Justin Townes Earle, Lior, Lillie Mae, Maddy Jane, Fraser A. Gorman, Moussa Diakite And Wassado, Thando, The Satsuki Odamura Koto Ensemble, Tangents and the Hi Tops Brass Band will all be on hand to warm the hearts of musical lovers at the boutique festival that sells out every year.

The full lineup of more than 70 acts will be announced in April.

Now in its fourth year Bello Winter Music is a whole-town festival packed with family-friendly activities. 

As well as the music pouring out of 14 different venues, Bellingen comes alive with street theatre, markets, circus and walking tours. 

The festival features Bellingen LeaF, a sustainability focused program of workshops available at no extra cost to festival goers, and the hugely successful Youth Mentorship Program which gives young aspiring musicians the opportunity to receive mentorship from an established artist from the lineup and to perform at the festival.

Bello Winter Music has fast become the under-the-radar favourite for musicians and punters who like their music up close and intimate. If this sounds like your perfect weekend, grab your tickets now at www.bellowintermusic.com

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Justin Townes Earle (US) has experienced more than most in his 30-odd years, both personally and professionally.

Between releasing seven full-length-critically-acclaimed albums, constant touring, multiple stints in rehab, a new found sobriety, being born Steve Earle’s son, amicable and not-so-amicable break-ups with record labels, and facing the trials and tribulations of everyday life, it’s safe to say he has quite the story to tell. Since launching his recording career a decade ago, Justin Townes Earle has established a reputation as a singular leading light in the Americana music community. With fearless, personally charged lyrical insight and infectious melodic craftsmanship, the young veteran singer-songwriter will give Bello Winter Music punters a taste of his rich, deeply soulful body of work set that's both emotionally riveting and effortlessly uplifting.

Most artists set out with an ambition to build a career based on musical credibility and integrity whilst maintaining an independence and individuality in their craft. Lior is certainly part of that rare breed that has achieved this whilst garnering a great degree of success and critical acclaim. Lior is not slowing down as he is set to release his next album in 2018.

Multi-instrumentalist, beloved Nashiville artist Lillie Mae is ‘one in a billion’ according to Jack White, with whom she played as part of his all-female live and studio band The Peacocks as fiddle and mandolin player. A longtime fixture country and bluegrass circles Lillie Mae has been singing and playing on stages across the US since she could stand on her own two feet.

Maddy Jane is a talented young artist from Tasmania, writing songs far beyond her years on a beat-up guitar her mum gave her in high school.She creates rollicking indie pop full of  irony, sarcasm, catchy hooks and fun guitar riffs with an endearing Australiana twist. It’s been a massive 12 months for Maddy with break out singles ‘Thank You and Sorry’, ‘No Other Way’ and ‘Drown It Out’ getting high rotation on national broadcaster jjj. Plus, a string of supports around Australia with the likes of Tash Sultana, Polish Club, Kingswood and Luca Brasi, showcasing at Bigsound, The Plot and festival appearances at Festival of The Sun, Falls Festival (Marion Bay) and New Years on The Hill.

Fraser A. Gorman has never forgotten that rock music is meant to be fun. Sure, you can sing songs about heartache and you can sing songs about loss but you gotta do it because it makes you feel better. He's a rare performer, artfully combining the sensitivity, romance and introspection of a classic songwriter with an unadulterated joy of performing in front of an audience. Fraser is a central part of the small but amazing DIY Melbourne collective Milk! Records (run by Courtney Barnett and Jen Cloher) and the endorsements of his skill as a writer and musician have run loud all over the world.

Influential guitarist Moussa Diakité was part of the golden era of Malian music in the 1970s and ‘80s, performing with some of Africa’s best, including Salif Keita, Oumou Sangare, Toumani Diabaté and the Super Rail Band de Bamako. Since migrating to Australia, he has stamped his mark on the local scene and together with his exciting five-piece band Wassado he fuses traditional West African styles with Cuban, blues and jazz into a unique “Afro-groove”. Following stand out performances at last year’s Mullum Music Festival and this year’s WOMADelaide, this is a dynamic show that is mesmerizing, sophisticated, irresistible on the dance floor and not to be missed.

Zimbabwean born songstress Thando has been gracing stages around Australia with her electric presence and powerhouse vocal. Thando grew up feasting on the musical offerings of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, QUEEN and TLC. Along the way, she found Jill Scott and crafted her genre bending sound with an electric live set. Her 2016 debut EP ‘Digital Love Letters’ paved the road to a slew of festival appearances such as Strawberry Fields and Woodford Folk Festival and NYE on The Hill. With the highly anticipated release of her brand new single NUMB., this multi dimensional performer is looking toward solidifying her status as Melbourne’s newest first lady of R&B.

Tangents are an Australian-based quintet that meld electronic production, experimental rock and free improvisation. Their incendiary live shows are a concoction of jazz-inflected melodicism, junglist rhythms and post-punk and are driven by live drums and electronic beats, with processed performances on cello, electric guitar and piano/Rhodes electric piano. 

The Satsuki Odamura Koto Ensemble was established in 2010 comprising the standard 13-string koto, the 17-string bass koto, as well as the Shamisen. Although they are traditional Japanese instruments, the ensemble has worked with a number of musicians from other genres, including jazz and classical. The energy of the musician’s performance creates a dynamic stage presence, displaying the power and elegance for which the ensemble is known.

The Hi Tops Brass Band hail from Sydney. With their heads in the clouds and their feet buried deep in the roots of New Orleans second line they blend 10 pieces of raw brass with the who's who of Australian hip-hop. So roll up and come steppin' out with the good vibes at Bello.