Acclaimed country musician, Troy Cassar-Daley is set to headline at Yarrabah Band Festival in far-north Queensland as part of Queensland Music Festival.
“I have had a love affair with the North for a long time and this festival is part of that, which I think is really cool,” Troy says.
“I’m really pumped… I love playing music and being able to travel with it and having the chance to get up on stage with my guitar is incredible.”
Troy previously visited Yarrabah for the first time this year with Australian Hearing. “I am an ambassador for them; I ended up spending a whole day with the kids singing.”
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Troy has a long association with the Queensland Music Festival; both as a performer and as a music fan. He enjoys the fact the festival stages events state-wide. “I think that’s the beauty of Queensland Music Festival, you get to play and share your music in different towns and remote areas,” he says.
“Even if I’m not involved musically, I still go along to some of the events.”
A self-confessed rev-head, Troy performed at the iconic Bathurst 1000 race earlier this month. “That was awesome. I am a bit of a rev-head to tell you the truth,” he says.
“I was actually going down with my wife, and my wife was in touch with Craig Lowndes’ wife via Instagram. She was in contact with the pit people who do the lane show on Fox, which eventuated to me playing a song at the lane show.”
Playing in bands since the age of 15, Troy always aspired to create a living out of music. “I didn’t know if I’d end up being a musician full-time. To be able to make music for a living was the goal when I started, I had a lot of odd jobs in between when I started, but it was all worth it.”
With 30-plus years experience under his belt, Troy has been nominated and won a number of awards including 34 Golden Guitars. “I remember an ARIA was the first award that I was up for.
"I was sitting there absolutely bricking it. I was sitting among people like Tina Arena and she was winning awards all night, the next award was the country one and then they read my name – it was surreal.”
Growing up with a musical diet of country music, there is no doubt the genre has always been Troy’s passion. “I am a country person through and through and as I grew up I suppose I just understood that telling stories through music was my passion.”
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In 2016, Troy released ‘Things I Carry Around’ as an album and a book. “I released the book last year as well as the album. The album was basically written about a lot of the stories in the book,” he says.
After the Yarrabah Band Festival, Troy is excited to come home and spend time with his wife and kids. “I really want to spend time at home. I really think that’s the most inspiring place to make music.”
