PROLIFIC Australian county music singer Adam Harvey is no stranger to Swan Hill and his local fans.
The nine-time Golden Guitar winner was in the rural city in 2023 promoting the region with television travel program What’s Up Downunder, before he put on a gig at Swan Hill Club.
Harvey returns on March 1 to perform at Swan Hill Town Hall as part of his new album tour, Let the Song Take You Home, released in November last year.
He got his start musically learning country classics on the guitar.
Harvey’s first gig came at the age of 10, and by his school years he was performing rock covers at a club when he was discovered and went off on tour as support for Tania Kernaghan.
Harvey was nominated for two awards at the recent 2025 Country Music Awards for Male Artist of the Year and Song of the Year.
Harvey’s mother has dementia, prompting Harvey to pen a track called Remember Me, which is on his 17th studio album.
“This time we’re at the town hall, which I’ve never played there,” he said.
“It’s always good to go and play somewhere I haven’t played before. Often we do the same old venues, year in, year out, so it’s good to go somewhere different.”
The Swan Hill audience can expect new songs from his new album, complemented by his older songs and classic country.
“There’s plenty of funny stories to tell everyone, and the band and I take the you know what out of each other, and have a whole lot of fun.
“I figure that if people can come to a show and forget about all their cares and their dramas and all the doom and gloom out there in the world, and just escape for a few hours and have a good laugh and a sing along and let their hair down … if we can do that, then I’m doing my job.”
Harvey said regional audiences could “related to our music and connect with it”.
“I think the country audiences tend to be a lot more appreciative, because sometimes in the city, the folks are pretty spoiled,” he said.
“You know, you’ve got 100 different shows to go and see on any weekend, whereas in the country, they don’t quite get as many shows coming to them.
“I’d rather play out in the country than the city. That’s what we’re all about; we’re singing songs and telling stories that they can connect with and relate to.”
Harvey said releasing a studio album was usually a two-year cycle.
“We record an album, release it, then you spend the next 12 months touring and travelling around Australia promoting that album,” he said.
“You get into the habit … I don’t write songs all year round, or when it’s time to, I’ll finish that tour.
“Then I will think it’s time to knuckle down and start writing some songs for the next album – it’s a bit of a pattern.
“I’ve been doing it for 30 years now, so I’m starting to get used to it.”
Asked about the messaging behind the title of his latest album, Harvey said he had realised over the year how closely related songs and memories were.
“When you hear a song, it will take you right back to a certain place in time or a special moment where that song is relevant in your life,” he said.
“And it’s amazing how one will trigger the other. And I started thinking about that, and that’s where I got the idea to write that song.
“And then I wrote another song about my beautiful mum, who has sadly got dementia, called Remember Me … I’ve never had more feedback like that from a song.
“It’s been unbelievable. Dementia Australia have asked me to become a patron for them. They’re a great organisation.
“Obviously, I was really honoured to accept that.
“There’s a couple of classic country songs on there, one of my dad’s old favourite songs, a Kenny Rogers song that he always loved.
“Every time I hear that song, it takes me right back to Sunday mornings and dad singing that song as loud as he could while he was cooking us breakfast.”
Harvey said he never took his awards for granted.
“The thing that that I’m appreciate the most is probably, when you get a gold record or a platinum record, you think … people have got to put fuel in the car, and they’ve got to buy groceries and pay the power bill, but they don’t have to go and spend money on your music.
“So, that always blows me away.
“When I think about that, at the end of the day, they’re my boss, aren’t they?
“Without them, I’m out of a job, so you got to go and keep them happy.”
Harvey said country music had “turned a corner” in Australia.
“I think a lot of it has got to do with these massive, big country superstars like Taylor Swift and recently Luke Combs,” he said.
“They just sell out stadiums all over Australia.
“And, I think that introduces a whole new generation of people to country music.
“Some people complain about them coming here taking all the money.
“I say, but if someone has been discovered, and they listen to their music, who knows, maybe one of my songs might pop up on the playlist.
“Maybe that’s a good way to introduce this new generation that have found country music into some of the Aussie country as well.”
Harvey said ticket sales for his tour had been the strongest in more than a decade.
“It’s really had a boom time at the moment,” he said.
“I’ve got a great new group of musicians, and they’re young and really keen and full of energy.
“I think a lot of that sort of rubs off too.”
Joining the stage is special guest artist, Denvah.
She has become a shining star in the country music scene since her debut EP in 2020.
Denvah dazzled TV audiences nationwide as the quirky “Country Girl from Rockhampton”, securing a spot in the Australian Idol top 3 last year.
More details and tickets can be found online at swanhilltownhall.com/events/adam-harvey/
