Community
28 May, 2025
James Blundell glad to be back on familiar ground
The country music legend kick-started his career with songs about the North West.
James Blundell says he’s rapt to be back in the North West – a region that helped springboard his love for the Outback.
The country music legend, who is in Mount Isa ahead of the North West Community Festival – a fundraising concert for the Mount Isa State Special School – says he can trace his roots in the region back to his teenage years.
“I went to Bull Creek, the Pearsons’ property, as a 14-year-old with my best friend at school, James Pearson,” said Blundell, who was speaking of the famous McKinlay cattle station.
“I told him I loved the place and, as soon as I could, got back up there. I worked for the Pearsons for a year in 1983 or 84 before heading off to the Kimberley.
“I love this part of the world.”
Blundell, who grew up on a property near Stanthorpe, used his experiences in the North West and Kimberley to springboard his career as a country musician.
In 1987, he won the Starker Quest at the Country Music Awards of Australia, picking up a recording contract where he released Gidgee Bug Pub Song.
A year later, Blundell won the Golden Guitar for Best New Talent and signed with EMI.
His first studio album in 1989 spawned the singles Cloncurry Cattle Song and Kimberley Moon, both of which won him Male Vocalist of the Year awards at the CMAA in 1989 and 1990.
“(The North West) has been incredibly influential on my career,” Blundell said.
“The Gidgee Bug Pub Song was actually the first single I ever had recorded and released. That was about the McKinlay Hotel where we suffered a gidgee bug infestation in 1984.
“One of the first sort of successful songs of my career was Blue Heeler, which was written about the Kynuna pub, obviously. So, it is a very, very influential part of my career.
“That was my first foray into proper wide open spaces and it ignited a deep and abiding love for northern Australia that’s very much still in place.”
The 60-year-old said he would be keen to catch up with some old friends while back in the region.
“It’s probably a disappointing reunion for most of them – I’ve been off the grog for two years, and that was always a pretty big pastime,” Blundell said with a smile.
“It’s going to be fun to leave without a hangover for once.”
Blundell, who was inducted into the CMAA Hall of Fame in 2019, said the term “legend” didn’t sit well with him.
“Someone told me that to become a legend, you simply have to outlive all your peers. And that’s very relevant,” he said.
Blundell will take to the stage at the Mount Isa Campdraft Grounds this Saturday, at both 4pm and 7pm, as part of the inaugural North West Community Festival.
The event has been organised by Zonta Rodeo Queen Quest entrant Julie Hannaford, with all funds raised going towards the Mount Isa State Special School’s P&C.
Joining Blundell on stage will be Lachie Cossor the Outback Stockman, as well as a number of local performers from the Mount Isa Music Shack.
“One of the most enjoyable and humorous things is I get while performing on the road is the young ones who come up and say that they were basically force-fed on my music on endless road trips by their parents who are my vintage,” Blundell said.
“And I’m kind of proud of that.”
