A Musical Storyteller

Story: Lizzie Macaulay. Photo: Cody Fox

When Pete Lawson’s fingers touch a guitar, audiences know they’re in for something special. The former Bullamakanka band member has been described as having a voice that’s a cross between Mark Knopfler’s and Leonard Cohen’s” – relaxed, yet purposeful.

Lawson’s musical journey began in the mid-north coast of NSW – Slim Dusty country. “I came from a family of six. Everyone sang,” Lawson recounts. “My earliest memory of playing guitar was at four or five, strumming strings and watching the vibrations.”

Though he’s mastered multiple instruments through the decades, the guitar remains his first love. “I’ve been playing now for nearly fifty years, and there’s always something new to learn,” he muses.

Despite performing with and supporting famous musicians throughout his career, Lawson’s most memorable moment was deeply personal – a 2019 charity concert of original songs written with his wife Sue and performed at Murwillumbah’s Regent Theatre.

Known for his larrikin charm on stage, Lawson sees performance as breaking down the “fourth wall” between artist and audience. “Mark Knopfler refers to it as welcoming people into the song and them finding their place in it themselves rather than being told where to sit,” he explains.

After decades of performing, what still excites him? “Playing live with other musos – everyone brings part of themselves to the overall sound. It all happens in the moment, which means it’s fresh, exciting for the musos and the audience.”
 

Lawson brings his musical storytelling to Morning Melodies at the Brolga Theatre on Thursday 12 June.

This story appears in the June 2025 edition of Fraser Coast Scene, our monthly guide to What's On across our Cultural Services venues.

The creation of this story and photography was funded by Regional Arts Development Fund (RADF). RADF is a partnership between the Queensland Government and Fraser Coast Regional Council to support local arts and culture in regional Queensland.