MIKE McCLELLAN

When "Song and Danceman" was released in 1974 Mike McClellan was already an established performer on the acoustic music scene. That song was to bring him national recognition and a following that has remained loyal to his highly personal brand of music for over 25 years.

For those who had already experienced his talent his first hit single did no more than reinforce what they already knew: that he was one of the best songwriters to emerge from this country in many years and among its most accomplished singer/guitarists.

He had began performing in the mid 60’s and released his first album, titled simply "Mike McClellan", in 1972. It was regarded as one of the most auspicious debut albums from any writer/singer of his era. He toured extensively for the next 2 years playing the songs from that first album and previewing the material that would make up his breakthrough record.

His second album. "Ask Any Dancer" went Gold and "Song and Danceman" was voted Song of the Year at the Annual Music Industry Awards in February 1975. It hardly needs repeating that the song has become an Australian classic having been recorded many times, both here and overseas.

Tours with such performers as Roger Miller, Melanie, Dr. Hook, The Hollies and Leo Kottke expanded his audience even further and he earned rave reviews for his capacity to hold his own in the company of such internationally recognised stars.

That recognition took a giant leap forward when Rick Nelson recorded one of his most acclaimed songs, "Rock’n Roll Lady", in 1975 and John Farnham covered "Saturday Dance".

1976 saw the release of what many regard as his finest album of the 70’s - "Until the Song is Done". "The Gamble" shot to the top of the country charts and "Lovers Never Wind up Friends" and "Midnight Flight" were covered overseas.

It was inevitable that he would record a live album. For alone on stage with just a guitar there was a magic that couldn’t be easily captured in the studio. "An Evening With Mike McClellan" was released in 1978 and included some of his most requested concert tunes, among them several brilliant demonstrations of his unique guitar playing.

1979 saw him compering his first television series "National Star Quest" which lead to his being asked to take over the highly successful ABC program "Country Road". Within a year it became "Mike McClellan’s Country Music" and he continued to present the show for a further 3 years.

1980 marked a change in direction. He parted company with EMI and, working with Harry Vanda and George Young of the Easybeats, released "Laughing in the Dark" on the Albert’s label. It became his second gold album on the strength of the single "The One I Love". One of his most requested songs, it joined the growing list of McClellan classics.

1982 took him overseas to the UK and America. He was away for 12 months, gathering enthusiastic reviews wherever he played and establishing valuable contact with international publishers.

His return to Australia in 1983 was to become a watershed. Weary of the constant travelling he committed himself to building a reputation in the advertising industry for which he had occasionally been writing as a freelancer . Success came quickly. Firstly with Mojo, then an agency in partnership with others and finally his own company, Hooks, Lines and Thinkers.

He released an album of new songs in 1990. "The Heartland" is considered by many who know his work as his finest work and marked a return to the EMI label with whom he had his initial success.

1998 was another auspicious year in his long career for it marked the release of his first single for Warner Music. But the three songs it contained were a little different to past McClellan discs. They were tributes to three great Australian sportsmen, Mark Taylor, the then recently retired Aussie cricket captain, Sir Donald Bradman, and David Campese, often called "the Bradman of Rugby."

2001 sees the release of a comprehensive retrospective of his recording career. Personally chosen and carefully remastered from the original tapes "Time. And Time Again." is a double CD containing more than 30 of his best songs. Among them he has re-recorded two from his very first album. A third track, "New York City Blues", is a never before released gem that was recorded during the sessions for "The Heartland" CD. There will also be a CD of new songs in 2002 — an eagerly awaited event for all those who have wondered why he hasn’t released some of the songs he has been playing in his all too infrequent concerts over the last few years.

As a performer he just seems to get better with time and it is a tribute to his talent that many in his audiences have been coming to see him sing for over 30 years. For he is, in every sense of the word, a communicator. He writes from the heart. And with new releases on the horizon he’s stepping back into the spotlight again. But that’s just as it should be, for in the words of one of his classic songs, "life’s just taking chances..."