Musical Influences 

            & Opinions

 

Neville says: "I grew up listening to Slim Dusty and Charlie Pride with a bit of Hank Williams and Merl Haggard thrown in. My family liked country but they were not particularly musical. We always played music but we didn't have a lot of records or cassettes so I got to know what we had pretty well. Being from the bush, I was always taken by the Slim Dusty style ballads because even as a kid I could relate to his imagery. As I got older the love songs took more of a hold though I still love a quality ballad."

 

"I am not prejudiced when it comes to types of country. Quite frankly, I switch off pretty quick when the conversation turns to what is real country and what isn't because I find most people are discussing the wrong issue. To me it's not about the accent or whether it's Texas or outback; to me it's about whether it feels "country". An Australian bush ballad sung without feeling can be a real drag and yet a classic rock song with a country feel can be as good as it gets."

 

"I have quite a large selection of artists in my repertoire but my style tends towards the slower ballads. I like to sing slow songs with a story and as a solo performer it is sometimes harder to do justice to the more up tempo numbers."

 

"I don't have one particular artist that I would say is my favourite because at various stages of my development I have been influenced by many different artists. As I mentioned Slim was probably my first and most lasting influence. Then it was Charlie Pride and Merle and Waylon during the seventies. The eighties for me were about Conway Twitty, Bobby Bare and Randy Travis. In the nineties I returned to Merle again as I began to appreciate the depth of his talent in presentation as well a good songs, and a new influence came from George Strait. "

 

"I guess most of these guys were influenced by Hank and Lefty so they have influenced me too even though I feel as if I have only recently discovered who they really were and how much they styled the generations of country artists."

 

"I am an unashamed Garth fan because I think Garth, Clint Black and Reba gave country a big lift in profile in the eighties. These three have distinct styles and presentation and are hardly traditional but they spawned a new interest in country which has pulled the traditional along as well."

 

"Who else???

 

Lyle Lovet - I have three or four of his albums and think he is great.

Charlie Rich - I wish I could sing like that, so smooth and effortless.

Shania - I admire what she's done but the feel is not country enough for me.

David Ball - Two of my favourite albums are Thinking Problem and Starlight Lounge

Colin Raye and Lee Kernighan - loved their first releases and am still waiting for more of the same.

Adam Harvey - My favourite Aussie even if he doesn't sound like one when he sings.