Troy Cassar-Daley invites you to escape into music at country festival

By Jay Bryce

Mar 23, 2023

On his way: Troy Cassar-Daley will be performing in Shepparton on April 1.

The highly successful Goulburn Valley Country Music Festival returns to the Shepparton Showgrounds on Saturday, April 1, this time with an all-star cast including headliners Troy Cassar-Daley, Kasey Chambers and the Wolfe Brothers.

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The festival will celebrate all things country, and in addition to the performances will have food trucks, smokehouse barbecues, rides, bars, market stalls, face painting, free-style motocross and line dancing.

Running it back: Last year’s festival. Photo by Caitlyn Grant

Mr Cassar-Daley said any time he performed at a new festival it was a great experience, and that he was looking forward to giving the audience an upbeat and country-rock filled show.

“To be honest, we never really get a chance to hang out, it’s always get there, get to the motel, go to the show, and then leaving,” he said.

“This time I should have about half a day to hang out, have a yarn and meet some new people, which is always a great time.”

The festival is bringing back the ‘local country showcase’, giving local artists a chance to perform alongside industry legends.

Mr Cassar-Daley said when he toured he liked the chance to work with local artists, and that although the new generation’s style and influences were very different, he always clicked with them.

“Nurturing the next generation is vital,” he said.

“I’m always open to new sounds and I can often learn from them, and I’d definitely like the chance to write with some of them, I think that would be a lot of fun.”

Mr Cassar-Daley has come off a tough few years.

In 2019 he lost a close friend and his father to suicide, and last year lost his mother.

“I wrote a record that was so sad and depressing I’m surprised anyone even listened to it,” Mr Cassar-Daley said.

“I grew up in a time when all men had to be stoic and show no emotion, so I had to be dragged basically kicking and screaming to counselling, but once I was there it was really helpful.

“I now feel like I’m writing better, it helped me know myself and unlocked a lot of childhood stuff.”

Mr Cassar-Daley could not say enough positive things about the rest of the line-up, particularly Ms Chambers, whom he labelled an artist “at the top of her game”.

“If music is your great escape, come escape into it with me. I’ve found a lot of light in it, and I will never take music or what I do for granted ever again,” Mr Cassar-Daley said.

For more information about the event, line-up, local showcase and tickets, visit https://www.goulburnvalleycountrymusicfestival.com.au/