Kasey Chambers Is Bringing Her Country Music To Melbourne - And Every Corner Of Australia.
The Age
Friday July 25, 2008
Times aren't what they used to be for Kasey Chambers. The award-winning, multi-platinum country singer is touring the country with her husband, Shane Nicholson. But these days, hitting the road is a different experience for the Mount Gambier-born performer (and parent).
Chambers and Nicholson perform at Melbourne's Hamer Hall in August, but gone are the days when the couple could simply pack their guitars and tour for months. "This tour is a little scattered so we can be home between dates," explains Chambers, 32. "My eldest, Talon, just started school so he can only travel at certain times. Our 11-month-old son, Arlo, is travelling with us. Life's certainly different when you have kids." The national tour takes in major cities and country towns and is built on the success of Chambers' and Nicholson's collaboration, Rattlin' Bones. The charttopping ARIA album marks a first for Chambers, who says she's never ventured out of her "comfort zone" to write songs with anyone else before. "It was confronting to think about pouring my heart out in a song with someone sitting next to me. "But Shane and I play music together all the time anyway so it felt quite natural. It would have been too intimidating to co-write with someone I hardly know." Chambers has won a swag of ARIA, Golden Guitar and APRA awards. She was APRA Songwriter of the Year in 2002, nominating that as one of the most unexpected awards in her collection. "That one blew me away because it was voted for by my peers in the music industry."Chambers grew up with music and the country in her blood. She spent her early childhood around Mount Gambier and then travelling and camping on the Nullarbor Plain with her parents and brother, Nash. "Dad was a fox hunter so we travelled the Nullarbor for the best part of 10 years," says Chambers. Her father, Bill, and mother, Diane, were talented country musicians and Chambers grew up listening to Emmylou Harris and Hank Williams. "I grew up with my family being my best friends. I didn't have much to do with other people in those early years." Her father still plays in her band while Diane handles Chambers' merchandising and Nash is in charge of sound production. She's excited about travelling to country towns on her latest tour. "I know what it's like to live in an outback area that bands don't travel to! I love country towns. I am a country girl at heart and always will be." Kasey Chambers and Shane Nicholson perform at Hamer Hall, the Arts Centre, on August 14.
© 2008 The Age