Lee Kernaghan OAM (born 15 April 1964) is an Australian country music singer, songwriter and guitarist. Kernaghan has won four ARIA Awards and three APRA Awards, and has sold over two million albums, and as of 2021, has won 38 Golden Guitars at the Country Music Awards of Australia.
He was the 2008 Australian of the Year, in recognition of his support for rural and regional Australia.
In 1986, Kernaghan traveled to the United States to represent Australia at the Nashville 'Fan Fair' country music festival.
1990s
In 1992, Kernaghan released "Boys from the Bush" which became his first number one on the country chart. Kernaghan said "When Garth (Porter) and I first wrote 'Boys from the Bush' I had no idea it would ever be a hit. It was just a song about me and my mates, working on the land, going to the pub and tearing around in utes. I didn't think anyone would be that interested in us... we were just kids from the bush but Garth said 'this record (The Outback Club) has to be about your life and where you come from so we wrote that song and several others and before long I had a band and we were out on the road performing them live." The power of the letters affected Kernaghan deeply and the experience at the Australian War Memorial that day was the catalyst that saw these letters put to music in what would become the Spirit of the Anzacs (album) in March 2015. Upon release, the album peaked at number 1 on the ARIA charts, becoming Kernaghan's first chart topper. It was the highest selling Australian artist album for 2015.
2015 also saw the release of Kernaghan's first book, The Boy from the Bush, These Are My Songs, These Are My Stories.
In March 2017, Kernaghan released his fourteenth studio album, The 25th Anniversary Album. The album peaked at number 2 on the ARIA chart.
2020s
In 2022 Kernaghan is set to celebrate his 30th anniversary as an artist. In January 2022, he released a 3-CD greatest hits collection titled The Very Best of Lee Kernaghan: Three Decades of Hits on 14 January 2022 which peaked at number 17 on the ARIA charts.
Personal life
During July 2015, Kernaghan's music was played at anti-Islam rallies in Australia, without his permission. He responded that the use of his work should be "consistent with – and respectful of, the memory of ... [soldiers who] laid down their lives for the freedoms we have today."
Business ventures
For several years, Kernaghan owned the historic Great Western Hotel in Rockhampton, Queensland, after buying the pub in 2003 when it was placed into receivership after a downturn in trade and public liability concerns. Kernaghan has described the time during which he owned the Great Western Hotel as one of the greatest periods of his life.
Discography
Studio albums
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1"
|-
! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:17em;"| Title
! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:18em;"| Album details
! scope="col" colspan="1"| Peak chart positions
! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Certifications
|-
! scope="col" style="width:3.7em;font-size:90%;"| AUS<br />
|-
! scope="row"| The Outback Club
|
- Release date: 4 May 1992
- Label: ABC Music (512 336-2)
| 58
|
- ARIA: 2× Platinum
|-
! scope="row"| Three Chain Road
|
- Release date: August 1993
- Label: ABC Music (518 304-2)
| 35
|
- ARIA: 2× Platinum
|-
! scope="row"| 1959
|
- Release date: July 1995
- Label: ABC Music (479809-2)
| 9
|
- ARIA: Platinum
|-
! scope="row"| Hat Town
|
- Release date: February 1998
- Label: ABC Music (493846-2)
| 7
|
- ARIA: Platinum
|-
! scope="row"| The Christmas Album
|
- Release date: 23 November 1998
- Label: ABC Music (498040-2)
| 31
|
|-
! scope="row"| Rules of the Road
|
- Release date: January 2000
- Label: ABC Music (524618-2)
| 16
|
- ARIA: Gold
|-
! scope="row"| Electric Rodeo
|
- Release date: July 2002
- Label: ABC Music (1243-2)
| 5
|
- ARIA: Platinum
|-
! scope="row"| The New Bush
|
- Release date: May 2006
- Label: ABC Music (5101-13104-2)
| 6
|
- ARIA: Platinum
|-
! scope="row"| Planet Country
|
- Release date: November 2009
