AFTER more than four decades on the road, Graeme Connors remains a towering figure in Australian country music.
And, not just for his unmistakable voice and vivid songwriting, but for his unapologetic honesty about the state of the music industry, and his deep commitment to telling stories rooted in the Australian landscape.
Currently touring with My Lyrical Life, a live show based on the lyric book of the same name he developed during COVID-19 lockdowns, Connors is reconnecting with fans across the country.
The show offers a sweeping retrospective of his prolific career – 215 recorded songs, decades of performances, and the enduring stories that shaped them.
But the veteran songwriter is no nostalgia act.
Still passionate, still sharp, Connors is using his platform not just to celebrate the past, but to push for a better future for young Australian artists.
Born in Mackay, North Queensland, Connors’ connection to regional Australia runs deep.
“I was born there, not just visiting,” he said.
“I lived there until I was 17, and it shaped the way I see the world.”
That local perspective is central to Connors’ songwriting style. Songs like A Little Further North and The Road Less Travelled don’t just evoke a place – they belong to it.
“I had the stories that only someone born in the tropics could tell,” he said.
“That gave me something unique.”
He believes deeply in the power of specific, place-based songwriting.
“As a writer, you use the particular to springboard into the general,” he said.
“If you’re truthful and authentic, people recognise themselves in your songs, even if the landscape is different.”
Connors’ process hasn’t changed much since his early days as a young father, stealing quiet moments to write before dawn.
“I’d get up at 5am or 5.30am and write until the kids got up,” he recalled.
“That became a habit. Mornings are for output – afternoons are for input.”
Despite success, Connors still wrestles with creative doubt.
One of his most beloved songs, The Ringer and The Princess, sat in a drawer for a year because he thought it was too long.
“It was six minutes and 45 seconds. Who does that?” he said.
“But when I finally played it live, the audience loved it. That’s when I knew it had power.”
His humility is part of his appeal.
“You’ve got to have a strange mix of ego and fear,” he said.
“You want to be liked, but you can’t cut corners. My confidence comes from knowing I’ve done the work.”
Connors doesn’t shy away from the tougher conversations either. He’s especially outspoken about the impact of streaming on Australian artists.
“Why wouldn’t there be angst?” he said, referring to Spotify.
“The man behind it makes billions, and artists get paid a fraction of a cent per stream. That’s not sustainable.”
He’s worried that the next generation of Australian storytellers is being stifled.
“Recording still costs the same, but there’s no income stream,” Connors said. “Young artists ask how to take the next step, and I have to tell them – it’s harder than ever.”
For Connors, the homogenisation of global music trends is part of the problem.
“A lot of new artists write like they’re from Nashville,” he said. “They’ve lost the Australian imagery, the place names, the characters. That’s what I miss.”
Connors sees Australian country music splitting into two streams: one aiming for international recognition, and another staying true to local stories and communities. He clearly hopes for a resurgence of the latter.
“We had a golden age in the 1990s and 2000s,” he said.
“John Williamson, Sara Storer, Lee Kernaghan – all of us were telling Australian stories. That’s what I want to see more of again.”
Despite the challenges, Connors remains hopeful, and engaged.
When asked if he sees himself as a mentor, he’s modest.
“Mostly, I just say, ‘Stick to your guns. Tell the stories you’re meant to tell’.”
With My Lyrical Life, he’s reminding audiences not just of his own journey, but of the value of Australian stories told with heart, humour, and truth.
“It’s an art form,” he said, “
“One that reflects who we are as a community. That mirror matters.”
Connors performs at Swan Hill Town Hall on Sunday, August 3.
More information and to book tickets, visit the town hall website.
