Lee Kernaghan

Biography

Lee Raymond Kernaghan (born 15 April 1964) is an Australian country music singer, songwriter and guitarist. Kernaghan has won four ARIA Awards and three APRA Awards, and has sold over two million albums, and as of 2021, has won 38 Golden Guitars at the Country Music Awards of Australia.
He was the 2008 Australian of the Year, in recognition of his support for rural and regional Australia. Kernaghan was the recipient of the Outstanding Achievement Award at the 2015 ARIA Awards, for Spirit of the Anzacs.

1965–1990: Early years

Lee Kernaghan was born on 15 April 1964 in Corryong, Victoria and is the son of country music singer and truck driver Ray Kernaghan. Lee spent his formative years growing up in Albury New South Wales. His grandfather was a third generation drover of sheep and cattle.
In 1986, Kernaghan traveled to the United States to represent Australia at the Nashville 'Fan Fair' country music festival.

1990s

In 1992, Kernaghan released "Boys from the Bush" which became his first number one on the country chart. The song peaked at number 130 on the ARIA Chart. Kernaghan said "When Garth (Porter) and I first wrote 'Boys from the Bush' I had no idea it would ever be a hit. It was just a song about me and my mates, working on the land, going to the pub and tearing around in utes. I didn't think anyone would be that interested in us... we were just kids from the bush but Garth said 'this record (The Outback Club) has to be about your life and where you come from so we wrote that song and several others and before long I had a band and we were out on the road performing them live."
In May 1992, Kernaghan released The Outback Club. The album debuted at number 94 on the ARIA Charts. At the 1993 Country Music Awards of Australia (CMAA), the album won Album of the Year the ARIA Award for Best Country Album. The album re-entered the chart later peaking at number 58 in May 1994.
In August 1993, Kernaghan released his second studio album, Three Chain Road×Three Chain Road23 August 1993 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 5 tracks1Save the Land2Copperhead Road3Comin’ Down With You4Boys From Bathurst5Saddle Boy. The album again won the CMAA Album of the Year and the ARIA Award for Best Country Album.
In July 1995, Kernaghan released his third studio album, 1959, which peaked at number 9 on the ARIA Chart, becoming Kernaghan's first top ten album. The album won Kernaghan his third Album of the Year at the CMAA of 1996.
In February 1998, Kernaghan released his fourth studio album, Hat Town×Hat Town20 February 1998 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Hat Town4:172Bare Essentials3:003Goondiwindi Moon3:554A Few of Us Left3:465When the Snow Falls on the Alice3:596Changi Banjo4:157Cowgirls Do3:098Gettin’ Gone3:409Pass the Bottle ’Round4:3110The Western Beat3:2611Longreach4:0112Lonelyville4:55. The album peaked at number 7 on the ARIA Chart and won his fourth Album of the Year at the CMAA of 1999.
Kernaghan's fifth studio album was The Christmas Album×The Christmas Album20 November 1998 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Santa Claus Is Back in Town2:552It Must Be Christmas3:003Mary’s Boy Child3:204Merry Merry Christmas3:015Christmas Waltz3:296Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas3:377Blue Christmas2:518It Still Feels Like Christmas to Me3:109O’ Little Town of Bethlehem2:4710Silent Night4:2911We Wish You Merry Christmas2:1212Away in a Manger2:44 in November 1998. The album peaked at number 31 on the ARIA chart.

2000s

In January 2000, Kernaghan released his sixth studio album, Rules of the Road×Rules of the RoadJanuary 2000 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks1Losin’ My Blues Tonight3:282Darwin Jailhouse Window3:573Rules of the Road4:314Cunnamulla Feller3:115That’s the Kind of Life I Live2:326Where the White Faced Cattle Roam2:207The Glass on the Bar3:348Winter Winds3:479Aussie Dog House Blues2:3510By a Fire of Gidgee Coal3:2911Overlander Trail2:5212Canmooweal4:1013Following the Light3:0514A Bushman Can’t Survive4:3315Days of Old Khancoban3:0416Leave Him in the Longyard3:16. This was followed by Electric Rodeo in July 2002 which won Album of the Year and Top Selling Album of the Year at the 2003 CMAA. Electric Rodeo peaked at number 5 on the ARIA chart.
Kernaghan was part of The Man from Snowy River: Arena Spectacular in 2002.
In October 2004, Kernaghan released his first greatest hits collection titled, The Big Ones: Greatest Hits Vol. 1. The album peaked at number 16 on the ARIA charts and was certified platinum.
In April 2006, Kernaghan released his eighth studio album, The New Bush×The New Bush29 April 2006 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Where I Come From3:552Listen to the Radio3:063The New Bush3:494Diamantina Dream4:035Love Shack3:446Western World3:527I’ll Remember You3:378Livin’ in Australia3:239Little Men3:0310Like Angels3:1911On the Beach2:4812When Country Comes3:0913Close as a Whisper (The Gift)4:47. The album peaked at number 6 on the ARIA Charts and won Album of the Year and Top Selling Album of the Year at the 2007 CMAA.
In July 2007, Kernaghan released his ninth studio album, Spirit of the Bush×Spirit of the Bush2007 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 17 tracks1Sassafras Gap2:102I Was Only Nineteen (A Walk in the Light Green)4:183Three Rivers Hotel3:274Spirit of the Bush3:335Diamantina Drover4:266Bare Essentials2:577The Way It Is4:138Spirit of the High Country5:139Southern Son4:0010Shelter2:3911When Country Comes3:1112A Bushman Can’t Survive4:3113Mate3:4114Tenterfield Saddler4:0215Cunnamulla Feller3:0916Hat Town3:4917Spirit of the Bush Reprise (My Country)2:15. The album's title track peaked at number 11 on the ARIA singles chart, becoming Kernaghan's highest charting single. The song won three awards at the 2008 CMAA.
In November 2009, Kernaghan released his tenth studio album, Planet Country×Planet Country2009 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Planet Country3:392Love in the Time of Drought3:333People Like Us4:064Dirt3:205Gold3:346Scars2:577Something Right3:298Cowgirl3:349The Old Block3:2610Australian Boy3:1111Girls Gone Wild3:0812A Place for Me (Planet Country Reprise)2:5513I Milk Cows2:58.
In 2009 Kernaghan was named the biggest hit-maker of the last twenty years on the Australian Country Tracks chart, beating musical greats from Australia and international.

