'Forget about dating apps, have a chat at the Muster'

Gympie Muster ambassador Troy Cassar-Daley celebrates 25 years of love and music at Amamoor as 37th annual event kicks off today.

Troy Cassar-Daley is this year's Gympie Music Muster Ambassador.

GYMPIE Music Muster ambassador Troy Cassar-Daley is celebrating an important milestone this weekend.

It's been 25 years since the country music legend met his wife Laurel Edwards at the four-day festival, which has hosted its fair share of proposals and weddings over the years.

"The Muster, for me, is a big reflection this year," he says.

"I encourage people to forget about those dating apps and go up and have a chat with someone at the Muster. A lot of people like myself have met life-long partners up there.

Troy Cassar-Daley and Laurel Edwards.

"I love history, so I love to look back at how things start. Even when I was first going to Tamworth I'd heard about this Gympie Muster and I put it on my list of things to do one day in my career. I got there in 1992 and I've loved every minute up there since.

"I remember playing someone's wedding up on the hill. They were using one of my songs as their wedding theme and the message got back to me. I said 'I'll pop up' and I sang the song live for them. That to me is the biggest memory you can make."

Cassar-Daley plans to dust off some older songs for his headlining set on Saturday night.

"The main stage is always my highlight, looking out into the crowd on a Friday or Saturday night," he says.

Troy Cassar-Daley had all the lights on the hill in his tribute to Slim Dusty at the 2015 Gympie music muster Photo Jason Dougherty / Gympie Times. Picture: Jason Dougherty

"I've been rehearsing with my band and we've dragged some really old things out, things I haven't played for 15 years. I've got a greatest hits coming out this year, so it's time to share these songs and the best first place to play it is Gympie."

He's also playing alongside guitar legends Albert Lee and Ian Moss at the Vox Guitar Jam in the Blues Bar.

"I've got to sharpen up my guitar playing," he says.

"When it comes down to (Fender) Telecaster playing, Albert was one of the original blokes who invented chicken pickin'. People put it down to people in Nashville but it was this English guy who came out and was playing with Emmylou Harris. He's been a hero to many here in Australia and I know a lot of people looking forward to seeing him."

Troy Cassar-Daley plans to release a greatest hits album later this year. Picture: Contributed

Cassar-Daley plans to take his 17-year-old daughter Jem on the road with him next year for his greatest hits tour. It's an exciting development for the proud dad.

"She plays piano and sings. She's got a gap year coming up so I thought what better way to see the countryside. Forget Europe, why don't you see our country first? She'll get to see the audiences I get to play to every year. That's something you can't learn at university," he says.

"I never thought I'd say I'll be doing that with my daughter. I love the stuff Slim Dusty did with his daughter. It always inspired me when they got to do family stuff together. They were the epitome of a musical family. To do a bit of that with my daughter excites me a lot."

Troy Cassar-Daley performs on the Gympie Muster Main Stage at 6.35pm on Saturday. He's also performing in the Vox Guitar Jam in the Blues Bar on the same day at 2.30pm.