Russell Morris Opens and (Closes) For America

Russell Morris was on home turf this week, opening (and closing) for America.

Russell performed a chopped set of his own show for the America fans dating back his the late 60s when he was the biggest pop star in Australia. A sampling of this hits can in the second half of the set, with a humorous mention of his classic ‘The Real Thing’ being used in The Dish because he was ‘higher than Neil Armstrong’ at the time.

The longevity of Morris as a performer is remarkable. As he approaches his 70th year, Russell Morris has sold more albums in the past five years than in his pop heyday.

Live, the songs from his blues trilogy stand-up perfectly alongside the classics ‘The Real Thing’ and ‘Wings On An Eagle’ to showcase an artist with true talent coming from the inside.

The blues albums were a gamble. He’d been pop, he’d been rock but never blues. In creating the three blues records, Russell redefined a rarely acknowledged Australian music genre with a trilogy of songs based on historic Australian people and occurrences.

Russell Morris generally plays his own shows but in opening for the America audience he expanded the fanbase to showcase a trio of recordings that some people in the audience may not have realised existed.

The initiated know ‘Black Dog Blues’, ‘Sharkmouth’, ‘Walk My Blues’ and ‘Birdsville’ on the same level as the 70s classics but if there were people in the audience who didn’t know the songs, they applauded as much for the new as for the old.

Russell returned for America’s encore to assist them on their classic ‘Horse With No Name’.

Russell Morris setlist 27 July 2017

Black Dog Blues (from Sharkmouth, 2013)
Its All Over Now Baby Blue (Bob Dylan cover)
Walk My Blues (from Sharkmouth, 2013)
Sharkmouth (from Sharkmouth, 2013)
Birdsville (from Van Diemens Land, 2014)
Wings of an Eagle (single 1972)
Rachel (single 1970)
The Real Thing (single 1969)
Sweet Sweet Love (from Bloodstone, 1971)

Later:
Horse With No Name (with America)