LADY OF THE LAND – A TRIBUTE TO JOY McKEAN LUKE O’SHEA RELEASES FIRST SINGLE FROM NEW ALBUM
Long before two likely lads from the country came along and stole the hearts of Joy and Heather McKean, the sisters were superstars. Hosting their very own Melody Trail radio show on 2KY every Saturday night for over eleven years, the girls bravely followed the ‘stars in their eyes and the songs in their hearts’ blazing a trail, that went on to establish the very corner stones of the Australian Country Music Industry.
As was the time, with love and marriage, when Reg Lindsay and David Gordon Kirkpatrick locked into their passion and vision of the world – both women put themselves and their careers behind their men. As expressed in my song “The Drover’s Wife”, I’ve long been fascinated by the strength and resourcefulness of the Australian woman; pioneering women that had multi-functioning tasks as tough and as integral to that of the pioneering man.
Joy McKean is one such woman and after reading her book, I’ve Been There (& Back Again), I was incredibly inspired to ‘sing her up’. Using her words and utilising the titles of some of her original songs I’ve attempted to tell her story in a cryptic, poetic way that will hopefully take the listener a few times around to figure it all out.
As I do with all my songs, I played “Lady of the Land” to my wife in a very early and raw format, and she made me swear that if I ever had the opportunity play the song to Joy live, I should. As the universe conspires, I ended up having the chance a few short weeks later, in the beautiful Tamworth Town Hall during the 2013 Roll of Renown concert. I was understandably nervous for a few reasons; I was about to sing a song that I felt was still evolving, I was also singing as Joy, using her words and her song titles telling her story, back at her. What if I got it wrong? What if she hated it?
Anyway, it was a sold out show, but as far as I was concerned, there was only one woman there. Afterwards, Max Ellis came up and asked me to wait around after the show, for Joy had asked to meet me. Thankfully, she enjoyed the song and was touched by the sentiment but also, as expected, asked for a copy of the lyrics. After explaining a few of the more cryptic lines and expressing my intentions with the song, Joy gave me her complete blessing and has also allowed rare archives of her personal and musical journey to be used in a powerful video to marry the song visually.
Joy McKean; writer of some of Slim Dusty’s biggest hits, winner of the very first Golden Guitar, manager, agent, promoter, multi-instrumentalist, author, co-driver, offsider, cook, mother, grandmother, matriarch and still to this day – a powerhouse in the establishment of the Slim Dusty Centre. Enough about the fella, I want Joy McKean’s story to be told, and I strongly urge all who wish to be astounded and inspired to purchase and read her book I’ve Been There (& Back Again) – and true to Joy’s nature it’s the one that features Slim on the front cover. – Luke O’Shea