Lee Kernaghan
| Lee Kernaghan | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Lee Raymond Kernaghan |
| Born |
15 April 1964 Victoria, Australia |
| Genres | Country |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter, musician, guitarist |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar, piano |
| Years active | 1969–present |
| Labels | ABC Music |
| Associated acts | The Blue Devils, Fiona Kernaghan, Ray Kernaghan, Tania Kernaghan |
| Website | http://www.leekernaghan.com.au/ |
Lee Kernaghan OAM (born 15 April 1964) is an Australian country music singer, songwriter and guitarist.
He was the 2008 Australian of the Year, in recognition for his support of rural and regional Australia.[1][2]
Biography
The son of country music singer and truck driver Ray Kernaghan, Lee Kernaghan was born in the Victorian town of Corryong and raised in southern New South Wales.
In 1986, Kernaghan travelled to the United States to represent Australia at the Nashville 'Fan Fair' country music festival. In 1993, his debut solo album The Outback Club won an ARIA award for Best Country Album and his hit single "Boys from the Bush" topped the Australian country music charts.
Kernaghan has dominated the charts with successive hit albums, including Outback Club, Three Chain Road, 1959, Hat Town, Electric Rodeo, The New Bush, Planet Country, Beautiful Noise and Spirit of the Anzacs. Kernaghan has made a huge impact on country music in Australia, creating a new musical landscape for the genre when he burst onto the scene.
To many people, Kernaghan represents the spirit and values of contemporary rural Australia. His love of the Australian way of life features in his music, and he is a passionate supporter of Australia's rural culture.[3]
During a visit to the Australian War Memorial in 2013, Kernaghan's friend and AWM Director Dr. Brendan Nelson introduced Kernaghan to letters that were written by Australian service men and women during various wars dating back to the landing at Gallipoli during the First World War. These letters were held in the vaults at the AWM.[4]
The power of the letters affected him deeply and the experience at the Australian War Memorial that day was the catalyst that saw these letters put to music in what would become his most recent album, Spirit of the Anzacs.
Upon release, Spirit of the Anzacs went platinum within 3 weeks, and dominated the ARIA album chart by holding the #1 position for four weeks and then the #2 position for another three weeks, making it the highest selling Australian album for 2015.[5]
2015 also saw the release of Kernaghan's first book, The Boy from the Bush, These Are My Songs, These Are My Stories.
Kernaghan closed out 2015 with a national tour called The Songs and the Stories in Concert. Fittingly, the tour covered elements of the book and also featured songs from Spirit of the Anzacs.
He is the father of two sons[6] and is an avid Magic: the Gathering player.
Achievements
Kernaghan has won four ARIA Awards and three APRA Awards, and has been nominated in award categories numerous times.
As of 2015, Kernaghan has had 33 #1 hits on the Australian country charts, and has sold over two million albums.
He was named "Hit Maker of the Decade" twice, in 2001 and 2011.[5] This title goes to country artists from anywhere in the world who achieves the most amount of hits in the Australian market over the past decade.
He has sold over two million albums, and won 36 Golden Guitars at the Country Music Awards of Australia (second to Slim Dusty).
Kernaghan was the recipient of the Outstanding Achievement Award at the 2015 ARIA Awards, for Spirit of the Anzacs.[5]
Honours
Kernaghan received the Order of Australia Medal in 2004.[7]
In 2008, he was Australian of the Year,[8] in recognition for his support of rural and regional Australia; his 'Pass the Hat Around' tours have raised more than a million dollars for rural communities during a challenging period of drought.[9] He was presented with the award by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.
In 2015, Kernaghan was inducted into the Australian Roll of Renown.[10]
Controversy
During July 2015, Kernaghan's music was played at anti-Islam rallies in Australia, without his permission.[11][12] He responded that the use of his work should be "consistent with – and respectful of, the memory of ... [soldiers who] laid down their lives for the freedoms we have today."[12] Fellow local artists, Jimmy Barnes, John Farnham and Mark Seymour, objected to the use of their material at those rallies.
