ARIA inducts Kasey Chambers into the Hall of Fame
30 November 18
Kelly spoke of the “high waters’ and “hidden lakes” that run through Kasey to create her songs. At age 42, she became the youngest inductee even into the ARIA Hall of Fame.
The Paul Kelly poem:
“When I first saw you Kasey
You were singing in a tent
To some muddy bearded bikers
Against a pole I lent
You were singing Cripple Creek
I lent closer, getting chills
Your voice as old as sunshine
Older than the hills
You wore a long black dress of lace
And you had those bikers cold
Here’s a good long tale I thought
Ready to unfold
When we first hung out Kasey
It was in a basement bar
A lock-in after curfew
Passing round the guitar
Lefty, Slim and Hank we sang,
Gram Parsons and George Jones
The Stanley Brothers, the Lubin Brothers
Those songs were in your bones
The first song we recorded Kasey was your song
I Still Pray
That real deal old time country
Has always lent your way
Now that real deal old time country
Has never been one thing
Its blues and holler
Its high and lonesome
Gut bucket and an angels wing
Those waters all run through you Kasey
High waters, hidden lakes
And your songs keep pouring from you
Just like a levy breaks
And all those fires burn fierce in you
Kasey, they’ll never call you tame
That is why you live right here
In my own Hall of Fame.
