By Luke Voogt
A “fine array of utes” will fill central Geelong when Lee Kernaghan comes to town – if his last visit was anything to go by.
“They say Deniliquin is the ute capital of Australia but Geelong’s not far behind,” he told the Indy.
Kernaghan enjoyed talking to the owners of an impressive range of rigs each time he came to Geelong, he said.
“A lot of people come in from out of town. Geelong feels like the country sometimes.“
He has a list of 150 new song ideas, some of which came from chats with locals after performing at pubs around Australia.
“One hundred and forty of them are complete rubbish but there would be some good ones in there.”
He was at the Gateway Hotel, Corio, in February 2017 on a tour celebrating 25 years since the release his greatest hit Boys from the Bush.
“This last year has been like a blur,” he said.
“It’s just been an epic 25th anniversary celebration.”
This year Kernaghan has hit the road on an encore tour, which brings him to Geelong Performing Arts Centre on 7 June.
“We had 47 sold-out shows on the last run which is the reason we’re back,” he said.
He had a short break before going on tour again, he said.
“It’s been good to be able to get back to the gym and get fit for the road.”
The Australian country icon also started a radio show featuring chart-topping hits from Australia and US.
He was about to head to Kununurra, WA, for the first show of the encore tour when he spoke to the Indy last week.
“Then it’s back to old stomping ground,” said Kernaghan, who was born in Victoria.
Geelong was one of the last few stops on the tour, he said.
“Then it’s back to the recording studio for a new album.”
Kernaghan has won ARIA awards and Australian of the Year, but a pyrotechnic mishap at the Gympie Muster remains a highlight of his career.
When a device designed to shoot sparks from his guitar misfired he “hoicked” the instrument into the mosh pit, he said.
“I remember it disappearing like a smoking, flaming wreck from a Mad Max movie.”
Kernaghan’s other career highlight was writing his Spirit of the Anzacs album in 2015.
In 2013 he visited the vaults of the Australian War Memorial and read letters from Australian servicemen and women dating back to Gallipoli.
The letters inspired the album, which topped the ARIA charts for weeks.
“That was the greatest privilege of my entire career,” Kernaghan said.
