Nerida’s strength and stories in Dubbo
GROWING up in the big smoke, folk singer-songwriter Nerida Cuddy always dreamed of the bush.
The Central West and western districts are her inspiration, with her current tour touching on universal tales of hardship, resilience, and both the beauty and dangers of our unique region.
“I love it here… I grew-up in Sydney, and then when I was 17, I moved to Bourke and I never went back,” she enthused.
“I told my dad, ‘I’m going to live in the country when I grow up’; I knew I wanted to be here,” she added.
Her inspirations are some of the industry’s greats, but she walks her own path with her songs.
“My influences are Joni Mitchell, the Indigo Girls, Australian performer Archie Roach, Shane Howard from Goanna, and James Taylor, he’s definitely my favourite,” Nerida explained.
“I do some covers, but I generally perform my own original folk, some ballads, but also lively and fun songs on a range of bush-themed topics.”
Her lyrics explore the nature of life in the country, the triumphs and challenges, hardships and heroism. The tour is called ‘Strength of Stories’, with the songs telling stories of rural lives and landscapes, she reveals.
“Although the concert won’t get people up and dancing, it’s sure to get them laughing, wondering, reflecting, possibly a tear or two, and hopefully singing along at times; though that is strictly optional,” she adds.
“I’m revisiting the ‘red dirt country’, as I call it, because it played a big role in my young adult life and in my growing into a songwriter.”
Her work as a music teacher at the flood-hit township of Eugowra has also inspired one of her favourite tunes, she explains.
“I’m a music teacher at St Joey’s at Eugowra, one of the schools destroyed by the floods, and this song is about the effect of that on everyone,” Nerida recalled.
“I actually had the kids in my class help write the lyrics to the song, which was performed on (ABC TV show) Back Roads recently.”
Her concerts, which also take in towns like Coonabarabran, Bourke, and Coonamble, is also a way of thanking and acknowledging people in the bush, for all they given her over the years.
“This tour is about having a great time together with songs that people can relate to; it will make you laugh and make you cry,” Nerida said.
“It’s also about enjoying performing for people in the country, the place I call home.”
Nerida is bringing her unique folk-country style to the Black Box Theatre at the Western Plains Cultural Centre tonight, Thursday, March 14, from 7pm.