Paul Kelly

Paul Kelly is an acclaimed Australian singer-songwriter and guitarist whose work spans folk, rock, and country genres, celebrated for his poetic lyrics and storytelling. After recording the critically acclaimed self-funded album ‘Post’ in 1985, Paul Kelly went on to form Paul Kelly and the Coloured Girls, later renamed Paul Kelly and the Messengers for international releases in 1987. This period yielded significant chart success, with singles like ‘To Her Door’ (1987) peaking at No. 14 on the Australian singles chart and ‘Darling It Hurts’ (1987) reaching No.

Following the disbandment of The Messengers in 1991, Kelly embarked on a prolific solo career. His compilation album, ‘Songs from the South: Paul Kelly’s Greatest Hits’ (1997), achieved substantial commercial success, leading to his induction into the ARIA Hall of Fame and an ARIA Award for ‘Best Male Artist’ in the same year. He composed film and television scores in the 1990s and 2000s, including ‘Lantana’ and ‘One Night the Moon’ (2001). He also authored ‘Don’t Start Me Talking’ (1999) and released albums including ‘Smoke’ (1999) and Stardust Five’s self-titled debut (2006).

He released a book and song inspired by cricketer Usman Khawaja in 2023, the same year as his induction into the South Australian Music Awards Hall of Fame. His album ‘Fever Longing Still’ (2024) was released alongside the film adaptation of his acclaimed memoir ‘How to Make Gravy’. Kelly has announced a new album, ‘Seventy’, and the single ‘Rita Wrote a Letter’ for release in 2025, further showcasing his enduring impact.