Australian icon Daryl Braithwaite comes to Geelong Arts Centre (GAC) this month for a hit-filled show covering a back catalogue spanning 50 years.
Braithwaite shot to fame as the frontman and lead vocalist for 70s pop band Sherbet, with hits such as Howzat and Summer Love.
But the evergreen performer became best known for his work as a solo artist, particularly his version of Walter Becker (Steely Dan) and Rickie Lee Jones’ The Horses, now an anthem for generations of Australians.
Braithwaite has an undeniable talent for making a song his own, a talent again on display in 2020 when he released Love Songs, an upbeat pop song shortlisted for APRA’s 2021 Song of the Year.
Love Songs was originally penned by Braithwaite’s songwriter friend Michael Fatkin, who urged the singer to get the song in the hands of P!nk manager Roger Davies.
“Roger finally got to hear it and said, ‘It suits you more than P!nk, and she’s not recording at the moment’”, Braithwaite said.
“I was relieved. So, we went ahead and recorded it.”
Audiences warmed to the song immediately, as did the listening public.
“It’s like when I started out with Sherbet in 1970, that’s how you would gauge the reaction to new material,” Braithwaite said.
“We’d all discuss it after the gig if the song had worked or not. The audience are the best indicator of those things.”
Daryl Braithwaite is at GAC on Sunday, October 27.
