Winner of Australian Idol 2006 Damien Leith says he will definitely turn up to perform at the Glasshouse after two previously scheduled Port Macquarie concerts were cancelled.
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The multi ARIA winner, television presenter and author says he had no plans as to how he would shape his career when he won the fourth series of the talent show. “I had no forward thinking at all. I didn’t start making a plan until about two years after [I won], when things settled down.”
He says it’s been hard work, but he’s been very fortunate. “I have had good balance with my family life.” A former pharmacologist, Leith says he gets calls from musicians asking if they can take ibuprofen with another medication, but he has no intention of returning to that career path.
When I spoke with him in July, he had finished his third book only two days earlier. This one is a children’s story which was germinated from reading bedtime stories to his own kids Jarvis, Jagger and Kikki.
“The saying is ‘and if you want to find out what happens next, you have to wait ‘til tomorrow night’. My kids love it and they ask questions about the story. I really look forward to reading to them.”
Leith loves to write plays and says it was a natural progress to move on to stories. “I actually wrote my first novel before I was on Idol, but it probably would never have been published without my success on Idol.”
Just as with his books, his songwriting is steeped in personal experience. “I get inspiration from my family, friends and stories I’ve heard.
The success which followed Idol, and his own work ethic, have allowed him to build his own studio and to mentor up-and-coming acts. “I think its really important. You can take things for granted and forget how important it was back in the day to have someone guiding you.”
This tour is a celebration of the 10th anniversary of the the release of his first album The Winner’s Journey.
The Irish born performer says at the end of the day he feels most confident on stage with just his guitar. “When you’re standing there and someone shouts out a song, you don’t have to rely on the band knowing the song, you can just go with the flow and do what you want.”
One of the things he wanted to do, was pay tribute to Roy Orbison and he got that chance in spades. Leith actually worked with Barbara Orbison on his show Roy – A Tribute to Roy Orbison. “It was a wonderful experience, but sad as well. She had an entire career herself keeping his estate alive. But she died before the show came together.”
He will include some of Orbison’s songs in the show. “After 10 years and eight albums, this is like a best of,” he says. You will hear Nessum Dorma, Hallelujah, Catch the Wind, songs by John Denver, Donovan, Don McLean, and originals. He’s at the Glasshouse, November 4.
