Three things with Troy Cassar-Daley: ‘Johnny Cash wanted to strum my guitar before he signed it’
Troy Cassar-Daley is one of Australia’s biggest and busiest names in country music. With a career that has spanned three decades, the Gumbaynggirr/Bundjalung man has released 13 studio albums, picked up five Arias and been honoured with 40 Golden Guitar awards – the prizes handed out each year at the Tamworth country music festival.
Cassar-Daley’s most prized possession is a guitar he had signed by country supergroup the Highwaymen on a tour many moons ago. Here CassarDaley shares the story of that priceless instrument, as well as two useful tools of the trade – one highly specialised, the other wonderfully everyday.
What I’d save from my house in a fire
A Takamine acousticguitar I keep in the corner of my living room. I got it years ago in Tamworth when I could first afford a decent guitar. In the mid-90s I toured with the Highwaymen – Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson, Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings.
I got them all to sign the guitar and, every time I look at it, I almost hear the songs. Johnny Cash was so humble and genuine – he wanted to strum my old Takamine before he signed it and he just felt like someone I’ve known for ages.
When I bought the guitar I thought, wow, this is the best sound I’ve ever had. I didn’t know it would go on to become such a cherished item. It’s a big source of inspiration to me when I write new music. So, God forbid, if there was a bloody fire, I really would grab it!
My most useful object
I don’t write on computers – I’m still analogue, especially when I’m writing lyrics. Because I take such a lot of pride in my lyrics, and because there’s so much chopping and changing during the writing process, I consider a clutch pencil I’ve had for 20 years the most useful, amazing thing.
Clutch pencils were a thing in the 80s and early 90s when people were sick of sharpening pencils. It’s a lead pencil with a clicker and, as they dull, you just keep clicking the button and a new little piece of lead comes out. They’re an endless pencil, basically. And they’ve got a handy rubber on the other end so I can rub out any lyrics I don’t like.
This particular one was given to me by a mate of mine, Steve Dorff, at Capitol Studios in LA many years ago where we were cutting our record. I would just cry if I lost it.
The item I most regret losing
A while back, I’d gotten a whole bunch of new gear from Shure, the people who make microphones and headphones. And I had this incredible set of in-ear monitors, which you use to hear yourself singing when you’re on stage. I was carrying them in my pocket and I lost them somewhere between soundcheck and my motel room in Tasmania. I should have put them in my guitar case to keep them safe but I didn’t and I’ve never forgiven myself for that.
I’ll tell you what, the second set that I bought, I treated like a brand new set of sunglasses. I’ve got a special place that I keep them, and I never put them anywhere else.
• Troy Cassar-Daley’s new album, Between the Fires, is out now on Sony Music Australia