DESCRIPTION:
A fitting Christmas edition of REAL Country with the talented Melinda Schneider!

Life Begins At 40 -- The Ultimate Melinda Schneider Collection includes 40 of Melinda's best live and studio recordings spanning over three decades - a collection of award winning songs inspired by lessons learned the hard way, to songs of love and loss, plus some rare releases from Melinda's younger years, including her very first recording at eight years old, 'Santa Call On Me'. It also features heart-warming duets with Paul Kelly, Olivia Newton-John, David Campbell and Melinda's mother, Mary Schneider.
For over a decade now Melinda has been a leading light of the 'new-breed' of Australian Country artists both in Australia and the US. In a career which began with a stage debut at the age of three, (appearing with her mother, the legendary Mary Schneider) she has kept her family tradition alive by becoming one of Australia's most sublime singers and popular live performers. But it is through her assured and accomplished song writing that she has really discovered her true voice.
Since her most popular and requested song, 'The Story Of My Life' won her the first Golden Guitar for Female Vocal Of The Year at the CMAA Awards in 2003, Melinda has continued to make her mark. Two Gold Records, two ARIA nominations and five more CMAA Awards for Best Album, Best Song, Best Vocal Collaboration and Top selling album followed.
This Ultimate Collection includes everything from Melinda's biggest hits 'I Wanna Be Married', 'Be Yourself', 'Can You Hear Me Down The Hillside', 'The Story Of My Life', award winning duet with Paul Kelly, 'Still Here' and three different versions of the anthemic 'Courageous', featuring the Australian Girls Choir and a duet with Olivia Newton -- John to choice tracks from the album Melinda Does Doris. Some rare songs from the vault also appear, such as Melinda's very first dance hit 'Tighten Up Your Pants' by (Audio Murphy feat. Melinda) and her first two recordings at age eight, 'Santa Call On Me' and 'I Just Wanna Yodel Like You' a duet with mum, Mary.
Over the last 12 months, Melinda's career dimensions have broadened dramatically as she dazzled with her performances on Dancing With The Stars and released her first tribute album Melinda Does Doris, which debuted at #1 on the ARIA Jazz and Blues chart and stayed there for nine weeks.
It's been quite a run. Asked to look back over not just 40 years of life on the big blue marble but upon 32 years as a recording artist, Melinda's thoughts run along the lines of, "You can't change the past, it is what it is. You can only take what you've learned and apply it to the future .... and be at peace with the present, and I am. Yes, I DO feel like I'm still just starting, I'm so much more free, I feel like I could try anything - now I want to do an album with an orchestra, an album of gritty, soulful songs, other things."
Melinda is currently touring her brand new stage show DORIS - Doris Day -- So Much More Than the Girl Next Door. Co-written by Melinda and David Mitchell (Dusty/Shout), this musical tribute to Melinda's idol Doris Day, could also be the universal story of women set to the music of the 40's, 50's and 60's.
Direct from a sell-out season at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival and a highly successful season at Melbourne's Her Majesty's Theatre in August, DORIS heads to Sydney and other States over the next couple of months. She will also be touring WA with Graeme Connors through the month of October.


Editing by IXL at FILM: http://www.facebook.com/IXLATFILM