A dinner party in the Blue Mountains led to Canberra musician CJ Shaw collaborating with in-demand LA-based Australian composer Allyson Newman on his latest single Lonely Road, which is released on Friday.
CJ wrote the song, about the often lonely journey of a jobbing musician, in 2008. But that chance meeting with Newman when she was back in Australia during Hollywood's COVID lockdown, brought a whole new musical perspective to the song.
Newman writes music for film and TV including The L-Word and the new Netflix series Partner Track. She and CJ got talking at that dinner party way back in 2020 and ended up agreeing to work together, not least after she heard CJ had been nominated for an ARIA Music Teacher Award and been informed of his nomination by none other than Jimmy Barnes.
"She was quite taken by the story of Barnesy, she's a massive Cold Chisel fan," CJ said.
"I speak to her regularly and get the impression she has five more Netflix series or on the go. So to actually sneak into her schedule is a beautiful coincidence.
The video to the song was filmed at Michelago railway station, the Canberra Railway Museum and the hauntingly beautiful Monaro plains, members of the Canberra Symphony Orchestra performing Allyson's score on the recording.
"It was quite magical to hear it all come to life," he said.
The video, featuring CJ in a 1974 train conductor's uniform, was a chance for the history buff and train enthusiast to indulge his passions in places such as the heritage station.
"It's living, breathing history," he said.
Lonely Road is included on CJ's best-of album All Sorts. His other music has been more directed to children, including the hugely popular ANZAC Biscuits and Ain't Many Like Lennie.
The video has a hopeful ending, just as CJ found himself as a young musician writing Lonely Road 14 years ago while also working as a handyman in Melbourne.
"The video clip really ties it all together. You know, satisfaction essentially can be found, if you find a family or you find meaning away from it all," he said.
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