Discography
Albums
| Year | Album | ARIA Albums peak[13] | ARIA Country Albums peak | Accreditations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Family Tradition[14] | — | — | - |
| 1986 | The Lee Kernaghan Collection[15] | — | — | - |
| 1992 | The Outback Club | 86 | 1 | 2× Platinum[16] |
| 1993 | Three Chain Road | 35 | 1 | 2× Platinum[17] |
| 1995 | 1959 | 9 | 1 | Platinum[18] |
| 1998 | Hat Town | 7 | 1 | Platinum[19] |
| 1998 | The Christmas Album | 31 | 2 | - |
| 2000 | Rules of the Road | 16 | 2 | Gold[20] |
| 2002 | Electric Rodeo | 5 | 1 | Platinum[21] |
| 2004 | The Big Ones: Greatest Hits Vol. 1 | 16 | 1 | Platinum[22] |
| 2006 | The New Bush | 6 | 1 | Platinum[23] |
| 2007 | Spirit of the Bush | 5 | 1 | Platinum[24] |
| 2009 | Planet Country | 13 | 1 | Gold[25] |
| 2011 | Ultimate Hits | 8 | 1 | Gold[26] |
| 2012 | Beautiful Noise | 9 | 2 | Gold[27] |
| 2014 | Driving Home for Christmas | 46 | 2 | - |
| 2015 | Spirit of the Anzacs | 1 | 1 | Platinum[28] |
| 2017 | The 25th Anniversary Album | 2 | 1 [29] | |
Singles and EPs
Retail releases
| Year | Name | Track/s |
|---|---|---|
| 1983 | – | "Cheaters" "Advance Australia Again" |
| 1986 | – | "Back to Strangers" "We're Gonna Be Lovers" |
| 1993 | "Boys from the Bush" | "Boys from the Bush" "Searchin' for Another You" |
| "She's My Ute" | "She's My Ute" "Leave Him in the Longyard" | |
| 1994 | "Save the Land"[30] | "Save the Land" (with Trisha Yearwood) "Burning Heart" |
| 1995 | "Country Crowd" | "Country Crowd" "The Rope That Pulls the Wind" |
| 1997 | "This Is the Outback" | "This Is the Outback" "Twango" (Instrumental) "Brown Water" (Instrumental) |
| 1998 | "Tough Job" | "Tough Job" (Colin Buchanan and Lee Kernaghan) "The House on Fishy Lake Road" (Colin Buchanan) |
| 2004 | "Missin' Slim" | "Missin' Slim" (with COLIN BUCHANAN) "Where Country Is" "Still Here to Give It My Best" (Colin Buchanan) "Losin' My Blues Tonight" (with Anne Kirkpatrick) |
| 2007 | "Love Shack" (The Summer Remixes)[31] | "Love Shack" (Urban Mix Radio Edit) "Love Shack" (Groove Mix Radio Edit) "Love Shack" (Groove Mix Extended Play) "Love Shack" (Euro Mix) "Love Shack" (Album Mix) |
| "Spirit of the Bush" | "Spirit of the Bush" (with Adam Brand and Steve Forde) "Leave Him in the Longyard" (with Slim Dusty) "Life Will Bring You Home" (Adam Brand) "Aussie Philosophy" (Steve Forde) Down to Earth (documentary) "Spirit of the Bush" (music video) | |
| 2009 | "Planet Country"[31] | "Planet Country" |
| 2010 | iTunes Live EP[31][32] | "Planet Country" "Cunnamulla Fella" "This Cowboys Hat" "Dirt" "Australian Boy" |
| 2012 | "Beautiful Noise"[31] | "Beautiful Noise" |
| 2013 | "Lights on the Hill"[31] | "Lights on the Hill" (featuring The Wolf Brothers) |
| "Spirit of the Bush"[31][33] | "Spirit of the Bush" (with Adam Brand and Steve Forde) | |
| 2015 | "Spirit of the Anzacs"[31][34] | "Spirit of the Anzacs" (featuring Guy Sebastian, Sheppard, Jon Stevens, Jessica Mauboy, Shannon Noll and Megan Washington) |
Airplay
| Year | Single | Chart positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| Country Tracks Chart[35] | |||
