Country music superstar, winner of four Golden Guitars and a CMC OZ Artist Award, Drew McAlister can also add festival organiser to his lengthy list of accomplishments.
After releasing his most recent album, 'Coming Your Way', last year, Drew will release his new single 'Kissing A Girl Goodnight' (24 August) ahead of his performance at the Mount Hunter Country Music Stampede.
Co-produced by LA and Sydney-based producer Andy Mak, 'Kissing A Girl Goodnight' was recorded and mixed at The Grove Studios in Central Coast. “It was awesome,” Drew says about the recording of the new single. “I’ve made them all around the world, in Nashville and Australia, but this was fun.”
Drew says it only took a week for him to complete the new song from start to finish. “It’s a beauty having four guys in a studio playing things for the first time,” he says. “It’s one thing to have a demo, but it’s another thing to hear [the songs] evolve in the studio.”
The video for 'Kissing A Girl Goodnight', which Drew describes as a bit of a tribute to his two young daughters, was shot in an old warehouse in Marrickville (Sydney). “The video has about ten different scenes, and we shot the video in about five hours.”
The video was designed to tell a story of three major life lessons most people experience: starting off with young love, tackling adulthood, love and marriage, and then having children.
Drew has also been busy helping organise the Mount Hunter Country Music Stampede, where he will also perform. The festival, which is a celebration of both country life and music, will be held at the K Ranch Arena in Wollondilly.
Back for its second year, the three-day festival will showcase Australian country artists including Christie Lamb, Jasmine Rae, Adam Harvey and Adam Brand as well as featuring traditional cowboy skills and equestrian events.
“There is so much stuff involved and new things pop up every day,” Drew says. “The Stampede is going to be lots of fun.”
Drew, who has been helping to plan the festival for the last 10 months, says the experience has been eye-opening. “I’ve always been on the other side, but this is a whole other ball game.
“My job is to put the production together and booking all the acts, and it’s definitely harder than just showing up and playing your music.”
He also says that the pre-production of the event has been getting him excited for his own performance at K Ranch. “I’ll be performing on the Saturday. My 90-minute show will include all my latest songs as well as some favourites from my last three albums and a few covers.”
