Dust off your country boots and don your cowboy hats Mandurah! Troy Cassar-Daley is headed to town with his daughter and special guest in tow, Jem Cassar-Daley.
It has been a long journey from his teenage days busking on the streets outside the Tamworth Country Music Festival to a career spanning three decades and boasting countless gold and platinum records and various awards.
Returning to town as part of his national Greatest Hits tour, the Cassar-Daley clan will take to the Mandurah Performing Arts Centre stage on Thursday, June 20.
Blessed with her father's musical talent, 18-year-old Jem will open the show with her incredible voice and piano talent as well as sing a few duets with her country music star dad.
I hope people see the love and respect that I've given the tunes now that I've got a chance to go out there with the only fighting weapon that I've got - my guitar.
- Troy Cassar-Daley
In an interview with the Mandurah Mail, Cassar-Daley said it was particularly special to share this tour with his daughter.
"The time we get to spend hanging out, talking in the back of the car, playing DJ with different music and some of which I've never really been exposed to, it is really inspiring and you just can't buy that time back," he said.
Cassar-Daley said he invited Jem on the adventure as part of her gap year after high school.
"She was driving me and her mum crazy when she was finishing up year 12 and you know there is this immense pressure that young girls put on themselves to get good results," he said.
"We were talking about what she was going to do after school and she plays and sings around the house so much so I said 'come on the road and be a bum muso for 12 months and save some money instead of spending it'.
"We started in Geelong early in February and we haven't looked back - it's been an incredible experience to watch my child grow in front of my audience but also for Jem to get that confidence."
With 37 Golden Guitars, four ARIA awards and two APRA Country Song of the Year awards among a slew of other accolades and number one chart singles, Cassar-Daley struggled to fit only the best on his latest record Greatest Hits.
Cassar-Daley said the 42 songs on the album have been the soundtrack to the everyday triumphs, struggles and good times of Australians from the city to the outback.
The 50-year-old artist said audiences at his show can expect to hear his music stripped back and paired with stories of his life and musical journey.
"I haven't done this before - really breaking every song down into its most intimate form the way it was written," he said.
"I can't hide much behind that and it's made me pick up my act a bit.
"I hope people see the love and respect that I've given the tunes now that I've got a chance to go out there with the only fighting weapon that I've got - my guitar."
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And he can't wait to share his performance with Mandurah, adding that he was excited for the famous local seafood.
"We've always had great crowds in Mandurah so it will be wonderful to share this really intimate night and to show off one of my offspring to the rest of the world," he said.
"I am so psyched to get over there, I hope I get to have some crab."
In one of his proudest achievements to date, Cassar-Daley recently traded in his guitar and mic for pen and paper, putting together Jimmy Barnes' latest single 'Shutting Down Our Town'.
The song is the first to be released from Barnes' forthcoming new album and tells the story of his hometown in Elizabeth, South Australia.
Cassar-Daley said he was "blown away" by the opportunity.
"Jimmy called me out of the blue and said 'Troy, it's been a long time and I haven't seen you in a while but have you got any songs?'," he said.
"I sent him a song I wrote after I read his first book and now it has become his single. I mean, I don't normally write for other people but talk about a fan boy.
"You've got to keep your mind and your eyes open because dreams do happen, you never know.
"I still love what I do even as I get older so I hope I can keep doing it, I really enjoy it.
Troy Cassar-Daley will perform his special solo acoustic Greatest Hits show with his daughter Jem at the Mandurah Performing Arts Centre on Thursday, June 20. For more information, or to purchase tickets, visit the MPAC website.