| 1992 | "Boys from the Bush" | 1 | The Outback Club |
| "High Country" | 1 | ||
| 1993 | "She Waits by the Sliprails" | 1 | |
| "She's My Ute" | 1 | Three Chain Road | |
| 1994 | "Three Chain Road" | 1 | |
| "Leave Him in the Longyard" (with Slim Dusty) | 2 | ||
| "Southern Son" | 1 | ||
| "Save the Land" (with Trisha Yearwood) | 1 | N/A | |
| 1995 | "Country Crowd" | 1 | 1959 |
| "1959" | 1 | ||
| 1996 | "Skinny Dippin'" | 1 | |
| "Scrub Bashin'" | 8 | ||
| "A Bushman Can't Survive" (with Tania Kernaghan) | 1 | 1959: Limited Edition Double CD | |
| "Working for the Man" (with Troy Cassar-Daley) | 8 | ||
| 1997 | "This Is the Outback" | 1 | N/A |
| 1998 | "Hat Town" | 1 | Hat Town |
| "Goondiwindi Moon" | 1 | ||
| "Tough Job" (Colin Buchanan and Lee Kernaghan) | 3 | N/A | |
| "Getting Gone" | 1 | Hat Town | |
| 1999 | "When the Snow Falls on the Alice" | 1 | |
| "Bare Essentials" | — | ||
| 2000 | "Darwin Jailhouse Window" (with Tex Morton) | 3 | Rules of the Road |
| "Cunnamulla Fella" | 1 | ||
| "That's the Kind of Life I Live" | 3 | ||
| 2001 | "Thank God I'm a Country Boy" (Josh Arnold and Lee Kernaghan) | 1 | Galvanize |
| 2002 | "Something in the Water" | 1 | Electric Rodeo |
| "The Way It Is" | 1 | ||
| 2003 | "I'm From the Country" (with Travis Sinclair) | 1 | Electric Rodeo: Deluxe Double CD Limited Edition |
| "An Ordinary Bloke" | 6 | Electric Rodeo | |
| "Baptise the Ute" | 6 | ||
| 2004 | "Love Hurts" (with Catherine Britt) | 3 | Electric Rodeo: Deluxe Double CD Limited Edition |
| "Missin' Slim" (with Colin Buchanan) | 1 | N/A | |
| 2005 | "Down Under" | — | Big Ones: Greatest Hits |
| 2006 | "The New Bush" | 1 | The New Bush |
| "Listen to the Radio" | 1 | ||
| "Love Shack" | 1 | ||
| 2007 | "Spirit of the Bush" (with Adam Brand and Steve Forde) | 1 | Spirit of the Bush |
| "Sassafras Gap" | 1 | ||
| 2009 | "Planet Country" | 1 | Planet Country |
| 2010 | "Australian Boy" | 2 | |
| "Love in the Time of Drought" | 1 | ||
| 2011 | "Dirt" | 1 | |
| "Channel Country Ground" (Dean Perrett and Lee Kernaghan) | 16 | Cattle Town | |
| "Scars" (with Dierks Bentley) | 1 | Planet Country | |
| "Fire" (with Robyn McKelvie) | 3 | Planet Country: 2CD Deluxe Edition | |
| 2012 | "Song of Australia" (Colin Buchanan, Lee Kernaghan and Sara Storer) | 12 | The Songwriter Sessions |
| "Beautiful Noise" | 5 | Beautiful Noise | |
| 2013 | "Ute Me" | 12 | |
| "Flying with the King" | 1 | ||
| "It's Only Country" | 1 | ||
| "Lights on the Hill" (with The Wolfe Brothers) | — | Beautiful Noise: Deluxe Tour Edition | |
| 2014 | "Dirt Music" | 2 | Beautiful Noise |
| "Driving Home for Christmas" | 4 | Driving Home for Christmas | |
| "Turn This to Gold" (Keely Johnson with Lee Kernaghan) | 17 | N/A | |
| 2015 | "Spirit of the Anzacs" (featuring Guy Sebastian, Sheppard, Jon Stevens, Jessica Mauboy, Shannon Noll and Megan Washington)[36][37] | 20 | Spirit of the Anzacs |
Musicals
Music videos
| Year | Video | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | "High Country" | |
