8 Ball Aitken is an Australian country, blues & roots musician who is notable for his fusion of country music with the genres of Australian blues and roots music.[1]
8 Ball Aitken has released four albums: Behind The 8 Ball (2004), Odd Ball In (2006), Rebel With A Cause (2008) & The Tamworth Tapes (2011).[2]
8 Ball Aitken's third album 'Rebel With A Cause' was produced by Garth Porter. 'Rebel With A Cause' was released in Australia by Phoenix Movement Records and MGM Distribution (Australia).[3]
The album Rebel With A Cause has produced two top 10 hits, 'Cyclone Country' & 'Hands On Top Of The Wheel' in the Australian Country Tracks Top 30.[4]
8 Ball Aitken has won several awards for songs from his 2008 album 'Rebel With A Cause'. His song 'Cowboy Movie' was nominated for the Australian Blues & Roots Song of the Year at the 2009 APRA Awards [5]
8 Ball Aitken has won two Q Song Awards. His song 'Yellow Moon', from album 'Rebel With A Cause' won the 2008 EMI Q Song Blues & Roots Award.[6] Another song, 'Outback Booty Call' also from album 'Rebel With A Cause', won the 2009 Q Song Country Award.
8 Ball Aitken was also nominated for a Golden Guitar Award in the New Talent category at the 2009 Tamworth Country Music Festival.[7]
8 Ball Aitken achieved Grand Finalist status in Toyota Star Maker at the 2008 & 2009 Tamworth Country Music Festival.[8]
8 Ball Aitken won the 'Rising Star Male Award' at the 2008 Southern Star Awards which are held in Mildura each year (also called the Australian Independent Country Music Awards).[9]
Aitken is also the founder of the Grass Roots Music Festival, funded as a special project by Brisbane's Lord Mayor Campbell Newman. The Grass Roots Music Festival has run for four years 2005, 2006, 2007 & 2008 in the Brisbane City Botanical Gardens, Mount Coot-tha.[10]
8 Ball Aitken has toured and performed at festivals and gigs across Australia, Canada, Japan and Europe.[11]