Paul Kelly

Over forty years and across thirty albums, Paul Kelly has made himself unique among world songwriters by the sheer range and innovation of his work. Few songwriters find ways to keep that creative fever burning for as long and as brightly as Kelly.

From St Kilda to King's Cross, from the bus ride through the cane in To Her Door to the span-of-life sweep of Deeper Water, Kelly has written the soundtrack to Australian life. He has penned songs about the country's greatest cricketer in Bradman and its most infamous bushranger in Our Sunshine. Some songs take their time to make their mark - How to Make Gravy, a message from a prisoner who can't be home for Christmas, wasn't a hit when released in 1996 but is now recognised as an Australian classic.

His collaborations have been equally remarkable. From Little Things Big Things Grow, co-written with Kev Carmody about the 1966 Wave Hill strike, has taught more Australians about the history of land rights than newspaper headlines ever could. Since the late eighties, Kelly has worked with many Indigenous artists including Archie Roach and Yothu Yindi, standing side by side in their fight for justice.

Kelly's artistic restlessness has led him down fascinating paths. He's set Shakespeare sonnets to music (Seven Sonnets & a Song), created albums ranging from bluegrass (Smoke) to experimental dub (Professor Ratbaggy), and collaborated with jazz pianist Paul Grabowsky (Please Leave Your Light On). His 2021 Christmas double album Christmas Train featured songs in Hebrew, Te Reo Maori, and Latin. He even found time to write what's been called "the finest and most unflinching autobiography ever written by an Australian musician" - How to Make Gravy.

His 2017 album Life is Fine became his first No 1 album and that year Kelly won two ARIA Awards. He has received 17 ARIA awards for recording and five APRA awards for songwriting and was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 1997. His Order of Australia in 2017 acknowledged distinguished service to the performing arts and the promotion of the national identity.

At 70, Kelly remains creatively vital. Recent albums like 2024's Fever Longing Still and now SEVENTY showcase an artist still at the peak of his powers, still finding new ways to move the fingers, the music, the heart, the mind. The first words you hear on SEVENTY are "Tell us a story." The last words are "Put another big log on the fire." And we're back in the kellyverse of love, loss, legend, wit, poetry and tales tall and true.

With Paul Kelly, there's always a surprise.