- Label: ABC Music (8000288)
| 13
|
- ARIA: Gold
|-
! scope="row"| The 25th Anniversary Album
|
- Release date: 24 March 2017
- Label: ABC Music (LEE9898)
| 2
|
|-
! scope="row"| Backroad Nation
|
- Release date: 10 May 2019
- Label: ABC Music (7760261)
| 3
|
|}
Collaboration albums
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1"
|-
! scope="col" style="width:17em;"| Title
! scope="col" style="width:18em;"| Album details
|-
! scope="row"| Family Tradition <br /> (with Ray Kernaghan)
|
- Release date: 1985
- Label: KCR (KCR 009)
|}
Live albums
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1"
|-
! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:17em;"| Title
! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:18em;"| Album details
! scope="col" colspan="1"| Peak chart positions
|-
! scope="col" style="width:3.7em;font-size:90%;"| AUS<br />
|-
! scope="row"| Live at the Deni Ute Muster
|
- Release date: 15 April 2022
- Label: ABC (ABCC0016)
| 53
|}
Compilation albums
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1"
|-
! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:17em;"| Title
! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:18em;"| Album details
! scope="col" colspan="1"| Peak chart positions
! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Certifications
|-
! scope="col" style="width:3.7em;font-size:90%;"| AUS<br />
|-
! scope="row"| The Very Best of Lee Kernaghan: Three Decades of Hits
|
- Release date: 14 January 2022
- Label: ABC Music (ABCC0012)
| 17
|
|}
Video albums
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1"
|-
! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:17em;"| Title
! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:18em;"| Album details
! scope="col" colspan="1"| Peak chart positions
! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Certifications
|-
! scope="col" style="width:3.7em;font-size:90%;"| AUS<br>DVD<br />
|-
! scope="row"| Access All Areas
|
- Release date: June 2004
- Label: ABC Country (1391-9)
| 8
|
- ARIA: Gold
|}
Charting singles
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1"
|+Charting singles in the top 200
|-
! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Title
! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Year
! scope="col" colspan="1"| Peak chart positions
! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:15em;"| Album
|-
! scope="col" style="width:3.7em;font-size:90%;"| AUS<br />
|-
! scope="row"| "Boys from the Bush"
| rowspan="2"| 1993
| 130
| rowspan="2"| The Outback Club
|-
! scope="row"| "She's My Ute"
| 156
|-
! scope="row"| "Save This Land" <br />
| rowspan="1"| 1994
| 105
|
|-
! scope="row"| "Country Crowd"
| rowspan="1"| 1995
| 130
| 1959
|-
! scope="row"| "This Is the Outback"
| rowspan="1"| 1997
| 84
|
|-
! scope="row"| "Missin' Slim" <br />
| rowspan="1"| 2004
| 49
|
|-
! scope="row"| "Spirit of the Bush" <br />
| 2007
| 11
| Spirit of the Bush
|-
! scope="row"| "Beautiful Noise"
| rowspan="1"| 2012
| 187
| Beautiful Noise
|-
! scope="row"| "Spirit of the Anzacs" <br />
| 2015
| 32
| Spirit of the Anzacs
|}
Awards and nominations
Kernaghan received the Order of Australia Medal in 2004.
In 2008, he was Australian of the Year, in recognition for his support of rural and regional Australia; his 'Pass the Hat Around' tours have raised more than a million dollars for rural communities during a challenging period of drought. He was presented with the award by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.
AIR Awards
The Australian Independent Record Awards (commonly known informally as AIR Awards) is an annual awards night to recognise, promote and celebrate the success of Australia's Independent Music sector.
|-
| 2013
|Beautiful Noise
| Best Independent Country Album
|
|-
| 2018
|The 25th Anniversary Album
| Best Independent Country Album
|
|-
| 2020
|Backroad Nation
| Best Independent Country Album
|
|-
ARIA Music Awards
The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music. Kernaghan has won two awards from 14 nominations. Plus, he received the Outstanding Achievement Award in 2015.
