Paul Kelly has been a major player in the Australian music scene for over 40 years. As a singer, songwriter, musician, and collaborator his work is defined by his deep insight, compassion, and love of storytelling.

Ranging from rock to folk, bluegrass to country, Kelly’s enduring body of work has transformed Australian music. As a solo artist and frontman with the Dots, the Coloured Girls, and the Messengers, Kelly’s songs are deeply rooted in the physical and cultural landscape of Australia calling to mind local landmarks and celebrating iconic Australian lives. Songs such as ‘To Her Door’ (1987), ‘Leaps and Bounds’ (1986) and ‘How to Make Gravy’ (1996) have become timeless classics speaking across the generations.

A generous collaborator, Kelly has written, produced, and performed with numerous Australian artists including Renée Geyer, Paul Grabowsky and Vika & Linda. His work with First Nations artists Kev Carmody, Yothu Yindi and the late Archie Roach on songs such as ‘From Little Things Big Things Grow’ (1993) and ‘Treaty’ (1991) has helped to shape the national conversation around reconciliation and acknowledgement of the country’s true history.

For his lifetime contributions to Australian music, Kelly was inducted into ARIA Hall of Fame in 1997, received the prestigious APRA Ted Albert Award in 2011, and was appointed Officer of the Order of Australia in 2017.

In this interview, Kelly reflects on his early days performing in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney, his experiences collaborating with Yothu Yindi and Archie Roach, and how performing Shakespeare’s poetry through song opened up new ways of writing and composing music.

As part of our commitment to capturing and sharing great Australian music stories, the Australian Music Vault asked some of the country’s most influential trailblazers and unsung heroes to open up about their lives in music.

Interviewer: Brian Nankervis
Location: Bakehouse Studios, Richmond 2022