I recalled today that I use to have a recurring dream where I would casually bump into Kasey Chambers at Apex Park in my home town Narooma. She’d be cooking up snags on the barbecue on a nice sunny day and she’d be like “Hey, how ya going?”
In 2000 I was watching CMT and a black and white film clip of a girl singing The Captain stopped me in my tracks. I didn’t know who she was or what to call the type of music she was singing, but I loved it. Her authenticity was like nothing I’d ever seen or heard before. It was raw, it was real. I knew then at that moment the type of female singer songwriter I wanted to be.
Fast track 22 years and my producer Syd Green got the gig as Kasey’s drummer. I was trying to decide the best angle to take for my next album when Kasey opened The Rabbit Hole Recording Studio with Brandon Dodd. Knowing that Syd had been touring with Kasey I asked if he would help me record at the Rabbit Hole. I’d emailed Kasey and asked if she’d co-produce the album with Syd, but she said she had enough hats to wear already, that I was in safe hands with Syd and Brandon, and that her gig was really in the catering department. She suggested I come up to do a songwriting day camp with her and check out the studio.
When I arrived at The Rabbit Hole I was greeted by Australia’s most successful ever female country artists; “Hey, how ya going?” 4 other songwriters and I had mentoring with Kasey where she kindly shared her years of industry knowledge and songwriting tips. The catering was next level, she really goes all out and even catered for my plant based requirements.
At the end of the day it was just a light supper. We all had a jam around the camp fire and she threw the sausages into the “wok-a-billy” (custom made by her father Bill) to cook. We dream things that can seem completely whacked out and strange at the time, like they have no place or purpose in our life.
I know now that my journey was always going to lead me here, dirt on our feet, campfire burning and sausages sizzling away; with Australia’s most successful female country salt-of-the-earth star.
On Sunday I will return to The Rabbit Hole Recording Studio in the Central Coast to record my third studio album. It will be co-produced by Syd Green and Brandon Dodd, and Kasey Chambers’ band will be my band for four days; Syd on Drums, Brandon on guitar, Jeff McCormack on bass and the legendary Bill Chambers on lead guitar.
Australia’s Queen of Country will be on catering duties.
Thank you Universe.
I have arrived, and I am ready.