Building appeal: Cameron Henderson takes a break on a building site to practice for his forthcoming gigs. Picture: Tommy Ritchie 55721
Erin Pearson
“I’M no Justin Bieber”, declared Ceres musician Cameron Henderson, “but I have performed in front of 100,000 people”.
The builder, farmer and a father of three drew the parallel with the American teen star while speaking to the Independent about his rise to stardom at the tender age of 43.
Henderson recently released his debut album, Angel Without Wings, following his rise to success on television’s Australia’s Got Talent.
He considered himself “blessed” to be even chatting about his fast-found fame but was keeping his feet on the ground.
“I’m still just a dad,” Henderson said.
“I’ve got a family and a house at a time in my music life where most other musicians are in a make-or-break time.
“People ask how I handle being famous, being a celebrity, but I have to laugh – I’m still wearing a nail bag out answering calls and meeting building deadlines.
“I’m a builder in the music world.”
Henderson said his rise to fame had come with “shocks”.
“When we were on Australia’s Got Talent, somehow because they said I was a builder everyone got hold of my email address – I was inundated,” he laughed.
“I got a letter this morning from a guy who lost his three sisters to cancer and he has written this really nice letter about how much the Three Beautiful People, which I wrote about my kids, relates to his sisters.”
A self-confessed family man and “lawn mower”, Henderson said he first dabbled in music as a teen.
“I played the trumpet at school and ended up in a jazz band but you can’t sing and play the trumpet, so I hadn’t really thought about singing too much,” he chuckled.
“But when I heard James Taylor sing, the guy who is the ultimate, who I even named my son after, I was in awe.”
A humble Henderson talked appreciatively of the opportunity to share his “life experiences” with the world.
“People have invested money and good faith in me,” he said.
“These people who have been in the industry so long grabbed me, a builder who can’t read music, and said ‘We reckon you’ve got something’.
“It’s easy to get a compliment from someone but these people have put their money where their mouth is and I owe it to them to do them proud.”
Henderson was preparing to perform at an Australia-versus-New-Zealand Golf Skins Challenge in which he would rub shoulders with golfing superstars such as John Daly.
Despite trying to keep a level head, mum does keep ringing me when she adds another newspaper article to her scrapbook,” he laughed.
Henderson will support Kasey Chambers at Geelong Performing Arts Centre this weekend before a solo show at Geelong RSL on December 3.
