By Ian Beeck | posted on December 17, 2020
INCREDIBLE live performers Blue Shaddy will grace the stage at the Stirling Club this Saturday night.
The blues and roots group are a band with connections, given that founding members, Jim McClelland, (guitarist and singer/songwriter) Graham ‘Belly’ McClelland (harmonica) and Sandy McClelland (bass guitarist) are family.
Born and bred in Kellerberrin, those trio have not lost that rustic, relaxed country charm that has endeared them to so many.
Known for their infectious amalgam of blues and roots, come country, they are renowned for their energetic physical presence.
Blue Shaddy’s musical path was inevitable with brothers Jim and ‘Belly’ sharing a small house on the family farm, and with television banned from the house, considered poison for the brain, these two would sit at the kitchen table and trade Hound Dog Taylor and Sonnie and Brownie licks nightly.
A meeting soon after with like-minded, and also musically spirited, Sandy Naughton found her also sitting at that same table going through what was to become the Blue Shaddy apprenticeship.
Nearly 20 years later, Jim and Sandy have now married and along with ‘Belly’ have maintained a passionate and unwavering commitment to their music, forging their way on festival circuit and gaining fans far and wide.
With these three as the driving force behind Blue Shaddy, a band is still not totally complete without a drummer.
Having had the pleasure over the years of playing with some of Australia’s finest skin men, Dean Wuksta returns back on the kit after some 17 years apart. It just proves there is nothing better than the original recipe.
Blue Shaddy have just released their fourth album Across the Road, an impressive batch of songs conveying strong expression of life in the moment.
Diving deeper into the explorations of family, self and relationships, Jim returns to the electric guitar for a number of songs and some very tasty slide playing throughout the album which leaves you with a strong sense that Blue Shaddy have returned to their roots, but this time in a more mature and comfortable place with their songwriting.
Tickets on sale now through Oztix.com with doors open 7.30pm.