Lachlan River Blues, my new album with the award winning song “Jesus the Railway Man” has been released on Bandcamp (really, the best source of quality digital downloads) in 2023.

In 2021 two albums of original songs – Lunchtime at La Cantina and Mostly Smoke and Mirrors, were released.

Mostly Smoke and Mirrors is my first ‘full-on’ country album. Though my other albums are based in country music, Mostly Smoke and Mirrors is an immediately identifiable country album! I really wanted to write an album of songs that reflected music I listened to growing up.

Earlier album’s It’s Alright, Rough Landing, Just This Side of Here and Postcards from the Heart have been very well received.

I’m originally from a small town in the Central West of New South Wales, a state in Australia. Like many ‘small town’ people I moved to the city many years ago In my songwriting I use my home town/country themes to explore aspects of my and others experiences. I like to tell a ‘full’ story in my songs.

My influences are the early blues (pre-war) and country artists such as Jimmie Rodgers, Doc Watson, Guy Clark and Townes Van Zandt. Perhaps a bigger influence though in terms of my lyrics is the Australian poet and short story writer Henry Lawson (1867-1922). I endeavour to present a social realism in my songs coupled with some philosophical reflections on the ‘human condition’.

In my performances I often include old blues and country material along with my own songs. I use a Travis finger-picking style on guitar along with ‘rack’ harmonica.

I’ve supported local Sydney acts like Jim Conway’s Big Wheel and international acts such as Kristina Olsen, John McCutcheon and Peter Rowan and his Bluegrass Band. I don’t perform as often as I used to, being content these days to focus more on my songwriting.

My band The Open Hearted Strangers, performed at Tamworth Country Music Festival and the National Blues Festival in Goulburn.

I’m a previous winner of the National Songwriters Competition in Tamworth (Australia) in the alt country section for my song “Stone To Sand” (on the album Postcards from the Heart). In 2022 I won the FOOM international song-writing competition with my song ‘Jesus the Railway Man’ from the Lachlan River Blues album.

To buy an actual real CD  – contact Spike at songspike@gmail.com (Australia only)

My album’s – download at iTunes, or Bandcamp (cheaper and better quality available than iTunes). Link for Bandcamp –  http://spikeflynn.bandcamp.com/