Pete Murray is fired up for solo tour

Australian singer-songwriter Pete Murray will stop by Torquay and Barwon Heads later this year as he embarks on his first solo tour across the country.

Armed with an acoustic guitar and a back catalogue of hits spanning more than two decades, Murray will hit the stage at the Torquay Hotel on Thursday, June 26 before he heads to the Barwon Heads Hotel on Friday, June 27.

“There will be some storytelling of my songs, my life and career,” the Better Days artist said. “The shows will be very intimate.”

The tour marks Murray’s first solo tour on home soil – one he said had been “on the cards” for a while – and follows the release earlier this month of new single I Am Fire, an ode to everyday, and often unsung, heroes.

“The song is inspired by normal people who stand up against regimes and who stand up for humanity and risk their own lives to save others. They are the real heroes of the world,” Murray said.

“I have used elements, emotions and feeling to describe these people. The courage they have is enormous and the love they give is forever.

“This song is also about normal heroes like mums and dads who are always there for their kids.”

Murray launched onto the music scene in 2001 with his debut full length album The Game, but it was his sophomore effort Feeler, in 2003, that saw him achieve mainstream success.

He has now sold more than 1.2 million albums, released three ARIA chart-topping albums and amassed 17 ARIA Award nominations, alongside a string of hits that include Opportunity and So Beautiful.

I Am Fire is now the second single to be released from Murray’s new body of work, following Wouldn’t It Be Good last year, with Murray again stepping into the role of producer.

The track features Ian Peres on bass and keys, Brett Wood on electric guitar, Sarah James on backing vocals and Kate Derepas on cello, with drums recorded by Nashville’s Aaron Sterling, who has recorded previously for artists including Taylor Swift, John Mayer, Post Malone and Lana Del Rey.

“I feel really good about releasing this song,” Murray said.

“It’s one of my favourite songs off the new body of work I have just recorded. I feel this song is very appropriate for the times we live in now.

“And I’m really looking forward to getting out there and letting people see how these songs were written on acoustic guitar and telling them stories of my life journey so far.”

Pete Murray will be supported by Rachael Fahim and Brett Wood.

Tickets are now on sale. For more information, head to petemurray.com