Lee Kernaghan

In the 90s Lee Kernaghan spearheaded a new generation of Australian country music, unlike their American cousins holding true to country music's traditional romance with the land, small towns, and farm folk, and kneeling at the altar of those who came before them. Lee was literally born into that tradition. His father was a featured singer with the Rick And Thelma Carey Show, pioneers of Australian country music, while his mother was juggler assistant for the show at the time they discovered they were expecting the child that was Lee.

Lee Kernaghan gave his first public performance at the age of five, at a talent show on the local radio station, singing Rolf Harris' 'Two Little Boys'. He started piano lessons at the age of eleven, and formed his first band the next year with his brother Greg (nine) on drums and Lee's best friend Glen Simpson on bass and keyboards. When Lee and Greg's little sister Tania (then 8 years old) joined the group changed its name from the Blue Devils to Angel and the Blue Devils. Father Ray Kernaghan released the first of his 14 gold records in 1977, the same year 13-year old Lee wrote his first song, 'Country Music Man'. The following year the entire Kernaghan family - Ray, Pam and their two songs and two daughters - rejoined the Rick and Thel Carey Show for a six month tour around the country. Lee recording his first demos during that tour. All of the Kernaghan children have gone on to careers of their own but it's Lee who emerged as the star, challenging Slim Dusty as Australia's biggest selling country artist.

In 1979 Ray Kernaghan's second album included two songs written by Lee, including 'Matilda, Queen Of The Tar', a tribute to "Waltzing Matilda", a big Ford Louieville Truck powered by a Canberra Jet Engine which raced around the nation's showgrounds where the Kernaghans performed, with its big jet engine roaring and flames shooting out of the exhaust. That same year "Waltzing Matilda" broke the world land speed record for a truck at Witcheproof, Victoria. Ray's second album was called 'Jet Set Country'. In 1981 Lee formed his first country band, Lee Kernaghan and the Coca-Cola Cowboys.

After leaving school started working at the family record label, Kernaghan Country Records, wrapping records and cassettes, writing invoices and dispatching to record retailers around the country. Ray bought "Waltzing Matilda", and in 1982 the truck, Ray, and the younger Kernaghans as part of a group called the Strangers travelled around Australia for nine months in the Ray Kernaghan Cavalcade of Stars Show which also included a beauty queen, special guests and a computerised driverless car.

In 1983 Lee Kernaghan released his first commercial single, 'Cheaters' and 'Advance Australia Again', produced by Doug Trevor (ex-Cherokees) and featuring Tommy Emmanuel on electric guitar. From the beginning Lee had caught the attention of the country music fraternity. He'd won the 1979 award for the best under sixteen male singer, the 1982 Starmaker award, and now was a finalist in Australian Music Awards categories for Male Vocal and Best New Talent. In 1986 he was selected to accompany his father to represent Australia at the International Fan Fare show in Nashville, Tennessee. In Nashville Lee wrote songs and recorded demos, and when he returned to Australia his music publisher introduced him to a hit songwriter by the name of Reece Kirk who was working with Garth Porter. Throughout the 70s Garth Porter had distinguished himself as the songwriting and creative force within pop sensations Sherbet. Lee also cut several tracks with Garth.

Despite all the promise Lee Kernaghan was now set to endure some lean years. He was fining it increasingly difficult to get gigs playing country music and survive. He was reduced to playing pop covers and old time rock and roll in clubs. In 1989 he found work playing in Albury piano bar The Bullring Restaurant. By 1990, the gigs had dried up altogether and Lee resolved to give up music "forever". He broke up the band and applied for a day job at a friend's local real estate agency. Garth Porter in the meantime had comfortably settled into the producer's chair and made his mark working with country/rock crossover singer songwriter James Blundell. He was ready to travel deeper down the country road and in June 1991Garth invited Lee to Sydney to write together. Lee took five days off from his estate agent job. Those demos led to a publishing deal, and eventually a three-album album deal kicking off in May 1992 with 'The Outback Club'.

Significantly, radio station 2SM chose that moment to change their radio format to country music in Australia's largest capital city Sydney as Kick AM. Almost simultaneously 4BC in Brisbane went 24 hours a day with country music. Two of the country's capital cities were boasting radio stations presenting country music. Into that fortunate spotlight walked Lee Kernaghan with his 'Outback Club' album. On the 30th January 1993, the 21st Annual Country Music Awards of Australia were held in Tamworth. Lee finished the night with three "Gold Guitars" - Song of the year: 'Boys from the Bush', Album of the year: 'The Outback Club, and Male vocalist of the year. Lee Kernaghan was the new king of Australian country music.

In 1993, his second album, 'The Three Chain Road' was given its first public airing at the renowned country music festival The Gympie Muster, with almost 60,000 country music lovers turning out. Thousands of Lee's fans waited for up to five hours in rainy conditions to shake his hand and to get an autograph. That second album saw Lee tip his now familiar cowboy hat to Australia's country traditions by recording with the "father" of Australian country, Slim Dusty. Kernaghan's songs echo Australia's yesterdays while offering an optimistic, romantic version of rural Australia today. 2000's 'Rules For The Road' album saw Lee covering classic Australian country as he guests with legendary Australian country performers, his new songs fitting the rest like a glove.

A new album of original songs, 'Electric Rodeo' followed quickly, but then there was an almost four year gap between albums while Lee concentrated his young family, sons Rock and Jet, and ownership of a historic Rockhampton pub, the Great Western. Emerging from that period of his life, travelling around the country Lee noticed a change of mood in the rural Australia he had documented a decade earlier with 'The Outback Club'. He kept hearing the term New Bush. A new generation of farmers had taken over the land, using new technology. Lee's eighth album 'The New Bush' reflected that change and the changes in his own life.

The 2007 Australia Country Music Awards at Tamworth again recognized Lee and his album with a handful awards, taking Kernaghan's tally of Golden Guitar awards to 24, second only to Slim Dusty's 37.