It might be an old adage “you can take the boy out of the bush” but “not the bush out of the boy” but it sticks like a proverbial Aussie blowfly in a heat wave for country music legend Lee Kernaghan who is returning to the Riverina where it all began, as part of a huge tour across Australia.
Lee who boasts 38 Golden Guitars to his credit is bringing his Boys from the Bush “The Concert” to his hometown on September 12 at the Albury Entertainment Centre to the delight of those who have known the family over many years with the promise of a “high octane” performance.
He insists despite touring most of the year visiting “incredible communities” in rural and regional Australia is a constant source of inspiration.
Born in the foothills of the high country in Corryong, Lee and his family moved to Lavington (or Lavy as the locals call it) in Albury when he was very young.
These days Lee has his own family base in Queensland between Brisbane and the Gold Coast to escape to when not on the road touring.
Latest Stories
For anyone who grew up around Albury in the 60s, 70s and 80s, the Kernaghan name was well-known.
Country music played a significant part in Lee’s formative years as the son of Ray Kernaghan, an Australian country music artist with 12 gold and two platinum records under his belt.
Lee recalls his father playing for the locals at a much-loved Lavington landmark, the Boomerang Hotel/Motel.
His parents Ray and Pam had their wedding reception at the hotel which led to a regular gig after that.
One of Lee’s earliest memories of his own first public musical foray was as a five-year-old on the local radio station 2AY.
“I was live on air on a show called Chickadees and came third,” but added with a laugh there were only three entrants.
In those early years Albury on the NSW side of the Murray River, was considered a big country town and Lee said most people had connections to the bush or rural life.
“My grandfather Pat Kernaghan was known in Albury as a legendary drover for over 50 years,” said Lee.
It provided Lee with opportunities growing up to join droving camps and sit around campfires – an inspiration for many of his songs in later years.
His schooling included Hume Primary and secondary education at Murray High School, both in Lavington.
“My first album ‘Outback Club’ was about growing up in the Riverina, B&S balls, pub crawls and circle work,” he said.
Grateful for the support of his family, Lee is also hugely indebted to the late Slim Dusty who he said was the King of country music and blazed the trail for others.
Kernaghan's second album, Three Chain Road (1993), featured collaborations with Slim Dusty, including “Leave Him in the Longyard,” which was named best group vocal at the 1994 Australian Country Music Association Awards and was certified double platinum in 1998.
“Slim had a huge impact on me and was very supportive,” said Lee.
Before the Albury based performer burst onto the country scene when everything “exploded” career-wise, Lee remembers his days as a struggling musician.
“I was playing gigs at the Bullring Bistro (in Wagga Rd) and couldn’t afford to pay my rent so moved back home to Dallinger Rd with my parents,” he said.
Fast forward to now, Lee has achieved 40 number one hits, 38 Golden Guitars and 2018 Aria Award for his 25th Anniversary album during his career.
“It is incredible times for country music and lots of younger people are growing up with it,” he said.
“It is awesome to be part of that right now.”
Lee agreed there was a generational shift towards country music in Australia thanks to the likes of Keith Urban, Morgan Wallen, Luke Combes and Chris Stapleton.
Lee played to sellout concerts in 2024 and has kicked off his national 40 date tour this year which is proving popular with his Shepparton gig on September 13 already sold out.
Asking Lee what audiences should expect on stage during this tour, he replies, “An AGM of the Outback Club!”.
“It is a celebration of three decades and will be lots of fun,” he said.
Lee is looking forward to catching up with people he knows and, no doubt, plenty of old memories to share.
The trademark hat Lee is well known for came about after a purchase at Hiscock's Saddlery in Dean St, Albury in the early 1990s.
He wanted to buy the “biggest black hat” he could find.
Two years later Lee dropped into the Akubra headquarters where they created the Outback Club hat.
The iconic Australian hat maker has just recently relaunched the “new and improved” hat as a collaboration with Lee in what is the first time the company has partnered with a country music artist.
Meanwhile, Lee is doing what he loves best bringing the bush to audiences through his music.
Always mindful of his rural roots, Lee has been a long-time passionate supporter of rural and regional Australia having raised millions of dollars for drought, flood and bushfire relief, hospitals, schools, ambulance and volunteer organisations nation-wide.
In 2008 he received an Australian of the Year award in 2008 for his service to outback and regional communities.
Lee has also been recipient of an Order of Australia Medal.
His significant and sustained contribution to country music was recognised when he was inducted into the Australian Country Music Roll of Renown.
In 2018 he was inducted into the CMC Hall of Fame
