It’s not everyday you get to sit under the stars on a property in Parkes listening to renowned Australian country music artist Bill Chambers singing with Parkes girl Raechel Whitchurch.
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But for a handful of residents, they took the opportunity to see the pair perform at a Heraghty Road property on Thursday night.
Raechel and Bill have a lot in common – both started their careers with family bands and both have been long-time family friends.
Bill also produced Raechel’s solo album, as well as her father’s – Steve Lee’s – hit song ‘I Like Guns’.
On Thursday, they kicked off their Central West tour with a house concert under the stars in Parkes and they couldn’t be happier with how it went.
“Thank you Parkes for being so amazing and supportive,” Raechel wrote on her Facebook page.
“First show of the tour was a ripper! My first ever house concert and it couldn't have been better.”
As the audience gathered for what was an intimate concert – with their camping chairs, picnic blankets and rugs around a small bonfire – Raechel and Bill kept them entertained with their latest and favourite songs, stories and jokes.
Among those in the audience was the Lees’ former neighbours from Broken Hill, who were passing through town on their way to Wagga.
“I’m loving this,” Bill said on Thursday night.
“This is the best gig I’ve done in years.
“Kasey had actually called me about her latest tour and she said to me ‘I’m going to Tassie’. I said to her ‘I can’t come, I’m playing with Raechel’.
“And I’m really happy to be here.”
The night ended with Raechel handing the mic over to her father and allowing him to jam with Bill for a couple of songs – including, of course, the song ‘I Like Guns’.
Interestingly Bill’s connection to Parkes goes beyond the Lees family to his touring days with the Dead Ringer Band about 27 years ago.
“This area – which included Parkes, Dubbo and Forbes – was the first area we toured outside of our area, Mt Gambier,” he said.
“Kasey was 14 years old – and it was her first tour – we had to bring her because she was a problem child getting into trouble, her school called us to tell us to take her otherwise they had no choice but to expel her.
“Our first night in Dubbo was a flop, the woman at one of the pubs clearly hadn’t heard of us but I think she felt sorry for us.
“We were that broke we couldn’t afford accommodation, we camped the night.
“We went to Parkes the next night and played at the Coachman Hotel and that was a great night.”
