Gene Bradley Fisk shares more than a past career as a DJ and honky tonk hero with fellow survivor Willie Nelson. The septuagenarian singer-songwriter has also recorded some of the best songs of his 50-year career by tilling his rich rural roots for reality driven roughage.Fisk draws upon his 19th century ancestors and pioneersdiverse as miner Henry Duck, cattle king Sidney Kidman, wild white man William Buckley and Burma Railway survivor Stan Marchbank to anchor this 12 song disc. He revisits his RAAF overseas service, a tragic accident in the Otway ranges and triumph of true love over loss in an eclectic stroll through his back pages.Equally importantly he turns into song a Pentridge prison poem by a long deceased victim of the system whose creativity Gene encouraged during his time in the jail.Fisk ignites the nostalgia of returning to towns where he combined his dual careers behind radio and stage microphones. The singer also proves longevity and geneticsare a strong weapon in his arsenal of amore on a duet with daughter Donna.This is a fitting tribute to the talent of a master storyteller with credible characters inhabiting songs that ferment with age. The crisp production of Michael Cristian ensures every nuance of Gene’s lived in vocals are captured on an accessible instrumental bed. Fisk’s songs are rooted in pure country that he delivered to radio as DJ and performer in a career that has spanned six decades. The cream on this cake rises from the narratives to the whimsical western swing finale That’s My Cue. Dave Dawsons BACK IN BENDIGO I have a soft spot for this great city and its people, and leaving there for the big smoke in1976 was hard yards for me.The song reflects my feelings on leaving. BOOMER’S LULLABY A beautifully crafted song by Brian Elkington that should appeal to that generation who survived the 60’s and 70’s. We lived and loved and made our mark in time, and regret only some of it. The rest we cherish. SOMEWHERE EAST OF MT SABINE Based on a true story of a tragic accident in the Otway Ranges of Victoria in the early 1940’s, and is dedicated to the memory of my late father and mother and family members, who daily faced the dangers of the bush. AN EVENING IN PARIS The song is based on the reminiscences of Stan Marchbank, a survivor of the horror of the infamous Burma Railway during World War 2, as related to Donna Fisk. Stan kept a vial of his sweethearts Evening in Paris perfume,as a moral boosting reminder of home and sweethearts, and shared it with fellow prisoners. HEY BILL William Buckley (1780-1856) was Victoria’s first European inhabitant, whose survival story is probably the greatest in our history. His timely warnings to John Batman’s party at Indented Head prevented a massacre by local tribesmen and he became interpreter for John Batman’s Port Phillip Association , and early government authorities. He left for Tasmania in disgust at the poor treatment of himself and the local aboriginal people. KIDMAN A tribute to cattleman Sir Sidney Kidman (1857-1935), and winner of Best Heritage song at Independent Country Music Awards Mildura 2003. A SONGWRITER’S PRAYER The writer George Mooney has a way with words that I admire . Here's to George and all gifted songwriters. MIDWINTER BLUES A duet with daughter Donna. It won 2 awards in 2001 at the Victorian Country Music Awards.This is as close as I'll ever get to penning a love song. OUT WEST Shearer ,Farmer, Goldminer, my Great Grandfather Henry Duck was in Queensland in the 1890’s during the shearers’ strikes.He also goldmined at Spargo Creek near Daylesford and farmed in the Otway district until retirement in 1932. He was a great storyteller and some of what he told me is in this song. WEEKEND COWBOY Many years ago the late Gary David Webb sent me this song from his abode in Pentridge Prison, and I told him I might record it one day. Here it is. WAY OVER THE EDGE a traumatic part of my life in Southeast Asia with the RAAF. The world was changing and so was I. It won 2 awards in the Victorian Country Music awards of 2001. THAT’S MY CUE A story of love and loss ,which happens to most of us. Some of us still keep on paying for it, and don't learn from our mistakes ..I'm out here... that's my cue. After over 50 years in the music game I have only released two albums. My first album was on vinyl in 1981 and before and after that, I had a host of singles on vinyl, cassette and two CD EP’s ..not a lot of recording output at all for the time spent in the business. However most of what I have recorded has helped me to gain some recognition in the music game, and has been a showcase of my songwriting efforts. In 2000 I recorded 4 songs with Michael Cristian who recorded and produced my first CD release and then also in 2004 the song Kidman. So after recording the 7 new tracks for this album I decided that all the early material recorded at his studio, and the new ones should make up the content of this album as a showcase of his production and recording techniques. Manythanks to Michael and Donna for their inputand patience. Their efforts made my part inthe sessions easy. Their talents are formidable.Also thank you to the songwriters George Mooney, Brian Elkington and Donna Fisk, fortheir special songs, and to Dave Dawson for hisremarks on the album sleeve. This album is dedicated to my wife Jan and our family of six, and to all the musicians dead and living who were part of my musical journey over the last 50 years. Gene Bradley Fisk 2011