GARY SHEARSTON

Gary Shearston was born in 1939 in Inverell, New South Wales. As a child he lived on a farm at Tenterfield until almost a teenager, when drought caused his family to move to Sydney.

During the late 1950s and early 1960s he established himself professionally as one of Australia's leading folk singers of both traditional and contemporary song. In the 1960s he released seven albums which were very influential in the Australian folk music scene of the day. By this stage, he was also being recognised as a significant singer-songwriter. As one review said in 1966, he was "a unique composer of true stature on the Australian scene". His album, Gary Shearston Sings His Songs, released in 1966, further demonstrated his song writing ability. Included on this record was the song, Sometime Lovin', which Peter Paul and Mary were later to record.

In the late 1960s Gary left Australia, living and working in America and Europe. While living in England he recorded two albums, Dingo (1974) and The Greatest Stone on Earth and Other Two Bob Wonders (1975). From the former album his version of the Cole Porter song, "I Get a Kick Out of You", brought him considerable international recognition.

He returned to Australia to live permanently in late 1988. 1989 saw the release of his novel, Balkenna, co-written with Michael Thomas, and his album, Aussie Blue. In July 1992 he was ordained as a priest in the Anglican Church. In 1993 he was appointed as the parish priest at Hay in the south-west of New South Wales, a parish of some 15000 hectares. From Hay he moved to his present parish at Bangalow in northern New South Wales. He has just released a new CD entitled Only Love Survives.

We really appreciated Gary's willingness to agree to an interview for Simply Australia, considering the constraints on his time.