“Rory Ellis has one of those voices you just can’t buy – rugged, gravelly, it oozes been there done that credibility and the words that emerge from deep in his throat are rough enough to use as sandpaper.”
— Jeremy Searle Americana UK
PRESS PHOTOS BY BRENDAN HANCOCK
biography
He’s been likened to Leonard Cohen, Springsteen and Tom Waits in the UK, Waylon Jennings here in Australia, and in Germany, they said he could be their next Bob Dylan.
When you hear him sing with his unforgettably deep, soulful, gravelly voice mixed with a swag of blues, you would be forgiven for totally disbelieving that he once sang Opera. But it shows in the quality and presentation of this entertaining, highly acclaimed singer songwriter. Americana is his chosen field, still you cannot box this man and his music into one package.
Many people don’t know that Rory grew up in Melbourne’s shadowy underbelly, at one stage living on the streets, and sleeping on the sweaty floors of a boxing gym, working the doors of establishments that harboured some of Australia’s most hardened criminals and society’s most marginalised. During these years, he dodged the bullets, literally.
Starting his life as a musician, and taking a chance to tour overseas on a non-existent budget, Rory recalls one time sleeping in the crevice of a wall in England – the only accommodation on offer from the venue, catching buses and trains in unknown countries to get to his show, and remaining hopeful that a meal may be part of the rider. Another time, a stranger watched Rory perform at the Platform Tavern in Southampton in England, and approached him after the show. He asked Rory if he wanted to perform at his festival, and said “You look like crap” and gave him 400 quid, two nights in a Holiday Inn, and a prime spot playing with Eric Bibb.
“I remember arriving at this festival, exhausted. I laid on a wooden pallet to try to get an hours sleep. A festival worker woke me and said, are you Mr Ellis? He led me to a fancy portable room. In it was a wooden vanity with pink flowers in vases, a mirror with globes around it, and a bucket full of beer. It did cross my mind that perhaps I had passed in my sleep and this was heaven” Rory recalled with his signature contagious laugh.
It is these moments that feed into his songs. They speak of life’s toil and beauty, living the lyric and penning his journey. Self-taught, he possesses an innate sense of synergy between his voice and other instruments.
He is a master of his craft. Rory’s achievements didn’t spring from a well-oiled PR machine, rather, the culmination of over thirty years of honing an extraordinary gift.
After touring 7 countries, Rory returned to Australia, and has recorded 9 studio albums, to national and international acclaim. Adding a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music Business to his belt, and 30+ years of song writing and performing at some of the world’s biggest festivals to audiences of thousands, Rory has played alongside artists such as Eric Bibb, Richie Havens, Robert Cray, Canned Heat, Charlie Musselwhite, Renee Geyer, Russell Morris, Brian Cadd, Diesel, The Black Sorrows and James Reyne.
Rory’s latest album, Inner Outlaw debuted in the Top 10 on the iTunes Chart, and TWICE featured in Rhythms Magazine’s Top 10 Albums of the Year. His singles released from the album, have charted in the Top 10 on Australian Country Music Charts, with a debut at #1 for Fadin’, Bitumen Cowboys #2, and more recently three NUMBER ONE chart positions, on both Australian and International Charts with his most recent single Invisible Arrows.
The Top 200 International Country Music Artists Chart placed him at #1 in 2020, and he was a Top Finalist in the World Song Writing Awards for Inner Outlaw, amassing thousands of Youtube views.
Recently, Rory received the ICMA Award for Single of the Year (Fadin’), and was Runner-up in Album of the Year (Inner Outlaw), Best Male Artist, and Best Music Video.
Gifted with a soul-wrenching voice praised by media worldwide, he’s lived every word delivered.
“THIS is a voice that is up there with the very best of them, including the US greats” Mike Brady AM
“Outstanding….Rory Ellis is a master story-teller that needs to be heard and respected for his incredible song writing and musicality craft, accompanied by a passionate voice that deserves your attention” David Prior ABC Sydney.
press releases
RORY ELLIS & THE DEVIL'S RIGHT HAND FIRST SHOW FOR 2021 @ LIZOTTES
February 2021
He’s been likened to Springsteen, Leonard Cohen and Tom Waits in the UK, Waylon Jennings here in Australia, and in Germany,
they said he could be their next Bob Dylan.
