Clifton Springs singer-songwriter Sarah Carroll released her latest album, NQR&B, on July 5 with an upcoming launch taking place in Geelong in September. The Ukulele Queen of the Bellarine speaks with Jena Carr about her new album and more than 30-year musical career.
Even in her earliest memories, singer-songwriter Sarah Carroll recalls always being drawn to music and sharing that love with everyone around her.
The Clifton Springs woman grew up near Melbourne in a household that “listened to music a lot” and where everyone was “encouraged to write and sing”.
“I had parents who loved to sing and listen to music, neither of them played an instrument, and my stepdad was the same,” she says.
“I feel very grateful for the rich palette of music that I was exposed to because I’m aware that many kids have far less music in their lives growing up. All the relationships I had, my deep friendships and my romantic relationships were all formed in the musical sort of sphere, and I followed that almost unconsciously.
“I learnt that singing was just part of life, a normal part of everyday life, and…as soon as I was aware of the guitar, I wanted the guitar. I wanted to play it, and when I was maybe 12, I got my first one. I didn’t have any lessons, and of course there was no internet or anything, so I couldn’t look up how to play any of the things that I loved when I was a kid, but I listened and figured things out.”
Sarah’s life has continued to be guided by music, which led her to late husband and blues musician Chris Wilson.
“We got plunked on a stage together by a friend of ours who was running a benefit for Vietnam Veterans,” she said
“We hadn’t even had a conversation at this point. We knew who each other was because we were hanging out in a lot of the same places, and of course, I was aware of his music.
“We’ve seen each other around and all that, but we’d never talked, so there we were together playing and then not long after that, we got to meet properly and have a proper conversation.
“Our social lives at that point, and the same with my brother and a lot of my mates, was centred around a place called the Punters Club, which was a pub in Fitzroy.
“It was his favourite hangout, he used to play there a lot and I worked there for years…I’d wait for hours for him to show up and then pretend that I just showed up, and he was doing the same.”
Sarah and Chris’ sons Fenn Wilson and George Carroll Wilson have since followed in their parents’ footsteps, becoming much-loved musicians in their own right.
Sarah said she felt “very lucky” to be able to help foster Fenn and George’s careers by bringing them into the musical world.
“They’re just incredible, and they still want to be part of our worlds and proudly wear that badge of belonging to this family,” she said.
“They studied music at school a little bit, but they learnt from their mates and would come to us if they needed help with something, but it was all about them.
“Fenn, our older son, started playing with Chris when he was about 18. He started playing drums and they formed a trio with Shannon Bourne called Skronkadoodledoo.
“I remember Fenn coming off stage from a gig they did at Port Fairy one time, and his hands were bloody because he put everything he had into playing the drums.
“I brought George into my musical world while recording my previous big album. He was 16 when we started recording that…and it became a very collaborative and wonderful relationship.
“He’d been playing in a band for several years before that, and I knew he was up to it. So, he became the person who played the most on that record…and he was all over that album.
“I feel very blessed that the boys are still willing to share their gifts with me, as they both have their own stuff going on. They’re so much better than me, and so much better than Chris was.”
Sarah has worked with many musicians and bands, such as GIT and Tin Stars, and is well known as the Ukulele Queen of the Bellarine, a title given to her by friend and Tin Stars lead singer Susan Russell.
“It’s not everything I do, but it is a lovely thing to be called the queen of anything, so I’m happy about it,” she said.
“If only I’d known about the ukulele when I was little. I probably heard it, but I didn’t know you could get one of your very own.
“The band that I was in, GIT, was touring with Jeff Lang and his band to promote an album we’d sang on with him. So, we did this national tour and a lot of it was in a bus on the road. One of the band members in Jeff’s band, Tim Hall, had a crappy little mahalo ukulele with him and would amuse us with various ditties inspired by passing pedestrians or whatever.
“I was watching him do it and enjoying it immensely…When I got home and got one of my own, I started mucking around on it. That was about 15 years ago.”
In 2019, Sarah and her sons were faced with the loss of their father and husband when Chris died of pancreatic cancer at age 62.
They honour Chris through songs such as The Artist Original, which explores the feeling of grief and what it means to let go, on Sarah’s new album NQR&B, released on July 5.
Sarah said it was an “absolute blessing” to be still creating music at 57 years old and that her album will be launched in Geelong on September 22 at the Barwon Club.
“As a writer, it’s wonderful to feel that you’ve reached out and connected with others in the process of expressing yourself,” she said.
“I’m 57 and proud. Every year that I live on this earth is a gift and a blessing…and I’ll stop (playing music) when I can’t hold a guitar or play the drums anymore.
“There are a million things that I love about music, but I think the chief thing is that it helps you reach out and form a connection with another person.
“When you think about it, (music) is the fastest way to connect with another person, and you can form a close relationship with somebody when you play music with them.
“It’s (NQR&B album) a collection of songs that I’ve had around for a varying length of time…and it is a truly autobiographical record, but I’ve attempted to make the stories relatable to others as well.”
