Earlier this month, I had the privilege of catching up with country music legend and proud Gumbaynggirr and Bundjalung man, Troy Cassar-Daley, on Yuin Country in Batemans Bay.
Troy was there to perform for the community as they came together to commemorate five years since the devastating Black Summer Bushfires, which had severely impacted the South Coast.
When I invited Troy to be part of the event, he didn’t hesitate.
His generosity, especially when it comes to our mob, is unwavering.
Beyond that, he shares a deep and personal connection to Yuin Country, which he explained to me in a yarn for NITV Radio.
"My late mum was really obsessed with our family tree. There were inklings that we may have this distant matrilineal line that goes all the way down to Yuin Country.
"I ended up doing the show Who Do You Think You Are?, and they introduced me to this whole new part of our family line that I had no idea I had. It was one of the most beautiful family adventures I think I’d ever had."
Since then, Troy has continued to visit Yuin Country to learn more about his ancestral connections.
On his recent visit, he spent the day reconnecting to Country and even wrote a song in his hotel room the day after the event about one of his ancestors, Thomas Golden Brown.
"It’s a little song about him, which I’m definitely going to carry with me for a long time," he said.
One song was Windradyne which was released last year. This powerful track tells the story of the great Wiradjuri warrior who resisted colonial invasion in the 1800s.
Troy explained to me that he wrote the song in just 15 minutes after learning about Windradyne from his cousin and doing a deep dive into the history and legacy of the great warrior.
"I need to make sure more people in this country know his name," he said.
The song has struck a chord with audiences and the industry alike, winning Heritage Song of the Year at the recent Golden Guitar Awards in Tamworth.
But that was just the beginning of a massive night for Troy, who walked away with an incredible five awards, including Album of the Year, Americana Country Album of the Year, Male Artist of the Year, and Song of the Year for "Some Days." This brings his total to a record-breaking 45 Golden Guitar Awards throughout his career.
"It was a huge honour," says Troy, who received five out of six nominations.
"For Windradyne to receive an award and for me to thank my son, Clay, who sang on that song for me as well, I’m hugely proud."
Among the crowd celebrating Troy’s success was his wife, Laurel Edwards, who has been by his side from the very start of his career.
"I was always a little bit sort of shy.
"I didn’t really have much confidence, and I think Laurel helped bring a little bit of that out. That’s why I’m very lucky that she’s still in my life and that we’ve had a chance to do the whole journey together."
Tamworth wasn’t just about the awards. Troy’s new documentary, A Journey Between the Fires, also had an advanced screening at the Tamworth Country Music Festival.
The documentary was filmed during the making of his latest album, Between the Fires, at his late mum’s house. It’s a deeply personal project that captures his healing journey through loss and grief.
"To share this with people, if they care to go and watch one person’s journey through sorry business and grief, was something I never thought I’d ever do. But I’m really, really proud of this little documentary."
Another significant moment this year was Troy’s performance at Yabun in Sydney on Survival Day.
While he’s no stranger to the festival, this year saw record crowds coming together to celebrate culture, resilience, and community.
"It’s an important day," Troy says.
"When you’re talking survival, you are talking about a very resilient mob of people, and it felt really wonderful to come down from the high of Tamworth to perform at Yabun in Sydney."
With such a big start to the year already, Troy isn’t slowing down anytime soon. His upcoming tour schedule is packed, with performances at Treaty Day Out, St Kilda Festival, and various gigs and festivals planned throughout the year.
Troy explains that touring is more than just music.
"I think it’s important for us as artists to leave a little bit of something, something more than just music. So, I bring the band in, we play for the kids.
"We encourage them to pursue music as a career, because some of these kids are really, really talented and they just need a little bit more encouragement.
"But we will be showing up at their school, and that will be just as big a highlight as playing these towns."
So what else does 2025 have in store for Troy Cassar-Daley? While he admits he might not be releasing any new music this year, his tour schedule and the release of his documentary will be keeping him busy.
Karla Grant, Lowanna Grant and her partner with Cassar Daley after his performance.