| "Boys From the Bush" | ||
| 2011 | "Scars" (with Dierks Bentley) | Robb Cox |
| 2012 | "Beautiful Noise" | |
| 2015 | "Spirit of the Anzacs"[38] | |
Awards
ARIA Music Awards
The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music. Kernaghan has won two awards from 9 nominations.[39]
| Year | Nominee/work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | The Outback Club | Best Country Album | Won |
| 1994 | Three Chain Road | Won | |
| 1995 | Country Crowd | Nominated | |
| 1996 | 1959 | Nominated | |
| 2000 | Rules of the Road | Nominated | |
| 2002 | Electric Rodeo | Nominated | |
| 2006 | The New Bush | Nominated | |
| 2010 | Planet Country | Nominated | |
| 2013 | Beautiful Noise | Nominated | |
| 2015 | Spirit Of The Anzacs | Nominated |
APRA Awards
The APRA Awards are held in Australia and New Zealand by the Australasian Performing Right Association to recognise songwriting skills, sales and airplay performance by its members annually. Kernaghan has won four awards from eight nominations.[40]
| Year | Nominee/work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | "Boys from the Bush" | Country Song of the Year | Won |
| 1996 | "1959" | Most Performed Country Work | Won |
| 1999 | "Hat Town" | Most Performed Country Work | Won |
| 2004 | "Way It Is" | Most Performed Country Work | Nominated |
| 2007 | "New Bush" | Most Performed Country Work | Nominated |
| 2008 | "Spirit of the Bush" (featuring Adam Brand and Steve Forde) | Most Performed Country Work | Nominated |
| 2011 | "Planet Country" | Country Work of the Year | Nominated |
| 2014 | "Flying with the King" | Country Work of the Year[41] | Won |
Country Music Awards (CMAA)
Kernaghan has won thirty-seven Golden guitar awards at the Tamworth Country Music Awards of Australia [42]
| Year | Nominee/work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | "Boys from the Bush" | APRA Song of the Year | Won |
| 1993 | The Outback Club | Album of the Year | Won |
| 1993 | "Boys from the Bush" | Male Vocalist of the Year | Won |
| 1994 | "Three Chain Road" | APRA Song of the Year | Won |
| 1994 | Three Chain Road | Album of the Year | Won |
| 1994 | "Three Chain Road" | Male Vocalist of the Year | Won |
| 1994 | "Leave Him in the Longford" (with Slim Dusty) | Vocal Group or Duo of the Year | Won |
| 1995 | Three Chain Road | Top Selling Album of the Year | Won |
| 1996 | 1959 | Album of the Year | Won |
| 1997 | 1959 | Top Selling Album of the Year | Won |
| 1997 | "A Bushman Can't Survive" (with Tania Kernaghan) | Vocal Collaboration of the Year | Won |
| 1999 | Hat Town | Album of the Year | Won |
| 1999 | Hat Town | Top Selling Album of the Year | Won |
| 1999 | "Goondiwindi Moon" | Male Vocalist of the Year | Won |
| 1999 | "Changi Banjo" | Heritage Song of the Year | Won |
| 1999 | "Tough Job" (with Colin Buchanan) | Vocal Collaboration of the Year | Won |
| 2003 | "Thank God I'm a Country Boy" (with Josh Arnold) | Vocal Collaboration of the Year | Won |
| 2003 | Electric Rodeo | Album of the Year | Won |
| 2003 | Electric Rodeo | Top Selling Album of the Year | Won |
