What has Beccy Cole been up to lately? or Heartbreak, humor, and the songs that pulled her back

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Eleven Golden Guitars don’t make you bulletproof, and Beccy Cole doesn’t pretend they do. We sit down for a funny, blunt, and surprisingly tender chat about her new album Through The Haze and the seven-year stretch that shaped it: heartbreak, divorce, grief, bad luck in love, and the slow work of finding your feet again. If you’ve ever used humor to get through a rough season, Beccy’s stories will feel uncomfortably familiar in the best way. 

We rewind to the beginning, from singing Dolly Parton songs with her Mum to cutting her teeth in Mum’s band, then jumping into the real world of Australian country music. Beccy shares what she learned touring with Slim Dusty, including the kind of fan respect that builds a long career, plus the character-building Tamworth busking days with Kasey Chambers and the full-circle moment of recording in Kasey’s studio years later. Along the way, we talk family gigs, three generations of music, and how songs can keep the people you love close, even after they’re gone. 

Then we get into the new record itself: why it reads like a diary, why it’s bigger than a breakup album, and why opening with the single “Shit Magnet” is a deliberate statement about survival and self-awareness. We also cover Beccy Cole tour dates, where to buy tickets, and her first-ever vinyl release. If you care about Australian country music, songwriting craft, resilience, and live shows that feel human, hit play now, then subscribe, share the episode with a friend, and leave a review telling us your favorite Beccy Cole lyric.

What has Beccy Cole been up to lately?  Let's find out!

Get out when you can, support local music and I'll see you down the front!!

Visit:  ThatRadioChick.com.au

Transcript

Meet Becky Cole And Her Honors

Cheryl Lee 0:04

Today we caught up with an amazing human being, country singer, Beccy Cole. As she celebrates a brand new album, we'll find out all about it. Beccy has 11 golden guitars and is the most awarded golden guitar female artist of the year recipient, having won it five times. 2001, 2, 7, 12, and again in 2019. 2022 Becky was inducted into country music role of renown at the 50th Golden Guitar Award. She has also been awarded in 2023 the Medal of the Order of Australia for services to country music. She sung in front of, but not for, American president. Becky is the real deal, a working mother, a comedian, an author, a passionate supporter of Aussie rules. Honest, funny, and genuine. Let's get to know her a little better. You're with Cheryl Lee, that radio chick, and I'd like to welcome into the Zoom room with us today. Beccy Cole, thank you so much for joining us, Beccy. My absolute pleasure.

Beccy Cole 1:20

Lovely to be with you. Can't believe we haven't spoken before now. Well, I love that we are, and I love that we are on this moment, the release of this new record. It's wonderful to get to chat to you.

Early Years Singing With Mum

Cheryl Lee 1:31

Congratulations on that, and we're going to find out all about it. Can we go back to a little bit to the beginning?

Beccy Cole 1:38

Of course, of course. I mean, I started, I started singing, I was gonna say in my mum's band when I was 14, but it was before that. It was a it was at home, I was singing Dolly Parton songs and harmonising with my mum in the car, just having a a wonderful time and falling in love with music and opportunity to to join mum's band as a teenager, and that's where I cut my teeth and did my apprenticeship with my mum, I guess.

Cheryl Lee 1:59

Well, there's three generations of you singing now. Do you think having your mum being a singer that it was sort of preordained that that was what you do? Was there ever any thought of a plan B?

Beccy Cole 2:11

No. I remember because my I I had a teacher at in high school who didn't consider that being a singer was going to be a a likely career for me. So I had to choose something else on my what do I want to be when I grow up kind of uh form. So I chose florist and I was terrible at it. I went and did work experience at a florist and I was terrible at it. So if nothing else, but to prove that teacher wrong, I became a career singer. Well done. I think you won. Yeah, one to me.

Cheryl Lee 2:42

You toured with Slim Dusty very early on. How was that?