“THIS is a voice that is up there with the very best of them, including the US greats” Mike Brady AM
With a pocketful of stories, 7 countries toured, 9 internationally media acclaimed albums, as well as major festivals appearances and shows world wide, Rory Ellis is performing LIVE AT LIZOTTE'S in April!!
Gifted with a soul-wrenching voice praised by media worldwide, he’s lived every word delivered.
Don’t miss this opportunity to see Rory perform live, at Newcastle’s Premier Music Venue, Lizotte’s, Thursday, April 15, with his sensational new band of Hunter Valley musical talent, The Devil’s Right Hand, consisting of members who have played with Doug Parkinson , the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, McAlister Kemp, The Viper Creek Band and Christie Lamb.
Opening the evening will be the incredibly talented, popular and well-loved JED ZARB. You need only take a look at Blue Mountain Man Jed Zarb, to know that this is a man who knows his way around the country, as well as the strings of his guitar.
What a combo!! This is DEFINITELY NOT a Show to be missed folks. With limited numbers available, book your table now to avoid disappointment. Tickets $30, with A La Carte available, offering some of the best food in the Hunter! https://lizottes.com.au/live/shows/show_detail/3081 or call (02) 4956 2066 to secure your table now! Doors open at 6pm: Show at 8.30pm.
RORY ELLIS’ AUSSIE AWARD SHINES LIKE A DIAMOND IN A ROUGH 2020
October 2020
“It was one of those pinch yourself moments” Rory revealed through a wide grin of the moment he learned that he was the recipient of the Independent Country Music Australia Award (ICMA) for Most Popular Independent Country Music Single with “Fadin’” off his 9th studio album, Inner Outlaw. “Fadin’” charted in the Top 10 in various charts both here in Australia and Internationally, including a #1 debut.
“And as if that wasn’t sweet enough, I then learned that I was actually Runner-Up in the 3 other categories that I was a Finalist in!” he added.
On top of winning the Most Popular Country Music Single category, Rory Ellis was the Runner-Up in:
Most Popular Independent Country Music Album with Inner Outlaw
Most Popular Independent Male Country Music Artist, and
Most Popular Independent Country Music Video with “The Letter”, a music video depicting a remarkably true and significant historical story. The video, which was produced by Brendan Hancock at Sharman Alternative, which, along with the story, made its way to media around the world.
2020 has been a devastating and life changing year with Covid 19 reaping havoc on all artists. With so many shows cancelled, along with an international tour, the pandemic struck at a time when Rory, like many others, had just released his 9th album, after many months of painstaking work and investment in recording and releasing his much anticipated album, Inner Outlaw. Shortly after its release, this album was recognised by two writers in the Top 10 Albums of the Year in Rhythms Magazine.
“My album launch tour was in the final stages of planning, and then suddenly, that, and so much more was lost” said Rory. “The music industry was basically on its knees, and we are still searching for that light at the end of the tunnel. But when something like this happens, and you are awarded and rewarded for something that has basically been your life’s passion for decades, well, it’s truly humbling. I feel overwhelmed but very lucky, and incredibly grateful for all the fans, friends and peers who voted in these Awards. I applaud the huge effort of the Team at ICMA for staging these annual awards, but mostly for providing much needed recognition and a platform for Independent Australian Artists to promote their music far and wide.”
Rory Ellis has just released his 5th single off the Inner Outlaw album, “The Next Shipwreck”. Ironically, it is about taking risks to achieve your personal goals in life.
“You could be the ship docked at the port for the rest of your life and left decaying and wondering what if, or you could take the risk, give it your all, and raise your sails. I’d rather be the Shipwreck who gave it a go and tried my hardest. Winning this Award has definitely put more wind in my sails!” said Rory.
Inner Outlaw and all of Rory’s music can be downloaded at www.roryellis.com
Is It Time To Find YOUR Inner Outlaw?
