JAMES BLUNDELL

James Blundell (born 8 December 1964) was born in the Queensland town of Stanthorpe, and was brought up on a sheep and cattle station near the town. As an adult he worked as a station hand across various locations in northern Australia. After a back injury sustained while working on a farm in Papua New Guinea he turned to music. and he subsequently won a Golden Guitar Award as the "best new talent" of 1987.Blundell released his eponymous first album in 1989 on EMI, which was followed by "Hand It Down", which was released in the United States in 1990 following its success in Australia. His next albums were 'This Road' and 'Touch Of Water'. 'This Road', which sold more than 145,000 copies in Australia, included the hit "Way Out West", a collaboration with James Reyne which went to #2 on the ARIA Singles Chart. Blundell's first works reflected his background as a jackaroo and his love of that lifestyle.

Although his next albums were less successful commercially, Blundell continued to play regularly at folk and country music festivals around Australia. In 1997, Blundell featured in a Qantas commercial, singing "I Still Call Australia Home", and in the lead-up to the1999 Australian republic referendum, Blundell recorded the official song for the "No" campaign, despite being in favour of a republic. In 2003 Blundell garnered media attention for his song "Postcards From Saigon" and speaking out against the war in Iraq. In 2005, the song won Australian Independent Country Music Single of the Year and Independent Country Music Male Vocalist of the Year. In 2005, Blundell released the album 'Deluge', followed by 'Ring Around the Moon' in 2007 and 'Portrait of a Man' in 2008.

In 2007, Blundell was inducted into the Australia Country Music Hands of Fame. In October 2010 Blundell was the narrator for Network Ten's television show, Keeping Up With The Joneses and for four months from November 2010, Blundell performed in a musical theatre show, The Ultimate Rock 'n' Roll Jam Session, with Nick Barker, Dave Larkin, Ezra Lee and Doug Parkinson. Blundell released his tenth studio album 'Woolshed Creek' in April 2011. In March 2012, Blundell was the inaugural inductee into the Country Music Channel's Hall of Fame.

In June 2013, Blundell became a candidate in the 2013 Australian federal election. In August 2015, Blundell released ''Come On In'' and in February 2017, his twelfth studio album 'Campfire' which became his first charting album in over 20 years, peaking at #58. In February 2018, a tribute album '30 Years of Pride: A Tribute to James Blundell' was released. 

SINGLES

Way Out West

James Blundell & James Reyne

29 MAR '92

#2

This Road

14 JUN '92

#26

Down on the Farm

23 AUG '92

#95

Postcards From Saigon

16 MAY '05

#82

References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Blundell_%28singer%29

http://top100singles.blogspot.com.au/