Entertainment

Interview: Bill Chambers – One Night At The Gov Four Crying Out Loud!

Not only is he one of Australia’s most respected performers and proud dad to a very famous and talented daughter named Kasey, but Bill Chambers is also an incredibly nice bloke who’s been playing for as many years as the rabbit proof fence is long

imagesNot only is he one of Australia’s most respected performers and proud dad to a very famous and talented daughter named Kasey, but Bill Chambers is also an incredibly nice bloke who’s been playing for as many years as the rabbit proof fence is long. He will be reuniting with his earlier band Four Crying Out Loud for a one off show at The Gov in Adelaide that will make history. He spoke to Darren Hassan about his career and some of the tough times he’s had on the road that he says has shaped him into a more appreciative person.

“I’m teaming up with a bunch of guys I played music with as teenagers, up until about 20 years old. We had a bit of success around Millicent & Mt Gambier & used to play Hank Williams, Elvis, Neil Young Chuck Berry songs, you name it. We’re going to rediscover our roots and see what happens.”

A year or so shy of 65, Bill doesn’t look like pulling up stumps anytime soon and still has plenty of gas left to play music. “I still tour with my daughter Kasey Chambers, and play in her band regularly. We just supported The Eagles in New Zealand and have a few other gigs including Adelaide in April, so we’re getting around a bit,” he laughs.

There’s something remarkably down to earth about Bill, he’s a true country gentleman and has wisdom in his voice that tells the story of a man that’s seen his fair share of tough times. He tells stories of gigs being unexpectedly cancelled on the road and being forced to live off bread and tins of beans out of his car. “I think that hard times are good for anyone because you learn to appreciate what you have, you learn that it takes sweat and tears to make it. Not that I think I’ve made it as such but Kasey certainly has. Most artists that have done well have been through some hard times. Johnny Cash & Hank Williams came from poor rural backgrounds and even when they’d found the fame & fortune they still went off the rails, but it made them who they were.”

It’s true that country music in particular is notorious for being borne out of adversity, which reminds me of the old joke ‘What happens when you play a country music record backwards?’ You get your wife, house, and truck back and the dog speaks to you again’…or something like that. “ I don’t think it’s meant to be easy to be honest otherwise you’d have nothing to write about,” adds Chambers.

But despite being Kasey’s dad and playing with her as she headlines the shows , Bill Chambers has held his own throughout his career and has notched up a swag of awards stemming back to his early days with The Dead Ringers and is a Country Music Hall Of Fame inductee. He sees this as a nice acknowledgement from his peers and fans, but remains grounded as a pure country music man with none of the glamour, just the music. “I’ve always been excited when I’ve won awards but that’s not what I’m here for, I’m really into the music. I’m currently recording and producing records as my day job just North of Sydney, so I’m still around a lot of musicians often. I love exploring the roots of music, and that’s what you can expect at The Gov on April 26.”

We chat about some of the stories of life on the road and a bit of Bill’s personal life. If there’s one thing that’s clear, it’s his genuine love for life on the road and the adventures that come with travelling as a musician. “Kasey was only 14 when we hit the road, she left school earlier than she should have, but we lived in our Toyota Landcruiser for the first couple of years non-stop. We’d sleep on the ground in swags, we cooked on an open fire sometimes. We still talk about how good those days were. Kasey reckons that if it weren’t for those early days roughing it, she wouldn’t be doing what she was doing or where she is now.” I have to agree that there’s something magical about the Australian countryside, it has a spellbinding majesty about it that reaches those deep parts of the soul, and focuses you inwards rather than on external things. Spending time close to our sacred earth is a salve for even the most weary of souls.

For Bill, who’s done The Nullarbor to New York, this has formed a huge part of not only his music, but of himself as a person. ”There’s no difference for me to play in a café with 20 people, or playing The David Letterman Show, although I sometimes have to pinch myself because it’s pretty surreal. At the end of the day, I love the music.”

One thing that’s for certain, Chambers is a gentleman who genuinely loves what he does, who has delighted audiences for decades and will hopefully continue to do so.

Don’t miss this special one night only Adelaide show as Bill Chambers and Four Crying Out Loud take a trip down memory lane and bring out an enviable repertoire of some of the best music you’ll hear all year.

Sunday 26th April 2015 The Gov, ADELAIDE SA www.thegov.com.au

For more information, please visit www.billchambersmusic.com

 

By Darren Hassan

Twitter:@DazzHassan

 

 

More News

To Top