Kalesti Butler

KALESTI BUTLER
#10 Ray Hadley’s Official Australian Airplay Country Top 20 –
Single “Just Down The Hall”
#2 Top 40 Country Charts – Single “Just Down The Hall”
ICMA Most Popular Independent Artist


While most will know Kalesti Butler, CMAA Academy of Country Music graduate, for her bush ballads and traditional sound, over recent years Kalesti has explored the wider country genre which is evidenced in her second album ‘Airborne’ and now is currently pointing her towards continued growth as an artist.

‘Airborne’ was released at the 2017 Tamworth Country Music Festival, and her single “Just Down The Hall” was #2 on the Country Tracks Top 40 and spent 19 weeks in the charts.

Born and raised on a cattle station in Queensland’s Gulf of Carpentaria, Kalesti was just three when she made her stage debut. The 1985 Charters Towers Country Music Festival marked that milestone and by nine she was crowned the Queensland Champion of Champions.

Kalesti’s musical accolades include the 2018 Balladeer of the Year ICMA in Tamworth, 2011 Australian Bush Balladeer Star Quest in Tamworth, 2011 New Talent trophy at the Gidgee Coal Bush Ballad Awards in Pittsworth QLD, 2012 New Talent at the Stan Coster Memorial Australian Bush Ballad Awards at the Bungendore Country Music Muster and winning the 2013 APRA Tamworth Songwriters Association New Songwriter Award.

Tamworth Country Music Festival, Gympie Music Muster, Adelaide Country Music Club, Nanango Muster, Mildura Country Music Festival, Camooweal Festival and the Slim Dusty Country Music Memories Week in Kempsey NSW are just some of the stages Kalesti has performed on.

When asked about her musical influences, Kalesti lists some of country music’s legends including Alan Jackson, Dwight Yoakam, Willie Nelson, Tom T Hall, Charlie Pride, Martina McBride, Dolly Parton, Patsy Cline, Marty Stuart, George Strait and George Jones.