Known as one of the more friendly and down-to-earth musicians in a collection of admittedly friendly and down-to-earth musicians, Lee Kernaghan has a story for pretty much every town he’s visited, including Mandurah.
“I actually have a story about Mandurah I share on every stop on this tour I’m doing right now,” he bagan.
“I boarded a flight from Sydney to Perth to do a country music festival in Mandurah… oh, I guess it was 15 years ago.
“I got on board the flight in Sydney, and to my surprise, I realised I was sitting next to the king of country music, Slim Dusty.
“So we flew right across Australia together. It was an amazing experience. I ended up turning the memories of that flight into the song Flying with the King.
“And so if it wasn’t for Mandurah, and if it wasn’t for that little country music festival in your town, the song would never have been written.”
Kernaghan has built his career on this – making connections with the people and places he comes across and, as little or as big as they are, turning them into something relatable.
His latest record, The 25th Anniversary Album, celebrates the release of The Outback Club in 1992 – otherwise known as Kernaghan’s breakout year.
Replete with Aussie country-rock gems like Boys from the Bush and Country Girls, but also classics like You Don’t Have To Go To Memphis, The Outback Club is a true classic, having reached gold status in 1994, platinum in 1995 and double-platinum in 2001. It’s popularity has never waned.
“I think it resonated because it’s fair dinkum,” Kernaghan said.
“It’s real life. Real life people, real life experiences. The line, We work the land through fire and flood/It’s in our hearts, it’s in our blood [from Boys from the Bush]… that line for me speaks volumes about what this county is, what it takes to be from that country, and what this music is all about.”
There’s also the place Kernaghan played in the contemporisation of Australian country music, having been at the forefront – along with fellow superstars James Blundell, Adam Brand and Troy Cassar-Daley – of the mainstream popularisation of the genre.
Kernaghan and Blundell were recently inducted into the CMC Hall of Fame, a testement to just how much of an impact albums like The Outbak Club ended up having.
“It was an unforgettable experience,” Kernaghan said.
“It was amazing to be honoured by my peers, in particular James Blundell, who gave me my first professional job, actually.
“I started off playing piano in his band, so to have that honour, and then be able to launch the 25th anniversary album right after, it was this really big experience of realising how much I’ve gotten out of all this and how much all these people have supported me.”
As for the new album, it’s in no way a rehashing of The Outback Club.
Instead, it’s a celebration of the last 25 years of his career, and includes several cameos including Blundell, John Williamson, Kernaghan’s touring band The Wolfe Brothers, Kasey Chambers, his sister Tania Kernaghan and many more.
Kernaghan is particularly proud of the longevity of his music, especially in how it appeals to new generations.
“We regularly see two, three generations at our shows these days,” he said.
“It’s great, because that’s what I put the most effort into, trying to reach out to new listeners. Because I truly believe these are messages anyone can relate to, about relationships and life struggles and… even She’s My Ute, that’s something anyone can understand.”
Kernaghan brings his Boys From the Bush 25th Anniversary Tour to the Mandurah Performing Arts Centre on August 17.
Tickets and more information can be found at manpac.com.au or by calling the Box Office on 9550 3900.
