It took Chalkie White nearly three decades to produce his debut album, but fans have lapped up the new songs.
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The album, My Song Isn’t Written Yet, entered the ARIA country chart at number four behind three international artists, making it the number one Australian country album.
It also earned its place at number 15 on the ARIA all-genre Australian albums chart.
White is no stranger to the Southern Highlands – he launched the album in Berrima two weeks ago and lived in Mittagong for many years.
The Crookwell singer-songwriter said he was shocked at how swiftly his debut had skyrocketed.
“I was getting dressed for my album launch at Young when I found out,” White said.
“My wife ran upstairs screaming. I thought someone had fallen. It was a surprise. I didn’t think we would find out until the Monday.”
White described it as an amazing and surreal experience. He hoped to push the album into the top 20, but was shocked to find it had reached further.
The singer-songwriter said he had a strong fan base, built up over his many decades of performing live and they poured their support into his first release which contributed to its great success.
“Honesty has got a lot to do with it,” White said.
“My life has always been an open book with my followers and I’ve had a long time to build a following, whether I intentionally was doing that, and for a lot of years, I wasn’t.”
White said he was not someone who could wake up and write a song everyday.
“I genuinely write about life experiences and true stories,” he said.
“They fell in love with Gingerbread Man and the first single, New Day.”
New Day, was a celebration of life and cherishing every day, inspired by White’s battle with cancer over the last two years.
Gingerbread Man came from the pen of US songwriter Vernon Rust and is about a man who continued to run from love and commitment.
White said his followers were happy to see him finally have an album out.
“I hadn’t been kicking many goals, until it was almost too late,” he said.
The success from My Song Isn’t Written Yet encouraged White to get more music out there.
He is currently co-writing a new album which he said had tripled his workload.
White was also nominated for the Independent Country Music Awards in Tamworth next year.
Voting will open to the public in May.
The country singer-songwriter now has a full calendar as he promotes the new album and celebrates his continued top 10 chart positions.
White launched his album at Berrima’s Surveyor General Inn on April 15 and has since toured across New South Wales which he described an insane experience.
“I have spent a lot of years playing other people’s songs. Now people are coming to hear my songs and they know every word,” White said.
White will return to the Southern Highlands on June 23 for an acoustic solo performance where he will accept audience requests for songs from My Song Isn’t Written Yet.
The performance will be held at the Royal Hotel in Bowral at 8.30pm.
This will be a free event and there is no need to book.