| 2005 | "Missin' Slim" | Heritage Song of the Year (with Colin Buchanan) | Won |
| 2007 | The New Bush | Album of the Year | Won |
| 2007 | The New Bush | Male Artist of the Year | Won |
| 2007 | The New Bush | Top Selling Album of the Year | Won |
| 2007 | "Close as a Whisper (The Gift)" | Heritage Song of the Year Close | Won |
| 2008 | "Spirit Of The Bush Bush" (with Adam Brand and Steve Forde) | Vocal Collaboration of the Year | Won |
| 2008 | "Spirit Of The Bush Bush" (with Adam Brand and Steve Forde) | Video of the Year | Won |
| 2008 | "Spirit Of The Bush Bush" (with Adam Brand and Steve Forde) | Single of the Year | Won |
| 2011 | Planet Country | Top Selling Album of the Year | Won |
| 2012 | "Channel Country Ground" (with Dean Perrett) | Ballad of the Year | Won |
| 2014 | Beautiful Noise | Top Selling Album of the Year | Won |
| 2014 | "Flying with the King" | Male Artist of the Year | Won |
| 2014 | "Flying with the King" | Single of the Year | Won |
| 2014 | "Flying with the King" | Video clip of the Year | Won |
| 2016 | "Spirit of the Anzacs" (with Guy Sebastian, Jessica Mauboy, Jon Stevens, Amy & George Sheppard, Shannon Noll and Megan Washington) | Vocal Collaboration of the Year | Won |
| 2016 | "Spirit of the Anzacs" (with Guy Sebastian, Jessica Mauboy, Jon Stevens, Amy & George Sheppard, Shannon Noll and Megan Washington) | Video clip of the Year | Won |
| 2016 | Spirit of the Anzacs | Top Selling Album of the Year | Won |
| 2018 | The 25th Anniversary Album | Top Selling Album of the Year | Won |
Business ventures
For several years, Kernaghan owned the historic Great Western Hotel in Rockhampton, Queensland, after buying the pub in 2003 when it was placed into receivership after a downturn in trade and public liability concerns.[43][44] Kernaghan has described the time during which he owned the Great Western Hotel as one of the greatest periods of his life.[45]
References
- ↑ "Kernaghan. Lee". Music Australia. National Library of Australia. Retrieved 16 October 2009.
- ↑ Lewis, Wendy (2010). Australians of the Year. Pier 9 Press. ISBN 978-1-74196-809-5.
- ↑ "Lee Kernaghan | Official Website| Tamworth Country Music Festival". www.tcmf.com.au. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 14 December 2015.
- ↑ "Lee Kernaghan - "Outstanding Achievement Award" for Spirit of the Anzacs | Australian War Memorial". www.awm.gov.au. Retrieved 2015-12-14.
- 1 2 3 "ARIAs: Lee Kernaghan wins achievement award". www.skynews.com.au. Retrieved 2015-12-14.
- ↑ http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/sydney-confidential/hot-in-pink-robby-x-hits-top-30-as-she-reveals-the-love-twist-on-how-she-met-her-hubby-lee-kernaghan/story-fni0cvc9-1227128976641. Missing or empty
|title=(help) - ↑ "KERNAGHAN, Lee Raymond OAM". It's an Honour. Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Retrieved 16 October 2009.
- ↑ "Lee Kernaghan named Australian of the Year". The Australian. 25 January 2008. Archived from the original on 3 October 2009. Retrieved 16 October 2009.
