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
''The Gidgee Bug Pub / Song For Louise'' 1987 RCA
''Cloncurry Cattle Song / Texas'' 1988 EMI
''Dancers / The Great Divide'' 1989 EMI
''Kimberly Moon (Edited) / Bandy'' 1989 EMI
''Age Of Grace / Meanwhile'' 1990 EMI
''The Blue Heeler / There Walks A Man'' 1990 EMI
''Way Out West (#2) [with James Reyne] / She Won't Let You Down 1992 EMI
"This Road" (#26) 1992 EMI
"Down On the Farm" (#95) 1992 EMI
"Mysterious Ways" (#84) 1993 EMI
"Pride" 1995 EMI
"Memory Lane" 1999 EMI
"The Valley" 2001 EMI
"I Shall Be Released" 2001 EMI
"Back it Up" 2003 EMI
"Postcards from Saigon" (#82) 2005 Revenge
"Higher Than Heaven" 2007 Compass Brothers
"Hills of Brisbane" 2015 Revenge Records
"Casuarina" 2015 Revenge Records
"Goodbye Grey"2015 Revenge Records
"Bones"[with Fiona Kernaghan] 2015 Revenge Records
"Not Afraid"[with Fiona Kernaghan] 2015 Revenge Records
"Anzac Cottage"2016 Revenge Records
"When the Lights Go Out"2016 Revenge Records
"Borderline Summertime"2016 Revenge Records
"Money Changes Everything"[feat. Bec Lavelle] 2016 Revenge Records
"Rain on the Scarecrow"[feat. The Wolfe Bothers] 2017 Revenge Records
"Way Out West"[feat. Adam Brand, Tania Kernaghan, Brewn, Bec Lavelle, Ben Ransom and Paul Costa] 2018 Revenge Records
"Father and Son" [with Jason Owen] 2021 Revenge Records
"Sideways"2023
"Queen of the Lost Highway" 2024
"Almost Anzac Day" 2024
"Whiskey Tree"2024

ALBUMS
'James Blundell' (#68) 1989 EMI
'Hand It Down' (#50) 1990 EMI
'This Road' (#4) 1992 EMI
'Touch of Water' (#11)1993 EMI 
'Earth & Sea' (#31) 1995 EMI
'Amsterdam Breakfast' 1999 EMI
'Deluge' 2005 Revenge Records 
'Ring Around the Moon' 2007 Compass Brothers 
'Portrait of a Man' 2008 Compass Brothers 
'Woolshed Creek' 2011 Revenge Records 
'Come On In' 2015 Revenge Records 
'Campfire' (#58) 2017 Revenge Records 
'World Don't Stop' 2024 James Blundell TBA

References

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

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