Max Markson: 'Tamworth Country Music Festival needs big stars'

Max Markson has revealed that the future of Tamworth Country Music Festival could be at risk.

The event's official publicist, who caused controversy as a contestant on last year's Australian Celebrity Apprentice, said that he needs to find "international" acts to headline the festival, in order to boost flagging crowd figures.

Musicians currently lined up for Tamworth Country Music Festival 2012 include Beccy Cole, Troy Cassar-Daley and Adam Harvey.

Markson told reporters in the city on Sunday (January 22): "What you had last year was Keith Urban and Kenny Rogers performing - two big international stars. We don't have that this year.

"I'd love to see that we could do that every year, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill are performing [in Australia] in March and Dolly Parton was just here. The stars bring another level of attention, and the public."

Markson added: "Look at Byron Bay Blues Festival, Bob Dylan did that, and that will be great if we can move in that direction.

"It's good to have an international star because that attracts even more attention."

Around 35,000 country music fans descended on Tamworth last year to watch artists such as Lee Kernaghan perform, despite severe rain and flooding.