Blake O'Connor isn't even 20 yet, but he's got an album under his belt and a truckload of confidence about his future in music.
The Port Macquarie teenager came into clear view in 2019 when he won the Toyota Starmaker of the Year title at the Tamworth Country Music Festival. This year he won Best New Talent at Tamworth, thanks to his debut album, Everything I Feel.
Besides catchy lyrics and bold stories, instrumentally it's way beyond a first album, full of riffs, pushing the boundaries into blues and rock 'n' roll.
O'Connor caught the ear of country music stars long before the rest of us. Adam Eckersley and his wife, Brooke McClymont, took him under their wing a few years ago. He spent much of 2019 as the opening act on the McClymonts "One Acoustic Night" tour, and lately has been cooking up some new tunes with them.
"Most of my last album I wrote in my bedroom by myself," he says. Now, he says, "I have some friends who asked to write some songs with me."
So he's been spending time with Eckersley and McClymont on their farm at Nabiac, as they pass the time while building a house.
O'Connor grew up listening to Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Charley Pride and Kenny Rogers, straight from his parents' vinyl collection. Nowadays, his listening tastes veer towards Ed Sheeran, Zac Brown and Chris Stapleton.
I listen to a lot of blues, everything from jazz to fusion to country, sometimes a little bit of pop. I drag inspiration from everywhere.
Blake O'Connor
"I listen to a lot of blues, everything from jazz to fusion to country, sometimes a little bit of pop," he says.
"I drag inspiration from everywhere."
His debut album includes a cover of If You Wanna Get to Heaven, from the Ozark Mountain Daredevils debut album in 1973.
Above all, O'Connor has a bold voice. He projects poise and strength from the first note. He's pretty handy on the guitar, too, boasting a 1966 Gibson ES 330 as his electric guitar of choice, with a Maton Dreadnought for his acoustic needs.
If another clue about his commitment to music was needed, he is a guitar collector, with 17 of them to his name so far. He bought that Gibson in Nashville last year, making his own dream come true.
"It sounds good, and looks cool," he says.
Other than figuring out how he's going to get around, since he's had to return the Toyota RAV he got to use for a year after winning Starmaker, O'Connor been concentrating on writing more new music.
"I'm just writing songs, going down that country blues route," he says. "The most important part of the song is the lyric ... I build the music around that and try to serve the song."
His plans for 2020 include a trip to Nashville - for two months - and maybe recording another album - but not necessarily in Nashville.
His trip to Nashville last year left a big impression; visiting guitar shops, meeting people, talking music with all sorts.
What's his goal this time? "I'll be playing songwriters rounds, building a connection. "I've got some friends there. I'll hang out with like-minded people. There's only so many country music people here at Port Mac on the beach ..."
Of course, he wouldn't have it any other way.
"Outside of music, i don't have a life," he says.
"I used to play rugby league for seven years. I stopped playing footy. I stopped going to school. Music is just the priority for me ... It's not a decision I made, I just follow what i enjoy doing."
Can he make a career of out music, time will tell.
"I don't see any plans in stopping any time soon," he says. "I just keep playing, keep gigging, writing songs and making music."
His year is about to heat up.
