Beautiful Circle

Infobox Album
Name = Beautiful Circle
Type = Studio album
Artist = Sara Storer


Released = November, 2002
Recorded =
Genre = Country
Length =
Label = Universal Records
Producer = Garth Porter
Reviews =
Last album = "Chasing Buffalo" (2000)
This album = "Beautiful Circle" (2002)
Next album = "Firefly" (2005)

"Beautiful Circle" is the second album by Australian country music singer Sara Storer released in November 2002. It won a Golden Guitar award for Album of the Year at the Tamworth Country Music Awards in January 2004.

Making of the album

It was recorded in the second half of 2002 with Garth Porter at the controls. The first single "Raining on the Plains" was written by Storer's brother Doug Storer who lives near Gulargambone, New South Wales on a property facing the Warrumbungles. Sara Storer and Garth Porter also received songwriting credits for the track. It was sung as a duet with John Williamson.

In January 2004, she recorded a DVD called "Stories to Tell" on a family property near Dubbo where she tells the stories behind her songs. It was released as a bonus to the album in April 2004 and will also be available separately.

Chart success

The album reached number one on the Australian country music charts and also made the top 50 album charts on March 8, 2004. "Raining on the Plains" reached number one on the country singles charts. Leading Australian radio presenter John Laws helped promote sales of the song by playing it repeatedly and she appeared on his Australia wide radio program. "These Hands" was also a successful single off the album.

She promoted the album with extensive touring with Australian country singer Troy Casser-Daly and UK singer Charlie Landsborough. One of the highlights in her touring was playing at the Gympie Muster in Gympie, Queensland where she played to an audience over 40,000.

Critical success

The Age newspaper in Melbourne gave the album a five star rating describing her as "a rare commodity". The UK publication Country Music People also gave her a five star review saying "As we lament the death of Slim Dusty, here is evidence that authentic, yet contemporary Australian bush country has not died with his passing."

Sara Storer received eight nominations at the Country Music Awards in Tamworth winning seven which is a record haul in the history of the awards. These included:

* APRA Song of the Year for Raining on the Plains;
* Female Vocalist of the Year for her work on Beautiful Circle;
* Album of the Year;
* Vocal Collaboration with John Williamson for Raining on the Plains;
* Bush Ballad of the Year for Bush Drovers Pride;
* Heritage Song of the Year for Drover's Call; and
* Single of the Year for Raining on the Plains.

Track listing

#"Tell these Hands"
#"Back Outback"
#"Sweet Dreams"
#"Beautiful Circle"
#"Night after Night"
#"Old Piece of Tin"
#"Raining on the Plains"
#"Back on the Grader"
#"Drovers Call"
#"Better Next Year"
#"Kurrajong Tree"
#"Kiss a Cowboy"
#"Boss Driver's Pride"
#"I'll be Home Soon"

External links

* [http://www.sarastorer.com.au/ Sara Storer web page]
* [http://www.abc.net.au/newengland/countrymusic/stories/s1031186.htm ABC Online story about the Country Music Awards]