If "experience is not what happens to you - but what you do with what happens to you", then Graeme Connors has experience to burn. As a songwriter with a unique perspective and an immediately recognisable style, Graeme has put his experience to good use, time and time again, in the creation of so many classic songs.
 
14 CD's worth of songs to be exact, and that still doesn't account for the extended catalogue he has penned for other artists... artists as diverse as John Denver, Jon English and Slim Dusty. Songs that are meaningful, lighthearted, poignant, or political - but always imbued with the beauty, depth and frailty of the human condition.

The subject matter of Graeme's songs reaches far and wide. From the celebration of Australian images, ideas and stories to the internal landscape of personal emotions - but wherever he chooses to travel creatively the voice of experience always shines through.

It has been a remarkable journey for Graeme - one that began over three decades ago, when - as the latest hot new ‘discovery’ - Graeme toured as the support act for Kris Kristofferson in 1974. The legendary American singer/songwriter was so impressed with Graeme that he produced his debut album, And When Morning Comes.

Successes over the next decade included co-writing “Hot Town”, a hit single for Jon English, and becoming a favoured songwriter of the late Slim Dusty, who recorded 12 of Graeme’s songs — including the 1989 Song of the Year, “We’ve Done Us Proud’, winning Graeme the first of his 12 Golden Guitars. Graeme enjoyed a long musical friendship with Slim and his Family, and was invited to sing “Amazing Grace” at his state funeral when the King of Country passed away in 2003.

But it was the release of the evocative “A Little Further North”, from Graeme’s first ABC album, North, that really attracted attention to Graeme’s extraordinary way with words and melodies.

Released in 1988, North was an immediate success, and set Graeme on the path of building a solid fan base that continues to grow, largely through an extensive touring schedule that’s taken him all over Australia many times.

Graeme has certainly been prolific in his musical output. North was followed by the semi-autobiographical South of These Days in 1989, then Tropicali in 1991. He travelled to Nashville for fresh inspiration in 1992, a trip that led to the release of The Return in 1993.

While the criteria for the Country Music Awards of Australia made that album ineligible in January 1994, Graeme certainly made his presence felt the following year with the release of Homeland. intended as a low-key custom recording, Homeland really hit the mark with his fans and the Country Music Industry, earning Graeme three Golden Guitars for Album of the Year, Song of the Year and Male Vocalist of the Year at the 1995 Awards.

The Here and Now came next in 1995, followed by The Road Less Travelled in 1996, One of the Family - Graeme’s family-cum-Christmas album in 1997 - and the brooding and evocative A Delicate Balance in 1999.

The awards kept coming too. The Here and Now garnered Graeme four Golden Guitars in 1996, for Song of the Year, Vocal Collaboration of the Year, Video Track of the Year (“The Great Australian Dream”) and Bush Ballad Heritage Song (“The Ringer and the Princess”). He went on to receive two more Golden Guitars in 1997, taking out Album of the Year with The Road Less Travelled as well as Male Vocalist of the Year, and his first ARIA award for Best Country Album of the Year.

During the Olympic year of 2000, Graeme featured in both the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Paralympic Games, with the stirring theme song he wrote - “Being Here”, and he was back on the sporting stage again in 2001, when he performed at the Goodwill Games Opening Ceremony in Brisbane.

That year, he also collected his 11th Golden Guitar, this time for a song co-written with, and recorded by, rising star Adam Brand, “Good Things in Life”. He also released a “best of” album, which he describes as “closing the first chapter of my career as a songwriter” - the remarkable collection The Best … Til Now.

And still the awards continued in 2004 with Graeme adding to his collection of Golden Guitars for Video Track of the Year (“The Simple Truth”)

“The Simple Truth” from Graeme's 2002 release, This Is Life, was one of several songs that heralded a shift in Graeme's musical direction. With long time friend, co-producer, (and all round musical mastermind) Mark McDuff assuming a greater role in both the co-writing of songs and general musical direction, Graeme and Mark travelled to Nashville to work with famed studio musician and co-producer Bruce Bouton. The results were outstanding with the critically acclaimed This Is Life serving as a reminder that the true artist is always willing to explore change, and is capable and unafraid of reinvention in the pursuit of excellence.

Somewhere between the songwriting, the recording and the constant touring Graeme managed to produce his first DVD - Up Close - in 2003. It was quickly followed a second DVD - So Far...and a Little Further - finally giving Graeme's many fans a visual recording of this celebrated artist in concert and documentary.

2004 led Graeme back to Nashville to record The Moment with Bruce Bouton and a stellar group of world-renowned acoustic musicians. At a time when the hits of the day all featured anthem-rock-oriented electric guitars, Graeme chose to swim against the tide with this inspiring and exquisite acoustic recording. It was described at the time of release as his most personal work to date.

It's All Good... More Of The Best followed in 2006. Featuring 4 new songs amid a selection of personal favorites re-mixed and re-mastered, It's All Good... provides a career overview that highlights yet again, the long line of quality songwriting and recording that is the hallmark of this dedicated and talented Artist.

And the Awards listed above are only the tip of the iceberg. Graeme is the proud recipient of two APRA song-writing awards, two PPCA Awards for the most played country artist on Australian radio, two American Song Festival Awards, two MO Awards for live performance, 12 Tamworth Songwriters’ Association Awards, including the prestigious Song-maker accolade for his overall contribution to Australian song-writing and in 2006 he was inducted into the Tamworth Walk Of Fame.

His first album, North has gone platinum, and both The Road Less Travelled and The Best … ’Til Now are well past gold status.

Reflecting his position in the Australian Country Music Industry, Graeme has been the accorded the honor of 'Tamworth Australia Day Ambassador' by the Australia Day Council, the Centenary Medal 'in recognition of distinguished contribution to the entertainment industry', and is a Rotary Foundation Paul Harris Fellow.

He was also the subject of a half-hour documentary as part of the exceptional (and highly-rating) ABC TV series Heart of Country.


For further information: www.graemeconnors.com