sweet Rebecca (2015) The Great Country Songbook Volume 2 (with Adam Harvey) (2017) Lioness (2018) The Great Country Songbook Volume III (with Adam Harvey) (2022) Through the Haze (2026)

Awards and nominations Cole was awarded the Centenary Medal in 2001 and the Medal of the Order of Australia in the 2022 Queen's Birthday Honours.

APRA Awards The APRA Awards are presented annually from 1982 by the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA), "honouring composers and songwriters". They commenced in 1982. 2013 "Waitress" Country Work of the Year

ARIA Awards The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music. They commenced in 1987. 2001 Wild at Heart Best Country Album 2003 Little Victories Best Country Album 2012 Songs and Pictures Best Country Album

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. 2019 Lioness Best Independent Country Album

Australian Women in Music Awards The Australian Women in Music Awards is an annual event that celebrates outstanding women in the Australian Music Industry who have made significant and lasting contributions in their chosen field. They commenced in 2018. 2023 Beccy Cole Artistic Excellence Award Country Music Awards of Australia 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. (wins only) 1994 Beccy Cole for "Foolin' Around" New Talent of the Year

This Heart Female Vocalist of the Year "Do I Ever Cross Your Mind" with Darren Coggan, Felicity and Adam Harvey Vocal Collaboration of the Year 2002 "Too Strong To Break " Female Vocalist of the Year

Female Vocalist of the Year Song of the Year Single of the Year

"Waitress" Female Vocalist of the Year "Millionaires" (with Kasey Chambers) Vocal Collaboration of the Year 2017 "FU Cancer" (with Catherine Britt) Vocal Collaboration of the Year 2019 Lioness Female Vocalist of the Year 2022 Beccy Cole Australian Roll of Renown

Helpmann Awards The Helpmann Awards is an awards show, celebrating live entertainment and performing arts in Australia, presented by industry group Live Performance Australia since 2001. Note: 2020 and 2021 were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 2015 Beccy Cole and Libby O'Donovan – The Cowgirl and the Showgirl Best Cabaret Performer

Tamworth Songwriters Awards The Tamworth Songwriters Association (TSA) is an annual songwriting contest for original country songs, awarded in January at the Tamworth Country Music Festival. They commenced in 1986. Beccy Cole has won three awards. (wins only) 2002 "Too Strong to Break" by Beccy Cole, Rod McCormack and Rick Price Contemporary Song of the Year

Contemporary Song of the Year Country Song of the Year