It’s hardly any surprise then that  29 nominations down the track he’s a finalist in Alternative Country Album of the Year in the 2015 CMAA Awards.

“When I started, I was considered either too country for pop or too pop for country. Now I’m too country for country,” Caswell said yesterday.

“I don’t belong in the mainstream as it now is. I prefer it out here on the edges.

“I love writing with the mainstream artists. They are really talented and I’m proud of the songs we have written together and about having the songs on their albums, but as an artist I need to express things the way I feel them myself.”

Caswell’s first Golden Guitar nomination in 1980 seems like an age away for the veteran singer-songwriter.

“There are a number of artists this year who weren’t even born when I won Best New Talent for King Of The Rodeo,” Caswell said.

“If it wasn’t for JW (John Williamson) doing so well, I’d be the oldest in this year’s awards, too, but it’s nice to still be relevant after all these years.”

Caswell is justifiably proud of the work he and producer and friend Roger Corbett put into his latest album, Sometimes When You Lose You Win.

“It started as a fund and awareness raiser for my court case with Sony but quickly turned into a collection of some of my best ever songs and stylistically, a big step out of my comfort zone,” he said.

“Roger’s vision for the album was as strong as mine was and he pushed it into areas that I hadn’t imagined it going.

“He also claimed that I listened to him on this record more than I had on the other albums he produced for me.”

Much of what occurs on Sometimes When You Lose You Win reflects a really personal struggle for Caswell.

The title track, the first single to go to radio, was written with his wife Marian about what it feels to take on something so big and how much you appreciate the support of “people you don’t even know”.

Apart from Marian’s contribution and the songs he wrote by himself, Caswell also collaborated with Lachlan Bryan, Drew McAlister and ex-Roxy Music member Dave Skinner to build a collection of songs that are biting, funny, moving and clever, sometimes all at the same time.

“The seamless medley of Christmas In Dixie and On The Inside must surely be ruffling a few feathers down at Sony,” he said.

Harmony and Lachlan do it ‘au naturelle’

LAST Friday night at The Pub was one of the most enjoyable gigs I’ve attended in quite a while.

I’ve been a fan of Harmony James since she quietly made her way onto the scene, releasing one killer single after the other, stretching out the distance between her first four singles, teasing her audience, so when she finally came out with her debut album – it was action stations.

Now, three albums down the track, Harmony James has a great body of work to draw on in her live concerts – and this one was a beauty – raw, stripped back and totally acoustic.

When you catch Harmony in January she will be accompanied by a band, but I think hearing her “au naturelle” on Friday night,was almost better than that, even though I’ll be lining up to get my ticket to her only festival show at The Family Hotel at 7.30pm on Wednesday, January 21.

Lachlan Bryan, who I usually see in the fine company of his band, The Wildes at that same venue (The Family), was in top form.

He proved quite a kid magnet, with a group of youngsters parking themselves at front of the stage to get a closer look during his performance at The Pub.

It was a bit of a whirlwind for Lachlan ahead of the Common Grounds tour, as he’d just landed back in Australia after an extended tour of the USA with his band, when he was launched back in the saddle without time for jetlag to sink in.

Lachlan will be joined by his band on stage at the Family at 4pm on Friday, January 23. A one-show-only opportunity, so don’t miss it.

CCMA jam moving to The Family

AFTER a very successful time hosting the monthly CCMA Jam at the Oasis Hotel, the event will move to the Family Hotel from Thursday, December 4.

CCMA president Steve Newton said he wished to pass on his thanks to their former hosts, Des and Joyce Gilfillan, for their support and they looked forward to working with them again in the future.

The Honky Tonk Bar at the Family, on the corner of Bridge and Belmore streets, is the place to be from 7pm for this free, family-friendly event.

There will be different hosts every month plus prizes and giveaways. 

The December gathering will be a Christmas party jam, so dress up in your festive best, dust off your repertoire of carols and head on down to the Family.

Everyone is welcome to sing, recite, play, perform or just simply soak up the friendly atmosphere, cold beer and great food.

If you’d like to know more, visit the website www.ccma.net.au or the association’s new Facebook page.