Felicity Urquhart

Felicity Ann Urquhart was born on 4 May 1976 to Rex, an upholsterer, and Patricia "Trish" Urquhart.[1] She grew up in Tamworth in rural New South Wales. Her maternal grandfather, Ernie Walmsley, was a jockey turned horse-trainer and with her grandmother, Anne, ran a pub in Bingara.[1] Urquhart began busking in Peel Street, Tamworth during the Tamworth Country Music Festival at the age of 11.[2][3] Aside from learning guitar, Urquhart had piano lessons and performed in musicals.[4]

In 1992 Urquhart released her debut self-titled album, Felicity Urquhart on Tamworth-based Hadley Records. Her second album, Follow Me appeared in 1995 on Radio Friendly Music. Nothing to Hide was released in 1999 on EMI with New Shadow issued in 2001. On 1 January she was awarded a Centenary Medal by Prime Minister, John Howard.[5] In 2001, she met Glen Hannah who became her boyfriend. Urquhart performed with western swing group Feral Swing Katz at the Gympie National Country Music Muster in August – the performance was broadcast a year later on Live on Stage by ABC Radio National with Vince Jones presenting.[6] In 2002, she travelled to Nashville to record tracks for a future album with Hannah providing acoustic guitar, harmony vocals and song writing.[7] Album plans fell through and Urquhart left EMI. She recorded a six-track extended play, Turn out the Light on Shock Records which was released in 2004.

Shock Records distributed My Life in 2006, which was produced by Hannah (ex-Kasey Chambers touring band). Her single "Big Black Cloud", co-written with Randy Scruggs, appeared in November and reached No.1 on Country Tracks National Top 30 Singles Chart on 24 January 2007.[8][9] On 5 September, Urquhart performed for John Howard, United States President George W Bush and Australian Defence Force personnel at a barbecue on Garden Island.[10]

Urquhart and Hannah married on 10 March 2009 in Vanuatu.[4] Urquhart released Landing Lights upon return to Australia. Internationally she has opened for country music legends Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings.[11]

From 2005 to 2009, Urquhart was a presenter on Sydney Weekender, a travel show on Seven Network.[12] She has been the host of country music show Saturday Night Country on Australian Broadcasting Corporation Local Radio across Australia since March 2010.[13] She had previously filled-in for retiring host John Nutting who had picked her as his replacement.[13]

In 2015, Urquhart formed the group Bennett Bowtell Urquhart with Kevin Bennett and Lyn Bowtell.

In 2019, ten year since her last solo album, Urquhart released Frozen Rabbit.

She lives in Avoca Beach on the New South Wales Central Coast.

1998

• Recipient of the Noel McGrugan Memorial Scholarship, awarded from the Sport & Tourism Foundation
• Inducted into the Women's Hall of Fame, Tamworth, for services to country music

• Official website
• Profile on ABC Local
• Felicity Urquhart at Tamworth rage page