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Prominent Northern New South Wales country music singer, Dane Barker (26) is finally confident with his vocals ahead of the release of the first single of his debut album.
Titled ‘The Nindigully Living Room’ – the song is written about the iconic Nindigully Pub. Built in 1864 in Nindigully, Queensland, is believed to be one of state’s longest continually licensed premises. It was a Cobb & Co changing station between the late 19th century and the early 20th century – and is iconic in Outback circles.
Despite having written this song as a teenager, Dane says he wasn’t prepared to release it via a major label until he could make sure he sounded exactly like he was born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee – like most successfuly Australian country music singers.
Earliest examples of Australian country music appeared more focused on the yodeling and folk and was heavily influenced by Celtic and English folk music, the Australian bush ballad tradition.
However, more recently the nominees at Tamworth’s Country Music awards seem to be more inspired by popular American country music.
With themes including outback life, the lives of stockmen, truckers and outlaws, songs of romance and of political protest; and songs about the “beauty and the terror” of the Australian bush. Early pioneers included Slim Dusty, Tex Morton and Stan Koster, however in recent years most Australian country musicians have opted to sound a bit more like Tim McGraw.
The opening verse of Dane’s sentimental song about the Nindigully pub starts with a slow instrumental with him simply talking in a weird Southern USA accent, in a similar manner to Kanye West’s ‘Last Call’
‘Ha ha. Yeah. I gue-ess this little pob is the ownleee theng I lurve” he says, before breaking into a deep Nashville croon.