Brand New Single and Music Video from Rory Ellis
09/06/20
Following the success of his previous singles “The Letter”, “Fadin’” and “Bitumen Cowboys” from his 9th studio album “Inner Outlaw”, Rory Ellis is about to unleash the highly reviewed title track to this critically acclaimed album. And even better, there’s a cheeky music video accompanying the release, that is an absolute MUST SEE!
The album “Inner Outlaw” remarkably scored two Writer’s Choice selections in the highly esteemed Top 10 Albums for 2019 in Australia’s Music Bible, Rhythms Magazine, by both Billy Pinnell and Chris Lambie, and was additionally named in the Top 10 Albums of the Year by My Country Australia. All in all, a huge feat given that Inner Outlaw was only released in October of 2019! The singles so far released from this incredible album, regularly made the Top 10, and even #1, in both National and International Charts.
Recently, Rory Ellis was listed as the NUMBER ONE artist in the Top 200 International Country Music Artists’ Chart. To top it off, the song “Inner Outlaw” was a Finalist for the “Best Outlaw Song” in the WSA World Songwriting Awards.
With the single available through CRS Digital and AMRAP, Rory has taken a tongue in cheek approach to the video produced by the talented Brendan Hancock from Shaman Alternative.
Rory explains: “You know the feeling! Someone tore your heart out, did wrong by your good self, took you for a ride, ripped you off, stole your car. Talk’s cheap, and all you really want to do is summon that inner demon to even the score, the old fashioned way. A touch of Wild West justice, Josey Wales meets Blazing Saddles.”
Rory Ellis’new single “Inner Outlaw” is a cheeky, yet humourous view at what often crosses out minds in this dog eat dog world. Yet, would never dream of carrying out. A little bit of sweet and sour country blues to make you laugh and take you back to the day when an eye for an eye was to be expected, and you reaped just what you sowed.
You have to check out the video below!
RORY ELLIS ENTERS A NEW DECADE IN STYLE
03/01/20
Wrapping up the year with three successful singles, "The Letter", "Fadin" and "Bitumen Cowboys", Rory Ellis couldn't be happier as he enters a new decade with accolades from his peers.
With his "Inner Outlaw" album being selected as #9 by the My Country Australia website in the Top 10 Albums of 2019 and having both Chris Lambie and Billy Pinnell at Rhythms Magazine placing the album in their Top 10 list for 2019 has certainly given Rory the perfect way to end the year and enter the new decade.
Rory is looking forward to his Lizotte's gigs this month with Brian Cadd and Russelll Morris as well as his own show and later his opening for Glenn Shorrock.
Currently #19 on the Country Tracks Airplay Chart with "Bitumen Cowboys" (CRS Digital), 2020 is off to a great start with so much more to come.
Rory Ellis pays tribute to Bitumen Cowboys in Tarcutta 23/10/19
Newcastle singer-songwriter Rory Ellis will pay tribute to truck drivers past and present and their loved ones at this month’s Australian Truck Drivers’ Memorial service in Tarcutta.
Ellis has just released his ninth studio album, Inner Outlaw, including the track, Bitumen Cowboys, which he will feature at the memorial service on October 26. The album charted at No. 7.
Performing the song for the people it was written about is an honour not lost on the Americana artist.
“I have had a few experiences over the years, where I’ve written emotional songs about memorable places and special people, and have been lucky enough to be invited to perform the songs at the actual locations, both here in Australia and in Germany,” Ellis said.
“The reaction from the audiences was very moving for me.
“It’s quite spellbinding to perform a song you’ve written on an actual memorial site, so to be able to perform Bitumen Cowboys in front of the truckies and their families, at their very personal memorial service, with a song that’s distinctly written about truck driving and the loneliness of truck driving, is a real honour.”
Ellis said he hoped the song would mean a lot to the truckies and their loved ones.
“There has been a lot of loss in the trucking industry and there is a line in the song, ‘if you’re talking to God in the passenger seat, it’s the last mile’ that recognises that,” he said.
“To be able to share that song with the people who have lost and who are still out on the road, is a real honour to even be considered to do that.”
