Fremantlebiz - Paul's Letter from Australia

Famous country and eastern singer lands in west

Flea markets are unkind places for dedicated recording stars. Their acclaimed artistic efforts can eventually be had for next to nothing, and sometimes even when their fame is still peaking.

Consider for example Lee Kernaghan. "Lee who?" you might say. That's what I thought on Australia Day, 26 January, when it was officially announced by the federal government that he had been selected as Australian of the Year. (The tacit message with this award is that all the other 22 million of us Aussies are inferior beings in comparison. We've all got to try harder if we want to get on the 'A list.')

I quickly learned that Mr Kernaghan was a famous eastern states country and western singer. That explained why I didn't know of him. I tend to think country and western music is one of the creepiest genres going. There are so many songs about loners, losers social misfits and poseurs who can't attract women.

The Australian purveyors of this sorrowful artistry often seem often to turn to the examples of masculinity stereotyped by generations of Hollywood cowboys to create their own image. The American cowboy hat is a compulsory part of the uniform. They'll probably say its an Australian Akubra, but that's just to save face.

Irrespective of my compassionless opinion, Mr Kernaghan has a popular following, which has recently been enhanced by his endorsement of a charitable drought relief program for impoverished eastern states farmers. He's a champion doer of good deeds - country style.

So yesterday I was wandering through the local flea market seeing what I could see. It was late, and I didn't really expect to find any bargains. But there on a small stall was a a pile of CDs and the top one was by Lee Kernaghan. So were the four others beneath it. Now I wouldn't have bothered to inquire had I not recognised that he was the recent Australian of the Year.

"You can have the lot for ten bucks." said the seller. She knew he was Australian of the Year too, but that didn't matter. In her eyes Lee Kernaghan wasn't worth any more. She was even less of a country and western fan than I was, but I know a bargain when I see one.

So I now have the five disks here on my desk: Hat Town, The Outback Club, Three Chain Road, 1959, and Rules of the Road. They all carry the ABC logo. Lucky Lee landed the lissajou.

Looking at the song titles has confirmed my reckoning about the genre. There's a fair selection of songs which are arguably about about loners, losers, social misfits and poseurs.

Mr Kernaghan's handsome photo is on all of them. In four he's wearing a black hat, the other a white. In all he has a wistful look on his face and is staring contemplatively into the distance. They all look as if they might've had potential to attract the attention of the casting director for Brokeback Mountain.

On checking his Wikipedia entry it looks like there are only two of the Australian singer's CD titles I don't have. I'm sure my collector's instinct will oblige me to keep an eye open for them in future visits to the flea market.

I bought another country and western title from a different seller yesterday. Two bucks for KD Lang's Even Cowgirls get the Blues. Perhaps one day someone will make a feminist version of Brokeback Mountain.

And how about some jazz? Yep, I had a win in that department too. Charlie Parker's Chasin' the Bird landed in my collection for a dollar. It's a cruel world for the famous folk.

It's "back to school day" today. I might find time to listen to some of these undoubtedly excellent CDs.

© MMVIII Paul R. Weaver.

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Check out each month's subject index on the Calendar Page for my "common-man" monologues about survival in 21st century Australia – plus a little history occasionally. An original essay is added most days as part of an undertaking to write at least couple of million words. Zzzzzzzz!