Lee Kernaghan OAM (born 15 April 1964) is an Australian country music singer, songwriter and guitarist. Kernaghan has won four ARIA Awards and three APRA Awards, and has sold over two million albums, and as of 2021, has won 38 Golden Guitars at the Country Music Awards of Australia.
He was the 2008 Australian of the Year, in recognition of his support for rural and regional Australia. Kernaghan was the recipient of the Outstanding Achievement Award at the 2015 ARIA Awards, for Spirit of the Anzacs.
Biography
1965–1990: Early years
Lee Kernaghan was born on 15 April 1964 in Corryong, Victoria and is the son of country music singer and truck driver Ray Kernaghan. Lee spent his formative years growing up in Albury New South Wales. His grandfather was a third generation drover of sheep and cattle.
In 1986, Kernaghan traveled to the United States to represent Australia at the Nashville 'Fan Fair' country music festival.
1990s
In 1992, Kernaghan released "Boys from the Bush" which became his first number one on the country chart. The song peaked at number 130 on the ARIA Chart. Kernaghan said "When Garth (Porter) and I first wrote 'Boys from the Bush' I had no idea it would ever be a hit. It was just a song about me and my mates, working on the land, going to the pub and tearing around in utes. I didn't think anyone would be that interested in us...