2010s

In September 2011, Kernaghan released his second greatest hits collection, Ultimate Hits. The album peaked at number 8 on the ARIA chart.
In October 2012, Kernaghan released his eleventh studio album, Beautiful Noise×Beautiful Noise1 October 2012 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Beautiful Noise3:272Dirt Music3:463Bang Bang (Shooting From the Heart)3:344Keeping On3:285Ute Me3:046Splash3:327Flying With the King3:278It’s Only Country3:149New Kind of High3:2110Party Town3:4011Peace Love & Country3:46. The album peaked at number 9 on the ARIA chart.
During a visit to the Australian War Memorial (AWM) 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. The power of the letters affected Kernaghan 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 the Spirit of the Anzacs (album) in March 2015. Upon release, the album peaked at number 1 on the ARIA charts, becoming Kernaghan's first chart topper. It was the highest selling Australian artist album for 2015.
2015 also saw the release of Kernaghan's first book, The Boy from the Bush, These Are My Songs, These Are My Stories.
In March 2017, Kernaghan released his fourteenth studio album, The 25th Anniversary Album×The 25th Anniversary Album24 March 2017 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Drive On2:512Back in 923:093Yaraka Dust3:034Outback Club Reunion4:005Island of Oceans2:456Trip Around the Sun3:207Damn Good Mates3:028Walk a Country Mile3:469High Country3:2310Ned Kelly3:5211Dumb Things2:4112Somewhere Between3:0113Nothin’ On3:24. The album peaked at number 2 on the ARIA chart.
In 2019 Kernaghan released his fifteenth studio album, Backroad Nation×Backroad Nation10 May 2019 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Backroad Nation3:432Waiting on a Mate2:353Take It Down a Backroad3:314Round Here2:515Watching Lightning3:526Where I Wanna Be3:057Live to Ride3:278Let There Be Cowgirls2:509The Trucks Came Through3:2610Wheels2:5211Keep On Truckin’2:5012Till It Ends3:01 with the title track staying four weeks at #1 on the country singles charts.

2020s

In 2022 Kernaghan is set to celebrate his 30th anniversary as an artist. In January 2022, he released a 3-CD greatest hits collection titled The Very Best of Lee Kernaghan: Three Decades of Hits on 14 January 2022 which peaked at number 17 on the ARIA charts.

Personal life

During July 2015, Kernaghan's music was played at anti-Islam rallies in Australia, without his permission. 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." Fellow local artists, Jimmy Barnes, John Farnham and Mark Seymour, objected to the use of their material at those rallies.
Kernaghan married musician Robyn McKelvie in 1999. They have two sons, Jet and Rock.

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. Kernaghan has described the time during which he owned the Great Western Hotel as one of the greatest periods of his life.

AIR Awards

The Australian Independent Record Awards (commonly known informally as AIR Awards) is an annual awards night to recognise, promote and celebrate the success of Australia's Independent Music sector.

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 14 nominations. Plus, he received the Outstanding Achievement Award in 2015.

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 nine nominations.

Australian Roll of Renown

The Australian Roll of Renown honours Australian and New Zealander musicians who have shaped the music industry by making a significant and lasting contribution to Country Music. It was inaugurated in 1976 and the inductee is announced at the Country Music Awards of Australia in Tamworth in January.

Country Music Awards (CMAA)

The Country Music Awards of Australia (CMAA) (also known as the Golden Guitar Awards) is an annual awards night held in January during the Tamworth Country Music Festival, celebrating recording excellence in the Australian country music industry. They have been held annually since 1973. Kernaghan has won thirty-eight Golden Guitar awards at the Tamworth Country Music Awards of Australia.

Mo Awards

The Australian Entertainment Mo Awards (commonly known informally as the Mo Awards), were annual Australian entertainment industry awards. They recognise achievements in live entertainment in Australia from 1975 to 2016. Lee Kernaghan won five awards in that time.

Music for a New Generation Awards

The Music For A New Generation Awards are run by the Planet Country with Big Stu & MJ radio program and celebrate crossover country artist efforts each year. The awards have featured fan voting since 2016.

Tamworth Songwriters Awards

The Tamworth Songwriters Association (TSA) is an annual songwriting contest for original country songs, awarded in January at the Tamworth Country Music Festival. They commenced in 1986. Lee Kernaghan has won three awards in that time.