Award-winning country music singer Casey Barnes reveals how he found fame

Famed country music singer Casey Barnes knows how important it is to network.

COUNTRY music singer Casey Barnes knows how important it is to network.

The Gold Coast-based musician has revealed his path to fame received a major leg up in 2005 after he gave an album to Wallabies rugby great John Eales.

“At the end of a gig I gave John a copy of an album I’d made,” Barnes said. “He rang me because he loved the album and said ‘I had it on repeat in my car. I want to help you’.

Casey Barnes says he’s good mates with Amy Shark. Picture: Nigel Hallett

“I didn’t know how he was going to help … I ended up getting a call a week later for the opening spot for Bryan Adams when he toured in 2005.”

From there, Barnes’s career blossomed.

He “sticks together” with other local country music stars – Lee Kernaghan and Adam Brand – who all lend helping hands.

It’s been a long road for country singer Casey Barnes. Picture: Andrea Black

But one of his biggest supporters is super-selling Coast songstress Amy Shark.

“Amy and I are really good mates. We grew up together doing all the same venues around the Coast.

“She’s a great example who just stuck in there, followed her dreams and didn’t give up.

“I’m a male version of her in the sense of her tenacity.”

Casey Barnes performing at Broadbeach’s Groundwater Country Music Festival in 2019.

After 15 years in the industry, he’s soon to release his fifth album, Town Of A Million Dreams, which he says is about country music capital Nashville, and head on a national tour.

He will play at the Hamilton Hotel in Brisbane on April 18.

Casey Barnes has over 7 million streams, 134,000 monthly listeners, 45,000 followers, multiple Golden Guitar nominations, Gold Coast Music Awards nominations and independent Country Music Association Awards.