Kasey Chambers

In 2000 Kasey Chambers emerged as Australia's first country to rock crossover female singers. It was just the latest chapter in a unique 25 year life journey.

In 1976, hoping to earn a living hunting foxes, Bill and Diane Chambers took their two year-old son Nash and newborn daughter Kasey into the Australian Nullarbor plain. The family would spend seven or eight months of the year on the Nullarbor, resupplying themselves from the Indian Pacific train. The rest of the year, the hot months, the family spent at a small South Australian fishing village. Each night out on the Nullarbor, after a day's hunting, the family would camp in a different spot on that vast Australian landmark and, grabbing his guitar, Bill Chambers and his wife Diane passed on their love of country music, by the glow of the campfire, under the stars. This is how Kasey Chambers spent the first nine years of her life.

In 1986 the family returned to "civilisation" so that Bill and Diane could pick up interrupted music careers. First Kasey joined them as lead singer, then brother Nash, and they became known as the Dead Ringer Band. By 1992 the family had become full-time musicians, playing to city audiences as well as heading back out into the countryside, pulling a small trailer behind their Toyota Land Cruiser.

During the '90s the Dead Ringer Band members, known as performers of quality country music, released seven CDs and collectively earned two ARIA's, five MO Awards and seven Gold Guitars at Tamworth. Kasey was the face of the new generation in Australian country. She appeared at Tamworth dressed as a spice girl, wears a nose ring, and posed nude for a country music magazine (walking down the streets of a deserted country town with brother Nash).

Over a few weeks during July and August 98 Kasey Chambers recorded her solo album 'The Captain' on Norfolk Island. With Nash acting as producer, Kasey and her musicians set up in an old homestead on the island and practically recorded the album live. Father Bill was on hand to play guitar. Country legends Buddy and Julie Miller added voices and guitar to four tracks afterwards in Nashville.

Released in May 99 'The Captain' initially won Kasey the 1999 ARIA award for Best Country album, and at the 2000 awards named her Best Female Artist. With double platinum sales at home in Australia Kasey spent the latter part of 2000 following up enthusiastic reviews for her album internationally. Between Australian and American tours in late 2000 and early 2001, Kasey wrote the songs which constitute her second solo album, 'Barricades & Brickwalls'. The musical cast remains essentially the same as 'The Captain' with the addition of a "rock" component via drummer Peter Luscombe and rhythm guitarist Dave Steel, and a guest appearance from "punkabilly" band the Living End. The album also features appearances from Paul Kelly and American country's Lucinda Williams. The album was recorded mainly at Mangrove Studios on NSW's Central Coast and in Nashville, Melbourne and at brother Nash's basement studio in NSW's Avoca Beach. Kasey said of the album: "The last album showed my life story. That was Introducing Kasey Chambers. This one's The Many Moods of Kasey Chambers."

Accepting her ARIA Kasey had a personal, secret reason for celebrating. That same day she'd found out that she was pregnant. The international release of 'Barricades' saw Kasey tour America to great acclaim, although her "delicate condition" caused her to faint on stage on one occasion. Once her tour commitments were complete, and giving herself time to enjoy motherhood, Kasey assembled her favourite musicians under producer Nash, and recorded 'Wayward Angel'. None of the guest appearances which marked 'Barricades'. It was another personal album. The title song 'Wayward Angel' was the one song dedicated to her child.

'Wayward Angel' entered the national charts at No.1 in June 2004. In October Chambers announced she had split from her partner of four years, television presenter Cori Hopper. In late 2005 Chambers married Australian singer/songwriter Shane Nicholson.

With news of the impending birth of their first child Kasey and Shane decided to take 18 months off. They couldn't quite be without music however, so they orgaznied weekly sessions at their nearby pub, the Avoca Hotel on the NSW Central Coast, frequently joined by musician friends including Kasey's father Bill. They called the band The Lost Dogs.

A direct result of the Lost Dog Sessions was Kasey and Shane's collaboration on the album 'Rattlin' Bones' with songs the couple wrote especially for the project. The album marks Kasey's return to her country roots. 'Rattlin Bones' was released through the independent Liberation label, the end of Kasey's ten years with EMI. She said it was time for a change.