Beccy Cole 2:46

Oh, that was one of the most amazing experiences that I draw on still to this day because learning from the king, you know, learning mostly about how he treats fans, you know, and how he was the same to the guy that, you know, picked up the chairs at the end of the night as he was shaking hands with the local mayor, you know. I had the privilege of being in the room for some reason when he was chatting to, I think it was Tom T. Hall and I think another time Johnny Cash. He was just the same with everyone, you know, he didn't alter himself or filter himself. He was just Slim , you know, and he waited until every single fan had, you know, shaken his hand and had an autograph and at the end of the night. And so that was instilled in me that we we take care of our fans and the capacity for longevity in this, you know, he set the bar on that, didn't he? In this industry. You know, I'm so grateful for that early. And he and Joy, of course, and Heather McKean. I mean, they they were all so generous with me, and I will absolutely treasure those moments for the rest of my life.

Cheryl Lee 3:43

He sounds like a very genuine and, like you said, generous man.

Beccy Cole 3:48

Absolutely. He absolutely was, and very real and down to earth. He didn't believe that, you know, being anything other than that. And I remember Joy McKean saying to a young artist, put a hat on your head, and if it still fits next year, you're doing all right. You know, you never get a big head.

Tamworth Busking And Dolly Parton

Cheryl Lee 4:04

I like that. Also, very early on at 19, I think you were busking in Tamworth with Kasey Chambers. That's correct.

Beccy Cole 4:13

Yes, I had a short stint with the Dead Ringer band, Kasey Chambers, Bill, Die, and Nash Chambers. I was a at Chambers for a short time. And the full circle moment, I guess, is is this new album that I'm just releasing today was made in Kasey Chambers studio uh on her property. So that friendship has lasted obviously a lot of years.

Cheryl Lee 4:33

Oh, that's awesome. And busking would have been extremely character-building for you and a hundred percent.

Beccy Cole 4:40

Yeah, we thought you just turned up to Tamworth and did gigs. We didn't know that you had to book them in. So when we got there, we didn't have anywhere to play. So we set up in the street and the crowds that formed each night when we would perform was they were extraordinary. And we're talking 1992. Some people say they were there. I mean, there were big crowds. I remember meeting people for the first time and seeing what Tamworth was all about for the first time. And I still get people saying, I was there. I was there in Peel Street that day. You love Dolly Parton. Yeah, still, still to this day. When I was a kid, 286 pictures of Dolly on my wall, and I have have had an opportunity on three occasions now and throughout my life to meet her face to face. And she has been nothing but you know, they say don't meet your heroes, but she's been absolutely nothing but a legend in my presence and just so generous with her time and you know, another one to learn from for sure.

Cheryl Lee 5:32

So she does live up to her fabulous reputation. I know she's done some amazing things for her community as well.

Beccy Cole 5:41

Yeah, philanthropic work and you know, work to get young kids reading and just through her songs as well. I mean, when you think about a Dolly Parton crowd, there are people there from all walks of life, from both sides of the political, you know, argument and religion and whatever it may be. And she's just universal, and she's who I aspire to be in so many ways.

Family Gigs And Remembering Grandma

Cheryl Lee 6:03

She's a good role model to have, that's for sure. Now we talked about there being three generations of your family now in music. Of course, mum, Carol Sturts. So and do you guys still perform at the Wheaties regularly?

Beccy Cole 6:17

Yeah, we do. Every two months we have a show at the Wheatie, and that is something that we started a few years ago just to sort of get me back on stage, actually, when I was going through a hard time. And I was living at my grandma's house just down the road from the Wheatie. It's sort of our local. I absolutely love that venue, and I loved the opportunity because I grew up singing with my mum in her band, with my son and his music. We didn't play as many gigs together, and so now we have, and we we get together. At that time, I think it was monthly, now it's every second month. We have so much fun, and mum at 82, she's about to turn, is just such an incredible performer still to this day, and I still say I'm a watered-down version of her, you know. She is just phenomenal and still has an incredible voice. I think because she never drank or smoked, you know, she looked after herself. She just she just brings the house down every time.

Cheryl Lee 7:09

There is definitely longevity in the women of your family because your grandmother nearly made it to her 104th birthday.

