The untold story of Bill Chambers – the man behind a country music dynasty

AS the father of country music star Kasey Chambers, Bill Chambers has every reason to be proud. But he knows that level of fame isn’t necessarily for him.

“I’m very proud of Kasey’s success,” he said. “I’ve experienced a small part of that from the sidelines. Just enough to know I could never have handled that much success.”

That’s not to say the 75-year-old guitarist hasn’t carved out a stellar career in his own right. He has earned two ARIA nominations for Best Country Album and took home a win for Home Fires with his family band, The Dead Ringer Band – that included Kasey and her brother Nash – in 1996.

“The Dead Ringer Band was exciting at the time,” he said. “We were just starting to travel and get a little recognition.”

Chambers’ passion for music began early, after his father took him to a country show at just seven years old.

“From that moment I dreamed I’d be on stage one day travelling the world,” he said. “I started playing bars and festivals in southern South Australia where I grew up and moved to Sydney in the early 1990s to further my music career.”

While country music has always been his foundation, his influences stretch beyond the genre, with inspiration coming from artists including Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, Gram Parsons and Steve Earle.

“I’m drawn to artists who write great songs and sing with soul and conviction,” he said. “Some of it is bordering on folk, rock and blues.”

Now based on the NSW Central Coast, Chambers has toured extensively across the United States, with Nashville and Austin among his favourite music cities.

He said one of the biggest turning points in his career came when Kasey launched her solo career and invited him to join her band. Since then, he has performed alongside her on The Late Show with David Letterman.

These days, Chambers performs regularly with his youngest son, 18-year-old Tyler, on guitar and vocals. The pair appeared at the Tamworth Country Music Festival earlier this year and continue to build a strong onstage partnership.

“He plays great lead guitar for me and he’s now one of the best vocal harmony singers I’ve ever heard,” he said. “Being on stage with him is the best ever!

“I’m proud that my kids have followed a musical path. I made sure they listened to great, classic music while they were growing up, and encouraged and taught them to be musicians with integrity.”

Chambers recently recorded his seventh album, which he describes as country with a shot of blues, rock guitar riffs and rich vocal harmonies.

He and Tyler will showcase new material on both acoustic and electric guitars at the Mullum Roots Festival, taking place on Saturday 11 July and Sunday 12 July.

For more information and tickets, visit mullumrootsfest.com