The purpose of the song is to highlight the loneliness and life that truck drivers and their families face everyday, and Ellis said there were some similarities between the lives of truckies and musicians.
“Musicians, when touring, are also doing thousands of kilometres on the road,” he said.
“When you’re out on the road, there’s always the potential of loss with the long hours and the risks you have to take to do what you have to do, so it’s a similar lifestyle in a way and it’s why I found it important to write, as I could personally relate to it.”
Ellis wants to be able to share this song with as many truckies as he can.
“Whether that be in this country or elsewhere, I’m hoping it resonates with truck drivers and truck drivers’ families all over the world,” he said.
Bitumen Cowboys is sure to evoke plenty of emotion from the crowd in Tarcutta as Ellis performs at the memorial service and the later dinner, as well as a variety of his other songs from Inner Outlaw and previous offerings.
Ellis will perform in Tarcutta on October 26, following the release of Inner Outlaw.
Rory Ellis’ Inner Outlaw unleashes on charts 18/10/19
“This is a voice that is up there with the very best of them, including the US greats. It aches of life and love, history and memory” - Mike Brady AM.
Rory Ellis has unleashed his Inner Outlaw today, Friday, October 18 with his ninth studio album charting at No. 7.
Inner Outlaw debuted on the Singer/Songwriter Albums chart on iTunes at No. 7, following on from the success of the lead single, The Letter, which is enjoying radio chart success. The accompanying video also had almost 3000 views in the first couple of days since release.
The album is a collection of 12 tracks of pure Americana, with a touch of Waylonesque attitude that will make your heart sing and your mind wander.
It’s dry, minimalist, sometimes appears to fall apart at the seams, but will leave you haunted with a resonance rarely found in modern production.
The new single, Fadin’ was released earlier in the year internationally through Hillcrest Music and charted at No. 13 on the International Top 40 Country Singles Chart and Rory was the No. 14 artist on the top 200 International Country Artists.
Fadin’ is now released in Australia and is a song about being at the crossroads of your life and career and you see the hurdles to jump and snags that tripped you on the journey. You can feel like Fadin’ slowly away.
“Try a little harder”, are the words of someone that loves you unconditionally making you realise your dreams, helping you make them come true.
Featuring some of Australia’s finest musicians, Inner Outlaw has a truckload of character to transport you into parts of the world you’ve craved, some you’d like to discover, but definitely many you will relate to.
Ellis wrote all 12 tracks with this album in mind, keeping up the outlaw attitude in each song.
“When I first started writing the album, I had that whole outlaw country thing in mind, which is not so much about the sound or tone, but more the attitude of each track,” he said.
“It’s a little bit rebellious and it’s my spin on the attitude that guys like Waylon Jennings brought to country music.
The title track sets the tone for the album with Inner Outlaw all about what you’d like to do to people when words just don’t work.
“In modern society, you’ve gotta sit down and talk about issues, but back in the days of the wild west, you would have just shot each other,” Ellis said.
What Happened To That Man is a look back when it was okay to be a bloke, a gentleman, a protector, a proud provider, honest and true, with the writer believing that this man has almost taken a back seat these days.
Striving for recognition in an area you’ve been working in for years, is summed up in The Next Shipwreck.
“I’ve been doing this for 30 years and I wouldn’t mind getting ripped apart just to be able to sit on the highest peak, even if just for a little while,” Ellis said.
“There are a lot of people in that same boat where they’ve worked hard on something, but still haven’t had the recognition they probably deserve.”
In terms of personal songs, 53rd Year hits hard with Ellis, as he wrote it as he was approaching his 53rd birthday at the time and 53 was when his father died.
Another favourite is Bitumen Cowboys, which was a line Ellis heard from a truck driver.
“You think of the truckies out there at all hours, in the middle of nowhere, away from friends and families and civilisation in many circumstances,” he said.
Ellis said he hoped that listeners get to know him better as an artist and person with the songs on Inner Outlaw.
“I hope that people can also take away a little bit of themselves after listening to this album,” he said.
“I want them to look into these songs and think, ‘that was me’, ‘that is me’ or ‘I would like that to be me’.”
