SYDNEY, Aus. — Australia’s acclaimed Americana and soul singer-songwriter, Colin Lillie, releases the A-side single “Honky Tonk Southern Sky.” Colin pays homage to the storied legacy of honky-tonk music and its legendary icons, crafting a timeless tribute that speaks to the enduring spirit of perseverance and inner strength, resonating deeply across generations. This track encapsulates a blend of resilience and transformation, serving as a profound source of inspiration. Colin says, “With the musicality and engineering talents of Bradly Bergen, we were able to shape something that helped me explore a memory from my childhood and how, when returning home from church every Sunday, I would always hear the likes of Buck Owens just doing what he did naturally and how Hank Williams always showed us the light. Then finally, there was Loretta Lynn and how she could bring the coldest and meanest of hearts to their knees, reminding them that there are two mules for this wagon.”
“Honky Tonk Southern Sky” was produced by Catherine Britt and co-written with Lachlan Bryan. The gypsy Scotsman embraces the “Honky Tonk Southern Sky” as a source identity, symbolizing a turning point where he found solace in the music and culture of honky-tonk, despite the struggles.
Colin adds, “On ‘Honky Tonk Southern Sky’ I was lucky to have collaborated with Golden Guitar winners Wicker Suit and Liam Kennedy-Clark on piano and Gabi Louise on fiddle; alongside the expertise of multi-award winner Shane Nicholson handling the mix and Jeff McCormack mastering the track, the song truly came to life.”
In addition to the A-side, Colin presents the heartfelt B-side, “The Ballad of Evey.” Recorded in a moment of raw emotion, this track features captivating vocals and a country gospel sound reminiscent of Jim Reeves, encompassing the essence of love, loss, and the enduring power of memory. Drawing inspiration from moments spent with his mother as a child, listening to old vinyl records recorded from the Ryman Theater, or, as they say in Nashville, the Mother Church, “The Ballad of Evey” is a testament to the depth of human experience.
Colin says, “The song was a result of a phone call during a recording session in the studio, where I was told that a dear friend had passed after taking her own life and a long battle with fibromyalgia and mental health issues. I was so deviated that I sat in the corner of the studio and wrote and it was recorded within two hours at Wild Mountain Studios in Brisbane with enigmatic producer Jamie Trevaskis (The Wilson Pickers). I’m so happy that I have found a way of releasing this song because it was written to be heard.”
With a driven passion that comes from his transformative journey, Colin reaffirms his position as a true storytelling musician, leaving a mark on the landscape of Americana and soul music. His recent feature in Country Music Capital News,where he candidly discussed his family, life, music, and songwriting, further underscores his profound impact on the industry.
About Colin Lillie Colin Lillie is certainly one of a kind. This gypsy Scotsman has found a new life in Alice Springs, in the Australian central desert, where he has thrived as a songwriter. You don’t have to delve very deeply into Colin’s lyrics or the heart of his voice to know his songs are driven by someone who has all of the shades of life experience to lean into. This rang true with his 2017 and 2019 awards for Best Live Voice at the National Live Music Awards.
In 2016, Colin released his debut album ‘Glass Homes’ to critical acclaim and managed to take out the AU Review people’s choice Australian Artist Of The Year award. In 2020, he released the Mark Lizotte (DIESEL)-produced ‘Petrichor’ EP. August 2021 saw the release of ‘Shades Of Love’ , Colin’s second studio album. This was recorded at Wild Mountain Studios with enigmatic producer Jamie Trevaskis (The Wilson Pickers), and together Colin and Jamie found a darker honesty in his performances than on any previous releases.
He released the EP ‘THE…’, produced by Australian Country star Catherine Britt and Colin Lillie.’ The..’ featured award-winning artist Shane Nicholson, with whom he had two critically acclaimed songs released: ‘The War’, followed by ‘The Road’, a duet with Catherine Britt.
Colin also enjoys co-writing with the likes of Rohin Jones (The Middle East), Tyrone Noonan (George), and Lachlan Bryan (Lachlan Bryan and the Wildes), to name a few.Pre 2020 Colin was well on the way to becoming one of Australia’s hardest touring artists, supporting the likes of DIESEL, BUSBY MAROU, JAMES REYNE, and THE ANIMALS on their relentless tour schedules and making friends everywhere he went. Colin also performed five shows at the 2019 Woodford Folk Festival and made it to New Orleans in 2020 as part of the Folk Alliance International Festival. So it’s no surprise that 2022 saw him get right back into supporting Catherine on her Bush Pup tour, traveling throughout regional Australia and finishing with performances in April 2022 at his first Tamworth Country Music Festival. This was followed once again by being invited to perform at the prestigious Folk Alliance conference/showcase in Kansas City and then to the renowned Americana Fest conference/showcase in Nashville.
The new year has not stopped with a number of shows at this year’s Tamworth Country Music Festival, with an electrifying performance at Americana in the Park in front of a crowd of over 5000 Aussie country fans.
This has seen Colin build his audience and head back into the studio with Catherine Britt once again to record new music for a second EP later in the year. 2023 has already seen Colin start the year with a number of tour dates across Australia, starting with a Small Halls tour of 16 shows in Western Australia. Then he embarked on a national solo tour of Australia, with dates in Hobart and Darwin. He also performed at this year’s Port Fairy Festival and the National Celtic Festival, with him planning to head back to Nashville to perform as part of Sounds Australia at Americana Fest in September.
With dates already confirmed for Tamworth 2024 and a run of co-headline dates with Billie Jo Porter 2024, it is already looking busy for the up-and-coming Australian Americana artists. Lillie is already working on a third full studio album and is currently filming a 10-episode art series, which has already seen Colin interview a number of Australian creatives from the music, TV, art, and journalism worlds. He also released a track with fellow Australian singer-songwriter David Garnham and the Reason to Live in August this year.
Realizing Colin’s increasing profile, he was offered and has accepted a sponsorship from Takamine Guitars.
And the world continues to discover Colin’s songs and singing—something that’s very evident from the number of uses of his songs recently in film and television. The track ‘Hold On’ is included in Adam, a Hollywood movie starring Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad). ‘Human Kind of Life’ is on the BBC television show Wakefield. ‘The Broken Crown’, a song from Colin’s EP ‘He’, was featured in a Steve King short film that was released in 2022, and in 2023, he also has songs and music in the forthcoming documentary Yimi Junga, which highlights the continual struggle of Aboriginal women and children in remote Australia. Not too bad at all!
So as Colin hits the road again, performing as much as possible, he continues to write as well as work with people in recovery from drug and alcohol addictions. Colin visits rehab centers and uses his songs and life experience as a way to assist others.
