Lee Kernaghan had to go back to the drawing board to make his latest album, writes Bruce McMahon

LEE Kernaghan's phone was full of notes collected for his next album. Late last year he handed the phone to his youngest son Rock. The six-year-old took a step backwards, tripped and fell into the pool with the phone in hand.

"Two years of songwriting went into the drink and disappeared forever," says Kernaghan.

"I tried data-recovery experts, even got hypnotised to try to bring titles back. But they were gone."

He's laughing now.

It turned out for the better.

Kernaghan delayed this album until his year's reign as Australian of the Year in 2008 was finished. That year of travels, meeting people across the country, plus the need to pull together a whole swag of new ideas to cover those dunked in the pool meant a fresh start.

"With the Australian of the Year award and honour I felt I owed it to the people of the bush to get out there and talk to them. I owed it to them to get out there, talk to them and learn as much as I could about what was happening and the challenges they were facing," Kernaghan says.

"The story of that year and the people I met, the insight I had from talking to people is now told on this record.

"That's the story of this album really. The 2008 album would've been totally different from this one."

Planet Country is Kernaghan at his best, a polished collection of music and lyrics that again pays homage to his country and the people. Tracks range from the anthemic title track Planet Country to the rocking party tune Dirt (one of Kernaghan's favourites) and Cowgir! with his partner Robyn McKelvie providing blues-tinged vocals.

"I reckon her backing on Cowgirl is worth the price of the album alone," a proud Kernaghan says.

The man is particularly satisfied with track two, Love in the Time of Drought.

"It slipped on at the last moment and was inspired by the book by Gabriel Garcia Marquez Love in the Time of Cholera, one of my favourite books and movies."

Kernaghan was helped here again by old songwriting mates Col Buchanan, Garth Porter and Matt Scullion.

James Blundell co-wrote two tracks and American star Dierks Bentley joined up to sing on Scars.

"This record is not just about blokes, it's also about the women and the girls. Through travelling out there I realised just how much women are the backbone, not only of the family but also the family business," he says. "The record overall is about Australia, not just about living out west. It's about this great, great country and our people and the pulse of things."

The material came from all manner of observations and meetings.

The up-tempo bonus track 7 Milk Cows came from a crowd in a Victorian car park after a show when Kernaghan asked a young bloke what he did for a living.

"He stuck out his hand and said 'Lee, I milk cows'. I wonder what he'll think when he hears the song."

Kernaghan wanted a positive album and he's more than happy with the feel and the flow of Planet Country, recorded in Sydney and Nashville.

"I hope when people play it it will be like a vitamin tablet. It'll give them a lift and bring on some good times."

With high praise for this new album flooding in, Kernaghan foresees a problem.

"This album has its own life force and momentum. I just don't know how I'm going to repeat that on the next one."

Planet Country is out now.

Source: Bruce McMahon - The Courier Mail, Saturday 21st November 2009