Beccy Cole 7:18

Yeah, I think it's pretty amazing that she that she made, you know, nearly 104. She passed in 2023, and I love that I had a weekly cup of tea with her in the last 10 years of of her life when I moved back to Adelaide. And it was just so amazing having my grandma into my 50s. And we were so shocked and surprised when she when she passed, you know, and you know, at nearly 104, people were saying, Well, you know, she had a good innings, and I go, Yeah, but I wanted her forever, you know. She's still with me though, she's in my heart, and I carry her with me. And the, you know, the impression that someone like that leaves on you never never goes.

Cheryl Lee 7:55

No, I know that you wrote some songs for your grandma. Is it hard to play those songs now that she's gone, or does it help to play those?

Beccy Cole 8:03

No, I think it helps to play those songs. I think it helps to it helps to remember and to honour her. And I think that for me, my grandma and and even on the the latest album, there's a song called Gardener and the Flower that always makes me think of grandma and grandpa. They spent a lot of time in the garden and they did look after each other, especially in the later years when it was my memory of the of the two of them together, and you can only aspire to to be that kind of in love forever.

New Album Stories And Strength

Cheryl Lee 8:29

Yes, so blessed. Well, let's talk about the third generation in your family. Son Ricky, actually, is he overseas at the moment

Beccy Cole 8:38

Yeah, he's he's in Austin performing at South by Southwest, playing guitar for Ella Ion. And I'm so proud of him actually. And funnily enough, he's he's staying with Kim Warner, another Adelaidean who lives in Austin, son of Trev Warner, my uncle Trev, you know, multiple golden guitar winner. He's my like my second dad, and uh so Kim's like my brother and Ricky's godfather. So Ricky's staying with him in Austin at the moment, but he'll be back for the next Wheatie, so I'm looking forward to that.

Cheryl Lee 9:04

Excellent. This just goes to show Adelaide, hey, because I am on the Support Act South Australia committee with Jo Ion.

Beccy Cole 9:13

Well, there you go. Yeah, I mean it's a Adelaide's a small place, and I absolutely loved, obviously, when I heard that Ricky was playing guitar for Ella, because Barry introduced my brother on television back in 1970. So there you go, and gave my mum, my brother, a little teddy bear that he still has, a little blue teddy bear. And you know, so there you go. It's a four, it's a and who doesn't love Baza, you know? That's right. Baz and Pilko. That's right, yeah. Adelaide.

Cheryl Lee 9:43

Adelaide Institution. They were. Very quick fun fact. Remember they used to do the dare of the day on their radio show in the mornings? Yes. Yeah, yeah. I remember that from when I was a kid. Well, there was an 18-year-old girl who got through on the dare of the day and wore her bikini on the bus from Wynn vale to the radio station in the city for $100.

Single Shit Magnet And Using Humor

Beccy Cole 10:02

That was it. I love that. I mean, I don't know that that would be a dare that could happen these days, do you? Probably not. Can I dare you to do it now? Probably not. $100 was a lot of money then. It was a lot of money. Yeah. Do it on the Glenelg tram. I'll give you $200. All right. Is it new? Are you living in beautiful Mannam? I do live in Mannam, yeah, and I absolutely love it. I haven't been there a lot lately, but I love it. My next door neighbour, bless her, has my little dog Patsy. And Patsy loves Heather next door, and she looks after her. And but I love going back to the river, and it's a beautiful community. I love my town and I love the pub. And I won the meat tray the other day. Oh very South Australian. Very South Australian, yeah.

Cheryl Lee 10:52

Now let's talk about this brand new music. You've got a new album coming out through the haze, and you say that it's a little bit of a diary entry style album, but there's also a lot of positives.

Beccy Cole 11:06

Yeah, well, I mean, it's a long time between the last album and this one, if you don't count my release with Adam Harvey in 2022. I guess, yeah, when I say diary entry, it's, you know, it's things that have happened to me in the last seven years between the last album and and this one. I love being a songwriter and I love sharing my stories. And there was a lot of darkness in that time. So I have reported on that, both with, you know, heartfelt honesty and truth and humour. So there is definitely that aspect, but it's by no means solely a breakup album. You know, there's been a lot of other things that have happened to me in that time. And it's actually reporting on more than one breakup, to be honest. I've had terrible luck in love, which is probably a good thing for a country singer songwriter, because when you have heartbreak and devastation, you get to write songs about it. You know, I guess if you go out with a songwriter, you need to be careful about your behavior, otherwise you get a song written about you.