- ↑ "Australian of the Year Awards". www.australianoftheyear.org.au. Retrieved 2015-12-14.
- ↑ "Roll of Renown". TCMF. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
- ↑ (staff writer) (24 July 2015). "Lee Kernaghan Sits on Fence Over Reclaim Australia Use of Song". themusic.com.au. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
- 1 2 Vincent, Peter (24 July 2015). "As Midnight Oil Demands Reclaim Australia Stop Playing Songs, Lee Kernaghan Refuses". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
- ↑ "australian-charts.com – Discography Lee Kernaghan". Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 April 2017.
- ↑ Joint release by Ray and Lee Kernaghan
- ↑ Released on cassette only
- ↑ "The Outback Club by Lee Kernaghan". www.leekernaghan.com. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
- ↑ "ARIA album accreditations 1998". www.aria.com.au. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
- ↑ "1959: Lee Kernaghan". www.leekernaghan.com. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
- ↑ "ARIA album accreditations 1999". www.aria.com.au. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
- ↑ "ARIA album accreditations 2000". www.aria.com.au. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
- ↑ "ARIA album accreditations 2003". www.aria.com.au. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
- ↑ "ARIA album accreditations 2007". www.aria.com.au. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
- ↑ "ARIA album accreditations 2007". www.aria.com.au. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
- ↑ "ARIA album accreditations 2009". www.aria.com.au. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
- ↑ "ARIA album accreditations 2009". www.aria.com.au. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
- ↑ "ARIA album accreditations 2013". www.aria.com.au. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
- ↑ "ARIA album accreditations 2013". www.aria.com.au. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
- ↑ "ARIA album accreditations 2015". www.aria.com.au. Archived from the original on 25 May 2015. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
- ↑ "ARIA Australian Top 40 Country Albums". Australian Recording Industry Association. 3 April 2017. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
- ↑ Proceeds of record royalties from sales were donated to Operation Farmhand
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Digital download only
- ↑ Recorded live at the Castle Hill Apple Store
- ↑ Re-released to support the NSW Bushfire Appeal
- ↑ All proceeds go to Legacy and Soldier On charities
- ↑ http://www.countrytrackschart.com.au/
- ↑ McCabe, Kathy (23 January 2015). "Lee Kernaghan enlists Sheppard, Jessica Mauboy and Guy Sebastian for Spirit of the Anzacs single". News.com.au. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
- ↑ "iTunes – Music – Spirit of the Anzacs (feat. Guy Sebastian, Sheppard, Jon Stevens, Jessica Mauboy, Shannon Noll & Megan Washington) – Single". iTunes Store (Australia). Apple. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
- ↑ Lee Kernaghan – Spirit of the Anzacs (Official Music Video). YouTube. 26 February 2015. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
- ↑ "ARIA Awards Search Results - Lee Kernaghan". ARIA Awards. www.ariaawards.com.au. 6 March 2015. Retrieved 6 March 2015.
- ↑ "Nine first-time winners in 12 APRA Music Award categories". APRA Awards. Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) | Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS). 6 March 2015.
- ↑ "Country Work of the Year". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) | Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS). 2014. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
- ↑ http://country.com.au/golden-guitars/award-winners/1990s
- ↑ Kernaghan buys Great Western pub, Chris Lawson, Queensland Country Hour, ABC Rural, 9 April 2003. Retrieved 23 March 2017.
- ↑ Boy from the bush buys QLD pub, National Rural News, ABC Rural, 9 April 2003. Retrieved 23 March 2017.
- ↑ Country music legend Lee Kernaghan returns to 'second home', Michelle Gately, The Morning Bulletin, 7 May 2015. Retrieved 23 March 2017.
External links
- Lee Kernaghan's Official website
- Lee Kernaghan Interview - Spirit Of The Bush single re-release 2013 on Ben Sorensen's REAL Country
- Lee Kernaghan "Beautiful Noise" radio interview on Ben Sorensen's REAL Country
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