Liam Kennedy-Clark is stepping it up.
The Maitland-based singer, songwriter and producer recently released a single, Game & Trade, that demonstrates a move toward a progressive country music style. He's got plenty of big guns on it, including Rod McCormack, Lyn Bowtell and Nashville slide guitar star Mike Johnson.
With all of the skills and tools in his bag, Kennedy-Clark could go any direction. It's finding success and confidence that's the key. He started on the trumpet, then added piano, and now focuses mainly on acoustic guitar (he's been sponsored by Yamaha on guitar for several years).
He was born in New Zealand, but made his way to Australia eventually.
"I've been playing music ever since I left school at 17," he says.
"I was going to study music. But a mate said 'The best way to learn is get out there and do it'."
He grew up playing in a country music club in Ashburton on the South Island in New Zealand.
"A lot of musos helped me," he says.
"I cut my teeth playing there, just turning up there, learning on the fly."
But when he moved to Australia, his career turned up a notch.
"When I first came to Tamworth, the first show I ever saw was Adam Harvey at West [Tamworth] Leagues. Within the first year or two I get a call from his keyboard player asking me to fill in. That was a massive turning point," Kennedy-Clark says.
He's also played in touring bands with Lee Kernaghan, Beccy Cole and Lyn Bowtell. And perhaps in the ultimate form of country music cred, he's played with The Bushwhackers, a legendary outfit that's been part of Australian music for 50 years.
His most frequent musical partner, who is also his romantic partner, is Gabi Louise. Of course, that's Gabi Louise Blissett, one of Australia's premier fiddle players who is also a classical violinist and member of the award-winning Blissett family band, String Loaded, which hails from Maitland.
As a duo, they play everywhere and every thing.
Kennedy-Clark has a full schedule of gigs at the Tamworth Country Music Festival, which runs April 18 to 24 this year. He will be a sessions player, with a couple of guest spots of his own.
One of the highlights will be playing at the Pure Country Spectacular in the Capitol Theatre on Tuesday, April 19 with Lyn Bowtell.
In terms of his own solo career, Game & Trade kicks off a year in which Kennedy-Clark plans to release four singles. He's reluctant to give his style a label, admitting he favours early California Eagles-style music in his own taste. For Kennedy-Clark, his music is done in his own style.
In between shows, and working in his own production studio, Kennedy-Clark works at Muso's Corner in Newcastle. He's never very far away from a guitar.