Cheryl Lee 11:57

Look out. Historically, country music has been. That's like, you know, my truck broke down, my dog died. And that's all stuff that comes from experience and from the heart. Absolutely. Yeah. I mean, the good, the bad, the ugly.

Tour Dates Tickets Vinyl And Closing

Beccy Cole 12:10

That's right. There's no broken down trucks. There was one one dead dog between the last album and this one, which was very sad. And the divorce, which uh which is, you know, the second time I've reported on a divorce, which is sad in a way, but also you can look at that as being a moment of strength. And I think this album focuses mainly on if you look at it as a whole, it is it is an album about finding his strength, which is something that I wish on everybody. I hope that everybody finds who they are and that they can be strong. And yeah, there's bitterness and anger and all of the other, you know, the things that happen on your journey to to becoming whole again.

Cheryl Lee 12:49

Everything that happens in our life, good or bad or indifferent, it all comes to make us who we are now.

Beccy Cole 12:55

That's right. And hopefully that is, you know, becoming the strongest version of you that you can possibly be. And in my 50s, with the goal of 103 and three quarters to aim for to get to grandma, and I've still got heaps of living to do, you know.

Cheryl Lee 13:11

Absolutely. I listened this morning to the first single off the album. Shit.

Beccy Cole 13:19

Oh, shit magnet. Yes. Yeah. So that's the that's the single that's coming out with the uh with the record. Yeah. Uh that's track one on the record, and it just is a song about me. I can pick them. I can I attract yeah. That particular song has proven to be popular live too. I think people can relate to uh to being a shit magnet. So you gotta have a laugh. So good that you can sort of, you know, laugh at yourself. I think that's a very important quality. I totally agree with you. I think that it's like medicine, being able to work out a way to laugh at your own uh misfortune. I think it's probably a good thing, and that I've certainly developed that you have to have a sense of humour. That was the thing. I broke my funny bone some time ago, and I didn't know that I was going to be able to come back from that, to be honest. I didn't know that I wanted to come back, and finding my strength has been an absolute gift. So the album is about the journey of coming here, and humour has been a huge part of that. And so there was no way that I wasn't going to begin the album, track number one. Shit Magnet.

Cheryl Lee 14:25

I do love it. Is it third time lucky you're going to?

Beccy Cole 14:29

Oh god, no. I'll tell you right now, if you ever hear that Beccy Cole's getting married again, you have my permission to come and slap my face. Wear your bikini and catch the Glenelg tram and slap my face. You can you can do it, and I'll go, you know, fair enough. Fair enough.

Cheryl Lee 14:45

No. There is so much humour in your music. You know, if this singing thing hadn't worked out for you, I reckon you could have been a top comedian.

Beccy Cole 14:55

Oh, that's nice of you to say. Yeah, I think I'm funny because I'm not a comedian. I think there's no there's not that expectation. But if I was to do a stand-up show at Adelaide Fringe, I think I'd die at a horrible death. I'm gonna leave that to Geraldine and some of those amazing female comics like Hannah Gadsby, and yeah, I think nah.

Cheryl Lee 15:12

You could just sing a few songs and they'll be laughing in the arms. I play one on radio all the time. Oh, what's it called?

Beccy Cole 15:20

Might it be Sorry I Asked, or one of those old ones. Yeah, yeah, that's a that's a whole lot of fun. People used to say to me, Who did you get to do the voices? That was me. They thought I got Magda Szubanski or someone.

Cheryl Lee 15:32

Very clever. So not only are you funny and you can sing, you can do voices as well.

Beccy Cole 15:38

Well, you just gotta have a laugh in this in this world. You can take things too seriously sometimes. Yeah, you've got to know when to do it.

Cheryl Lee 15:45

You've got such an amazing attitude. Now, we better get back on track. You are doing a tour to go with the new album. Where can everybody catch you live? End of this month on the 28th, you're at Echuca, is that how you say it?