Ellis said the attitude of this album was influenced by the music he grew up listening to.
“This album is closer to the bone than I ever thought it would be, because I was raised on a lot of this stuff,” he said.
“It was like this music was burnt in there somewhere and I hope that people will really love the music and feel the essence of what country music is to me”
Ellis will take the songs on tour in 2020 as he strives to head west with his music.
“I’d love to take this music out a bit further into more of the regional areas as well, because there is something very cool about playing for those audiences,” he said.
Inner Outlaw is out now through Checked Label Services.
"inner outlaw" press release 15/10/19
"INNER OUTLAW"
Press Release 15/10/19
RORY ELLIS FINDS HIS INNER OUTLAW PDF FILE
Rory Ellis unleashes his Inner Outlaw on Friday, October 18 with the release of his ninth studio album.
Inner Outlaw is a collection of 12 tracks of pure Americana, with a touch of Waylonesque attitude that will make your heart sing and your mind wander. It’s dry, minimalist, sometimes appears to fall apart at the seams, but will leave you haunted with a resonance rarely found in modern production.
The lead single, The Letter, told an incredible true story of a letter in a bottle which has already aroused response here in Australia and overseas. Following on from this, the album gets bigger and better.
Featuring some of Australia’s finest musicians, Inner Outlaw has a truckload of character to transport you into parts of the world you’ve craved, some you’d like to discover, but definitely many you will relate to.
Ellis wrote all 12 tracks with this album in mind, keeping up the outlaw attitude in each song.
“When I first started writing the album, I had that whole outlaw country thing in mind, which is not so much about the sound or tone, but more the attitude of each track,” he said.
“It’s a little bit rebellious and it’s my spin on the attitude that guys like Waylon Jennings brought to country music.
The title track sets the tone for the album with Inner Outlaw all about what you’d like to do to people when words just don’t work.
“In modern society, you’ve gotta sit down and talk about issues, but back in the days of the wild west, you would have just shot each other,” Ellis said.
What Happened To That Man is a look back when it was okay to be a bloke, a gentleman, a protector, a proud provider, honest and true, with the writer believing that this man has almost taken a back seat these days.
Striving for recognition in an area you’ve been working in for years, is summed up in The Next Shipwreck.
“I’ve been doing this for 30 years and I wouldn’t mind getting ripped apart just to be able to sit on the highest peak, even if just for a little while,” Ellis said.
“There are a lot of people in that same boat where they’ve worked hard on something, but still haven’t had the recognition they probably deserve.”
In terms of personal songs, 53rd Year hits hard with Ellis, as he wrote it as he was approaching his 53rd birthday at the time and 53 was when his father died.
“It’s one of the deeper thoughts I had on the album,” he said.
And another favourite is Bitumen Cowboys, which was a line Ellis heard from a truck driver.
“You think of the truckies out there at all hours, in the middle of nowhere, away from friends and families and civilisation in many circumstances,” he said.
Ellis said he hoped that listeners get to know him better as an artist and person with the songs on Inner Outlaw.
“I hope that people can also take away a little bit of themselves after listening to this album,” he said.
“I want them to look into these songs and think, ‘that was me’, ‘that is me’ or ‘I would like that to be me’.”
Ellis said the attitude of this album was influenced by the music he grew up listening to.
“This album is closer to the bone than I ever thought it would be, because I was raised on a lot of this stuff,” he said.
“It was like this music was burnt in there somewhere and I hope that people will really love the music and feel the essence of what country music is to me”
Ellis will take the songs on tour in 2020 as he strives to head west with his music.
“I’d love to take this music out a bit further into more of the regional areas as well, because there is something very cool about playing for those audiences,” he said
.
Inner Outlaw is out on October 18, but is currently available for preorder from all digital retailers, and released through Checked Label Services.
"THE LETTER" PRESS RELEASE 06/09/19
"THE LETTER"
PRESS RELEASE 6/09/19
REMARKABLE DISCOVERY OF PEACE MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE PDF FILE
We've all watched the romantic movies that tell the stories of a message in a bottle washed up on shore, after years of bobbing about in the ocean currents, only to find its way into the hands of destiny.
