NSW Country Rockers Two Tone Pony Led By David Kirkpatrick Return From Sabbatical With A Wry Look At The Musician’s Grind
by Paul Cashmere
Two Tone Pony are back in the saddle with their first taste of new music since 2024, releasing the freewheeling and self-aware new single You Haven’t Heard Of Me Yet. The track arrives after a successful run for the NSW-based five-piece, who saw their debut album Born On The Road land at #11 on the ARIA Country Chart and amass over 400,000 global streams.
Produced by multi-Golden Guitar Award winner Rod McCormack, the new single leans heavily into the band’s core strengths of sharp storytelling and a lived-in sense of authenticity. It is a track that feels both nostalgic and timely, capturing the spirit of chasing dreams long before the spotlight arrives.
For frontman David Kirkpatrick, the inspiration for the song came from a literal encounter with anonymity. “It was inspired by a simple question I was asked by a barmaid when I was staying at Perisher Valley skiing,” Kirkpatrick recalls. “She asked the question – tell me what you do again? I turned it into a country rock song that tells the story about chasing your dreams no matter what, along with some tongue in cheek observations on the music industry.”
Lyrically, You Haven’t Heard Of Me Yet wears its heart on its sleeve, offering a wry snapshot of the musician’s grind, playing neighbourhood bars and measuring success in moments rather than metrics. Lines like “You don’t make much money from a handful of streams” land with a knowing wink, while the chorus echoes quiet resilience and a determination to chase “country dreams”.
The accompanying music video, produced by Jeremy Minett from Eyes And Ears Creative, was filmed at Hardys Bay Club on the NSW Central Coast. The venue is long considered the spiritual home of Two Tone Pony, and the clip mirrors the song’s narrative of arrival and persistence.
In a touch of Australian music history, the prop department featured a cherished family relic. “The video follows the song narrative of me arriving at the bar looking a bit shabby with my beat-up guitar case, actually my mother Joy’s original Martin case from 1962!”, reveals David.
David Kirkpatrick is no stranger to the road, having been literally born on it while his parents, Australian country music legends Slim Dusty and Joy McKean, were on tour. He spent the first six years of his life in a caravan before later pursuing a career as an emergency medicine specialist. Two Tone Pony was originally formed in 2018 when his daughter asked him to put a country rock band together for her wedding, eventually leading to the retirement of his medical career to focus on music full-time.
The release of the new single marks a renewed chapter for the band following a sabbatical through much of 2025. That time away saw the departure of founding member Ian Rhodes, a loss deeply felt within the group. Stepping into that space is accomplished multi-instrumentalist Brandon Smith.
“Ian unfortunately had to retire due to hearing concerns, but Brandon on fiddle, lap steel, mandolin and guitar provides a palette of sounds and influences that open up many new possibilities and directions for the band’s songs and future direction,” David says.
Beyond the studio and the stage, David Kirkpatrick continues to bring a uniquely Australian depth to the band’s story. He was recently appointed Australia Day Ambassador for the Shoalhaven District, engaging with the community across Mollymook through ocean swimming, golf, and performing the band’s breakout single A Life Well Lived at the official citizenship ceremony.
Watch the 2023 Noise11 interview with David Kirkpatrick
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