Songwriter Andrew Farriss has been honoured in the revered Australia Day Honours List for 2020 — appointed a Member (AM) in the General Division of The Order of Australia for his significant service to the performing arts as a musician, composer and producer.
This includes 12 studio albums with INXS and 62 singles, collaborations with artists including Jenny Morris, Tania Kernaghan and Yothu Yindi to name a few, and his recent solo works, of which his debut solo album will be released in May 2020. Farriss extends his appreciation for all the support he has received throughout his career. “Thank you to everyone for embracing my new country music. I really appreciate the people who submitted me for this honour – I feel a very proud Australian, very grateful and humbled,” Farriss says.
Farriss AM needs little introduction to all music fans. As the main songwriter and a founding member for international icons INXS, Farriss has shared success of more than 50 million records, Grammy nominations and an induction into the ARIA Hall Of Fame. Outside of INXS, he is revered in industry circles for his songwriting nuance, having written, produced and performed music for numerous artists. His focus on the music – regardless of genre – saw him inducted into the Australian Songwriter’s Hall Of Fame. In recent years, he has been co-writing with some of the biggest names in Nashville, including the likes of Grammy-award winning songwriters Gordon Kennedy and Paul Overstreet, just to name a few. The release of his first country single Come Midnight late last year gave an insight into a musical direction that was all about the songwriting and music.
Embodying an old-school country vibe was fitting for an artist who has been living on the land for more than two decades, running a functioning cattle and grain farm. Andrew’s latest single continues the storytelling ethos that will be showcased in his self-titled release. Good Momma Bad draws you in with its funky instrumentation, aptly demonstrating why Andrew is considered one of Australia’s most formidable songwriters – for any genre.
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