Adam Harvey’s Ballina homecoming

COUNTRY music singer Adam Harvey will bring his 25th anniversary Workin’ Overtime tour to Ballina, saying his long connection with the town made it a must on the tour schedule.

Harvey, 51, will perform his only local show at Ballina RSL Club on Saturday, 6 June.

He said the visit carries personal significance, with his introduction to the town coming early in his touring career through family friends who encouraged him to perform there.

“It’s a beautiful town right on the river and that venue is great because it’s all glass and you look straight out over the water,” Harvey said.

“We always get a great crowd there; they really love their country music.”

The show is part of a regional tour across the country, which Harvey said remains central to his ongoing connection with people outside major cities.

The success of Workin’ Overtime helped establish his career, leading to more than half a million album sales, multiple gold and platinum records, nine Golden Guitar Awards, and induction into the Australasian Country Music Roll of Renown.

With his children now grown, he travels with his wife Kathy, who manages his merchandise sales on tour.

“I’m enjoying getting out and playing music now probably more than ever,” he said.

“When I’m singing those songs, I’m just thinking how lucky I am that they’ve allowed me to do this for so long and that people still want to come out and hear them.

“You sort of think, wow, I’ve been able to do this for a living for over 25 years. Not many people get to do what they love for that long.”

The Workin’ Overtime album featured hits including The House That Jack Built and The Shake Of A Hand and went on to win Album of the Year at the 2002 Australian Country Music Awards, where Harvey also collected Male Artist of the Year.

He said he is enjoying the current resurgence of country music, crediting international artists including Luke Combs, Morgan Wallen and Lainey Wilson with helping introduce a new generation to the genre.

“People are discovering country music through those artists, and then they go down the rabbit hole and find Australian artists too,” he said.

“That’s really good for the future of the industry.”

Tickets are available through Ballina RSL Club.