The Waifs guitarist and lyricist Josh Cunningham hitting the NT for two shows in June

He was the guitarist behind the sound of a generation and ahead of the NT leg of his Australian tour next month, Josh Cunningham has revealed a special Top End connection.

For Josh Cunningham, one of the country’s most celebrated names in music, an upcoming Territory pit stop is a chance to once again savour the taste of laksa and fresh mangoes from the markets.

His illustrious tenure as songwriter and guitarist for The Waifs defined the sound of a generation for many Australians in the early 2000s, who were drawn to the band’s shimmering, nostalgic chart-toppers.

But Cunningham, who is playing two shows next month in Darwin and Hale with creative partner Felicity Urquhart, told the NT News he spent six months knocking about the Top End as a school-leaver, playing gigs with a pub rock band.

“I went straight from high school to Darwin and it was quite the introduction to the big wide world,” Cunningham said.

Felicity Urquhart and Josh Cunningham, guitarist and songwriter for The Waifs, will stop in Darwin and the Top Half Folk Festival in June. Picture: Tigreasha

Cunningham and Urquhart released their first album together in 2022, and they are currently touring their new collaboration, Birdsong, alongside a back catalogue of favourites from The Waifs.

“There’s going to be lots of great energy, openness and honest storytelling, and just celebrating a connection through music,” Cunningham said.

“When you get up in front of a live audience, there’s a really special connection that takes place and we’re looking forward to experiencing that with folks in the Territory.”

The album was written against a backdrop of tragedy, Urquhart having lost her husband to suicide and Cunningham separating from his wife.

“We chose one of the tracks to be the title of the album, because we felt like ‘birdsong’ represented being free from the constraints of any bars or cages,” Urquhart said.

“We felt like that was a bit like our music – it represents the whole of this album and it’s the first track when you put the album on.

“We try to write songs that encourage people in those hard times like we’ve had, and inspire them to look up and find their own rainbow eventually, which is what we’ve been lucky enough to do. It’s not always easy, but we’re on the right path.”

Urquhart and Cunningham after winning the Single of the Year award at the 2024 Golden Guitar Awards on January 27, 2024 in Tamworth. Picture: Dan Peled

Cunningham said the tracks originated from “personal stories” and mentioned the single “Size Up”, which won Best Song at the 2024 Golden Guitar Awards, as particularly close to his heart.

It was inspired by his “primitive” upbringing on a New South Wales farm, growing up without running water and regular electricity.

“That’s a real special one because my family really banded together and there was a lot of love between us,” Cunningham said.

“We got through in spite of lacking a lot of things and learned a lot of valuable lessons, so it always feels special to share that song with a crowd.”

Cunningham is still playing with The Waifs after more than 30 years, coming off an Australian-wide tour that wrapped up in March.

Tickets are currently available for Cunningham and Urquhart’s Darwin gig on Friday, June 7, at Bustard Town.

They will also appear at the Top Half Folk Festival on June 8 and 9.