|-
| 1993
| The Outback Club
| rowspan="10"| Best Country Album
|
|-
| 1994
| Three Chain Road
|
|-
| 1995
| Country Crowd
|
|-
| 1996
| 1959
|
|-
| 2000
| Rules of the Road
|
|-
| 2002
| Electric Rodeo
|
|-
| 2006
| The New Bush
|
|-
| 2010
| Planet Country
|
|-
| 2013
| Beautiful Noise
|
|-
| rowspan="4"| 2015
| Spirit of the Anzacs
|
|-
| "Spirit of the Anzacs" (directed by Duncan Toombs)
| rowspan="1"| Best Video
|
|-
| Garth Porter forSpirit of the Anzacs
| rowspan="1"| Producer of the Year
|
|-
| Spirit of the Anzacs
| rowspan="1"| Outstanding Achievement Award
|
|-
| 2017
| The 25th Anniversary Album
| rowspan="2"| Best Country Album
|
|-
| 2019
| Backroad Nation
|
|-
APRA Awards
The APRA Awards are held in Australia and New Zealand by the Australasian Performing Right Association to recognise songwriting skills, sales and airplay performance by its members annually. Kernaghan has won four awards from nine nominations.
|-
| 1993
| "Boys from the Bush"
| Country Song of the Year
|
|-
| 1996
| "1959"
| Most Performed Country Work
|
|-
| 1999
| "Hat Town"
| Most Performed Country Work
|
|-
| 2004
| "Way It Is"
| Most Performed Country Work
|
|-
| 2007
| "New Bush"
| Most Performed Country Work
|
|-
| 2008
| "Spirit of the Bush" <small>(featuring Adam Brand and Steve Forde)</small>
| Most Performed Country Work
|
|-
| 2011
| "Planet Country"
| Country Work of the Year
|
|-
| 2014
| "Flying with the King"
| Country Work of the Year
|
|-
| 2020
| "Backroad Nation"
| Most Performed Country Work of the Year
|
|-
Australian Roll of Renown
The Australian Roll of Renown honours Australian and New Zealander musicians who have shaped the music industry by making a significant and lasting contribution to Country Music. It was inaugurated in 1976 and the inductee is announced at the Country Music Awards of Australia in Tamworth in January.
|-
| 2015
| Lee Kernaghan
| Australian Roll of Renown
|
Country Music Awards (CMAA)
The Country Music Awards of Australia (CMAA) (also known as the Golden Guitar Awards) is an annual awards night held in January during the Tamworth Country Music Festival, celebrating recording excellence in the Australian country music industry. They have been held annually since 1973. Kernaghan has won thirty-eight Golden Guitar awards at the Tamworth Country Music Awards of Australia.
(wins only)
|-
|rowspan="2"| 1992
| Lee Kernaghan
| Country Performer of the Year
|
|-
| Lee Kernaghan
| Male Country Entertainer of the Year
|
|-
|rowspan="2"| 1993
| Lee Kernaghan
| Country Performer of the Year
|
|-
| Lee Kernaghan
| Male Country Entertainer of the Year
|
|-
| 1994
| Lee Kernaghan
| Male Country Entertainer of the Year
|
|-
Music for a New Generation Awards
The Music For A New Generation Awards are run by the Planet Country with Big Stu & MJ radio program and celebrate crossover country artist efforts each year. The awards have featured fan voting since 2016.
|-
| 2015
| Himself
| Australian Male Artist of The Year
|
|-
| 2017
| Himself
| Australian Male Artist of The Year
|
|-
Tamworth Songwriters Awards
The Tamworth Songwriters Association (TSA) is an annual songwriting contest for original country songs, awarded in January at the Tamworth Country Music Festival. They commenced in 1986. Lee Kernaghan has won three awards in that time.
(wins only)
|-
|rowspan="2"| 1993
|rowspan="2"| "Boys from the Bush" by Lee Kernaghan and Garth Porter
| Contemporary Country Song of the Year
|
|-
| Country Song of the Year
|
|-
| 1996
| "1959" by Lee Kernaghan
| Contemporary Country Song of the Year
|
|-