Our country music stars, O’Shea, make themselves at home in the US

This Australian country music duo may live in Tennessee, but they’ve not forgotten their roots.

Who Country music duo Mark and Jay O’Shea. Where Southern-style house in Tennessee, US, with daughters Finley, 11, and August, nine. Favourite thing Mark: “I’m holding my Cole Clark acoustic guitar. They are Melbourne-based and make some of the finest acoustic guitars on the planet. Inspiration Jay: “Modern farmhouse with a few eccentricities.” Home is Mark: “A safe haven for my head and heart”; Jay: “Board games, music, cooking, art with our girls.”

Local husband and wife country music stars Mark and Jay O'Shea have followed the footsteps of Keith Urban and made the move to Nashville.

Tennessee may be a world away from Queensland and South Australia, where Mark and his wife Jay O’Shea hail from, but the musicians feel right at home in the heart of country music in the United States. The couple, who recently toured with Tim McGraw and just released their fifth record, Neon Soul, are proud owners of a red brick home which Jay put an offer on before Mark had a chance to see it.

“Even though it was not in great shape, it had so much potential,” says Jay.

Mark recalls it differently: “ The previous owners had dogs that they kept in the basement. So the whole place stank. We replaced flooring, painted, completely renovated a bathroom, an office and two of the bedrooms.” With renovations complete, Jay says “we feel grateful every time we come home”.

Part of that gratitude is also owed to Mark’s current good health. He has congenital heart disease and underwent his first open heart surgery at just six months old. The O’Sheas are ambassadors of HeartKids which is holding its annual Two Feet and A Heartbeat walks across Australia on October 16. “HeartKids do such an incredible job of supporting families of kids with congenital heart defects. Having been born with one myself and had corrective surgery as an adult as well, I know first hand how important the work that they do is to Australian families.”

Words: Catherine Nikas-Boulos

Astronomy print of the stars

Mark: I bought this online for our 10th anniversary and thought it was one of my more romantic gifts. I was sure it was gonna be a home run, but it was received with a lukewarm ‘gee thanks’.

Golden Guitars … better than diamonds

Jay: I’d take a Golden Guitar over a diamond any day of the week. They’re not actually made of gold, although we don’t tell our American friends that.

Mark barely had the strength to use an electric toothbrush after major heart surgery.

Mark: This is my daughter’s but every time I see an electric toothbrush, it reminds me of my most recent open heart surgery. When I was back at home about nine days after surgery, and I couldn’t muster the strength in my fingers to push the button.

Coffee table tray words to live by

Jay: Every time I walk past this coffee table tray in our songwriting room, I’m reminded of the need to do both.

Aussie flag BBQ spatula

Mark: This gets a lot of use. It was a gift from one of our best friends back home, Libby Bain and always makes me think of her when I’m grilling out, as the Americans would say.

A St Vinnies jacket that has toured the world

Jay: This has travelled with me around the world. I bought it for $20 at a St Vinnies in Kurri Kurri. It was vintage when I bought it and is the oldest item in my wardrobe. It’s something that I will definitely pass down to my girls.

Gluten free Vegemite

Jay: You can find knock off brands of Vegemite over here, but never gluten free. I stocked up on these when we were touring in Australia. I have coeliac disease and gluten wipes me out. So this is a must have for me.

Sydney Harbour painting by Stever Wariner

Mark: Singer/songwriter guitar master Steve Wariner is just the nicest guy on the planet. He toured Australia with Tommy Emmanuel and painted this amazing scene of the harbour. He surprised us with it and it takes pride of place in our music room.

Originally published as Our country music stars, O’Shea, make themselves at home in the US