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Kasey Chambers
In 2000
Kasey Chambers emerged as Australia's first country-to-rock crossover
female singer. In America Lucinda Williams was calling Kasey Chambers her
favourite new artist. It was just the latest chapter in a unique 25 year
life journey.
Three
weeks after Kasey was born in 1976 Bill and Diane Chambers took their two
year-old son Nash and newborn daughter Kasey into the Australian Nullarbor
plain on what was meant to be a working holiday hunting foxes and selling
the pelts. They enjoyed the lifestyle so much they stayed and this is how
Kasey Chambers spent the first nine years of her life. 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 and
homeschooled their children by the glow of the campfire, under the stars.
In 1986
the family returned to "civilisation" so that Bill and Diane
could pick up interrupted music careers and the children could attend
secondary school and have friends their own age. It also meant that they
were exposed to other music. Kasey became a Metallica and Motley Crue fan.
But those country roots were deep. The Chambers had started playing pubs
and clubs again and before long had become a group. First Kasey joined them as lead singer,
then brother Nash, and they became known as the Dead Ringer Band (Kasey and
Nash looked so like their parents). 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 as
they again lived under the stars.
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).
The Dead Ringer Band’s albums were released on a small label ironically
called Massive. When major label EMI came knocking the band was taking an
extended break. Bill and Diane Chambers’ marriage was having problems. EMI
were quite happy to sign Kasey to a solo deal.
Over a
few weeks during July and August 98 Kasey Chambers recorded her solo album
'The Captain' on Norfolk Island. The songs she wrote for the album were
inspired by immediate events. ‘The Captain’ was Kasey’s then boyfriend.
Other songs reflected Kasey’s reflections on her parents’ separation. With
Nash acting as producer – the family had been unhappy with their
experiences in studios - 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. Kasey didn’t let EMI hear one song until the album
was finished.
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." The album’s lynchpin was the single ‘Not Pretty Enough’
(YouTube), Kasey’s reaction to her lack of radio airplay for ‘The Captain’.
Ironically that was the song which attracted Australian radio to Kasey
Chambers’ childlike charms, and resulted in a National No.1 hit. Accepting
her ARIA award 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 in April 2008 through the independent Liberation label,
the end of Kasey's ten years with EMI. She said it was time for a change.
In
January 2009 Kasey Chambers and Shane Nicholson dominated the 37th annual
Golden Guitar Awards in Tamworth with 'Rattlin' Bones' winning Song, Single
and Video Clip of the Year for the album's title track, and Highest Selling
Album and Album of the Year. Kasey ended the year with an album with dad
Bill and an accompanying childrens’ book written by Kasey, “Kasey Chambers,
Poppa Bill & The Little Hillbillies”. The album sees the debut of a new
generation. The Little Hillbillies are made up of Kasey’s sons Talon and
Arlo, Bill’s further additions, Jake and Tyler, Nash’s tribe of 3, Eden,
Skye and Béla and best friend Worm’s son Townes.
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