This is a true story of a message in a bottle, and it is far from romantic.
Written in 1940, during a time of chaos and war, could this Light Horseman who fought in the Battle of the Somme, Colin Ellis, have known that his very personal and incredibly powerful message would wind up in the hands of his only Grandson, Rory Ellis, nearly a century on.
And there are no safer hands than that of Australian Musician, Rory Ellis, to convey his Grandfather’s message to the world. And what better way than through song, the universal language.
This astonishing story begins in February 1940, when Colin Ellis, in conjunction with Joe Eagles, penned and placed the letter is a whiskey bottle and cemented it into the Church Street Bridge in Melbourne, whilst carrying out repair works on the bridge.
“The Second World War was being fought at the time. The blue-collar worker was also fighting for his rights back at home. This letter echoes so poignantly their thoughts, which are even more relevant today” said Ellis “When you read these powerful words, you realise nothing has changed. Today, we still all long for the same thing….almost a century on”
During repair works on the bridge 71 years later, two workers, Paul Bladowski and Grant Inkster, remarkably discovered the bottle, buried within the concrete. Bladowski, was jackhammering into the bridge and unearthed the long-buried letter.
“I was jackhammering a little higher than shoulder height, when all of the sudden the jackhammer went into a void in the wall about 3 or 4 inches very easily, then I felt glass pieces hitting my chest. At closer inspection there were papers rolled up inside of a whisky bottle!” Bladowski remembered.
Inkster also clearly remembers the amazing discovery, saying the old bottle held more secrets, that would never be revealed.
“In the bottle were two other small documents…a conscription notice which crumbled and basically dissolved as we tried to remove the contents, and the third one was even more fragile” Inkster added. “I wish this very cool story we have at hand gives an eternity of inspiration, and I hope some generations (not so far down the track), get to see the old boys’ wish of enlightenment, peace on earth and goodwill to mankind.”
The surviving letter took seven years to find Ellis, through word of mouth and mutual associates. He said the letter, written in the midst of war and turmoil, held great meaning to him personally.
“It’s quite incredible how they found me. It took some years, and I just wanted to say thank you to all for bringing it home” said Ellis. “I hold fond memories of the stories my father told of how Grandfather was a man who believed in fair rights for workers, and would often be found in his back yard sharing an ale with The Late Bob Hawke and The Late Arthur Calwell”
Ellis said the natural thing for him to do, was to write the song, “The Letter”. “
After 30 years of recording and performing throughout the world, it was my way of sharing my Grandfather’s message in the only way I know how….to put his words into a song” said the singer/songwriter.
Mr Ellis and Mr Eagles wrote in the 1940 note that they hoped the struggles of the war would be over by the time the letter was found.
“We close this with the hope that the workers are enlightened when this is found and that there is peace on earth and good will to man” the letter said. *******
IMAGE OF ACTUAL LETTER ATTACHED, INTERPRETED SCRIPT BELOW
8th February, 1940
This bottle was placed here on the above date, by Joe Eagles and Colin Ellis 'Plasterers' who have been repairing the cement work of this bridge since November 1939. The gauge of material used has been two parts of sand to one of cement. The work was supervised by Mr Williams of the Prahran Council. We both have appreciated his cooperation, and his conditions of employment. The world war is on at present brought about by the capitalist section of the world to maintain a rotten system. We hope when this bottle is found that the workers of the world will be getting a much more equal share in natures gifts, and the wealth they produce for the class that prioritise them and thieves. Even to the extent of murdering each other. To protect wealth they do not share in. The capitalists call it war, not murder. We close this with the hope that the workers are enlightened when this is found and that there is peace on earth and good will to man.
Written by Colin Ellis and Joe Eagles
*******
ABOUT Rory Ellis: See attached BIO and REVIEWS The single “The Letter” will be officially released from the album “Inner Outlaw” on 6/9/19 and is available digitally for pre-order through www.roryellis.com Alternatively, those pre-ordering the full album “Inner Outlaw” (to be released 18/10/19) will receive a bonus of “The Letter” instantly from the single release date.