2018 Golden Guitar Finalist Casey Barnes is making a monumental impression on the Australian country music scene. He’s had hits in Europe, recorded and toured in America, appeared in a top-rating TV show in Australia and performed alongside many international stars including Mariah Carey, Lady Antebellum and Bryan Adams.
Casey started his singing career in his home state of Tasmania before relocating to the Gold Coast, which he now calls home. Casey’s songs are honest and heartfelt. The emotions are genuine. This was evident on his 2012 release ‘Jet Trails’, which spawned a string of well-received singles, which he wrote in Nashville with Aussie hit-maker, Rick Price. (Not a Day Goes By, Heaven Knows).
Writing with Rick Price continued into 2014 with Casey’s EP 'Flesh & Bone'. Produced by Price and mixed by Grammy Award winner Jason Lehning, this EP saw the release of four singles, ‘Valentine’, ‘Flesh and Bone’, 'Waiting On The Day’ and 'Hard Times’. Casey headed back to Nashville in 2016 to record his follow up album ‘Live as One’ at the famed Sound Emporium Studios. This album showcased a mixture of fan-favourites plus new songs, including Casey’s previous single, ‘The One You Love’, which was produced by ARIA award winning producer Nick Didia. (Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam, Powderfinger, Kasey Chambers).
The album’s title track became the first single, a heartfelt song with an even more powerful music video, featuring well-known Australians along with national and international sporting identities holding up #LiveAsOne signs. The song conveyed a positive message at a time where hope is needed more than ever. Other tracks on the album include ‘Just Like Magic’, co-written with powerhouse songwriting team Michael Paynter and Michael Delorenzis for what became a modern country smash. Eddie Spear (Jack Johnson, Willie Nelson, Neil Young, Norah Jones, Sheryl Crow, Chris Stapleton) also lends a hand, engineering and mixing the title track, ‘Live As One’, ‘Saving All My Love (feat Michelle Barnes)’, and ‘Say That You Love Me’. Upon the album’s release it immediately shot up the ARIA charts landing at #9.
Follow up single ‘Just Like Magic’ (released December 2016) received incredible attention. The song reached #1 on multiple charts including the Top 40 Country Tracks Chart and the Australian Country Radio Charts as well as receiving full rotation on many stations including Gold Coast’s 102.9 Hot Tomato. In June 2016, Casey travelled to California to perform at major US music festival Country Summer. An annual event, held at Santa Rosa, the stellar line up featured the likes of Lady Antebullum, Kip Moore and The Band Perry. Casey also made his US television debut performing on CBS morning show ‘Good Day Sacramento’.
The last 4 years have seen many achievements for Casey with shows in New York, Nashville and Los Angeles. He’s performed at festivals around Australia including main stage at one of Queensland’s premier events, Caloundra Music Festival, Broadbeach Country Music Festival, Tamworth Country Music Festival, Urban Country Music Festival, Gympie Muster and the very popular 'A Day On The Green' (with Mariah Carey)
Other highlights of Casey’s career have included multiple performances at Perth’s annual Channel Seven Telethon. A seasoned television performer, Casey has performed numerous times on such shows as Sunrise, The Morning Show, Foxtel’s AFL 360 and the Marngrook Footy Show.
In June 2017, Casey released his next single ‘The Way We Ride’. This gutsy high-octane track with an anthemic feel maintained Top 10 status on various Country Charts including the #1 position on the Country Tracks Top 40 Charts for 4 weeks. This was also the single that saw Casey nominated for his first Golden Guitar Award.
‘Keep Me Coming Back’ kept the success coming. Catchy and upbeat, the song was released on August 18thand debuted at #4 on the Country iTunes Charts. It also rocketed to #1 on the Australian Country Tracks Top 40 Charts. The single made it’s presence felt in North Americawhen it made the Top 10 on the iTunes ‘Hot Tracks’ country charts. This was the third collaboration with MSquared and one that continues to gather momentum and high chart success with each release. Creatively Casey is now in the best place he’s ever been. Constantly pushing the boundaries delivering dynamic country/rock songs that embrace a feel good element.
2018 has been an incredible year so far with appearances at Tamworth Country Music Festival along with a Finalist nomination at the Golden Guitars for ‘Qantaslink New Talent of the Year’.
16th February saw the release of lead single ‘Ain’t Coming Home’ ahead of the new album ‘The Good Life’. ‘Ain’t Coming Home’enjoyed 2 consecutive weeks at #1 on the Country Tracks Top 40 Chart and is an uplifting feel-good party track that was welcomed at the end of summer and was a song that resonated with country music fans.
The album was recorded in Melbourne with Casey teaming up once again with Michael Paynter and Michael DeLorenzis from MSquared Productions. ‘The Good Life’ debuted at #1 on the iTunes Country Charts and an equally impressive #2 on the ARIA Country Charts, proving that Casey is a force to be reckoned with on the country music scene. The album carves a path of contemporary country, delivering toe tapping songs that are destined to turn into favourite anthems.
Brand new single ‘Be Mine’ was released on 15thJune ahead of performances at Groundwater Country Music Festival on the Gold Coast and Gympie Music Muster in August. The track, which is one of Casey’s personal favourites on the album and is showcased with an irresistible melody that will appeal to a wide demographic of fans.
The ‘Good Life’ Tour will include festival appearances and nationwide performances. A highlight was performing at CMC ROCKS 2018. Known as Australia’s largest International Country Music Festival, Casey shared the stage with the likes of Luke Bryan, Kelsea Ballerini, Darius Rucker, Brothers Osborne, Dan + Shay, Brett Young and many more. Casey’s association with PBR Australia (bull riding) will continue throughout 2018 with 16 shows locked in around the country.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CaseyBarnesOfficial
Website: http://www.caseybarnes.com.au