Beccy Cole 15:58

Yeah, Echuca, yeah, on the river there. And you know, being from Mannam, I love I almost thought about taking my boat, but I don't have a boat yet or a boat licence. But I love the Murray and I'm looking forward to playing the Echuca Country Music Festival. The last weekend of this month, isn't it?

Cheryl Lee 16:13

Yeah, yeah. 7, 8th, and 9th of May, you're through New South Wales and at the end of May in Queensland. Tickets are available at this is easy, Beccy Cole.com.

Beccy Cole 16:24

Beccy Cole.com, Beccy with two C's, and there's a couple of shows. I think the Wheat Sheaf on April 15th has sold out, but the 16th of April, we're playing Macclesfield, the Three Brothers Arms. And that will be our sort of our South Australian launch of the record because I've got the girls in town from The Sisters of Twang. They're in town for the guitar festival, so they're gonna come along and play. And my mum, it's gonna be a family jam as well. My mum and my son. So grab some tickets to Macclesfield Three Brothers Arms for the 16th. I think it's a Thursday. As I said, the night before at the Wheatie, sold out. But I just heard that my dad, who's a saxophone player, will be in town as well. So we're gonna get him up to play sax at the Wheatie. So anyone who's got tickets for that, you're in for a treat. Mum's gonna be at both shows as well. Mum will be at both shows. My parents are divorced, but they can get along. So mum will be at both shows, so we have to preserve her. We'll put her in the tank overnight and make sure she's all right. And Ricky at both shows? Ricky at both shows. So yeah, South Aussies are in for a treat if you can get to either the Wheatsheaf Hotel or the Three Brothers, which I love.

Cheryl Lee 17:28

I love that venue. Get onto it, people. Beccy with two csCole.com. I don't know even how we're going for time, but I'm pretty sure my time might be up. I just wanted to ask you the most important question. Who do you vote for in the AFL?

Beccy Cole 17:42

Adelaide Crows. All the way since 1991, I was a I was an ambassador for so many years. I'm already going to two games this year. I'll go to gather round with Kim Warner when he comes back from Austin. And when my dad's here for that same time, we're going to watch the Crows absolutely annihilate St Kilda on that weekend. So yeah, big Crows fan, always have been. I'm an old mate of Matty Nicks as well, and I think he's done an amazing job. I hope your team does win, but we can't be friends now. Are you not? I'm Richmond. Oh, look, that's okay. As long as you're not Port Power. No, I'm joking. I don't mind Port Power fans. One of my dear friends, Amber Joy Poulton, is married to an old Port Power player. So I had to sort of go, all right, they can play okay sometimes, all right? All right. I just think we're all going to be okay as long as we hold hands and hate Collingwood together.

Cheryl Lee 18:30

Yeah, exactly right. My team, you know, they were not even rating last night. I tipped them and they almost did it.

Beccy Cole 18:38

I was at the grand final when you annihilated Crows, so don't get me started. That was your night. All power to you, but it was like a wake. Going to the Crows event after that game. That was like a wake. I never want to feel that ever again. No, I'm so sorry.

Cheryl Lee 18:53

No, I'm sorry. Thanks. Yeah, you're not sorry. Well, it's been so wonderful chatting to you, Beccy, and getting to know you a little bit better. We will definitely see you at one of the South Australian gigs. I'll see you down the front. I hope so. What are your bikini?

unknown 19:09

Yeah.

Cheryl Lee 19:09

All right. You're gonna give me the money, honey. Show me the money. We wish you all the best with the single and the new album and the tour. Oh, and the new album's available on vinyl too.

Beccy Cole 19:22

Yes. Vinyl release in a couple of a couple of weeks' time, but the same website, Beccy Cole.com. You can order yourself a vinyl. I'll sign it for you. And it's my first ever time on vinyl. Oh, wow. And uh, so yeah, I just got the test presses the other day, and it sounds good. So amazing putting a needle on your own work, it's pretty cool. Yeah, love a bit of vinyl. Thanks again. Nice to chat to you. I'll see you at the Wheatie. Yeah.

Cheryl Lee 19:43

You're with Cheryl Lee, that radio chick. Thank you so much for joining me on the Still Rocking It podcast. Hope to catch you again next time. Get out when you can, support Aussie music, and I'll see you down the front.