He used to call me the goat,” she laughs. An incredible harp player, singer, songwriter… A really erudite, smart man.

Chris was broader than that, as is evident on the record. “People started calling him ‘The gentleman of the Blues’. It was a beautiful one-off, with Jex’s amazing piano and Hammond playing. Someone came up and said, ‘I miss Chris so much’. the other day I played with Lisa Miller at The Retreat. Throughout all my years playing and touring, it’s the one record that everyone mentions. O’Mara says, “This release is a worthy celebration for an extraordinary record.

O’Mara has worked with a raft of Australian headliners, from performing alongside Stephen Cummings, Rebecca Barnard, Paul Kelly and Tim Rogers to production on acclaimed albums by local artists (at his Yikesville studio) and ARIA-winning soundtrack work. In May 1994, Chris Wilson was joined on stage by guitarist Shane O’Mara and pianist Jex Saarelaht at the iconic Prahran venue which closed two decades ago. The album is out on Friday January 22, just in time for Wilson’s 65th birthday on January 24įor all the latest music news, head here.The re-issue of Live At The Continental will include a handful of new additions.The live album is being released on vinyl for the first time ever.Now, an expanded reissue of his Live At The Continental recording celebrates one particular night of magic. A force of nature and instantly recognisable vocally and on harmonica. It’s hard to think of any stage presence more commanding. The late great purveyor of roots music (and so much more) was recently inducted into the Music Victoria Hall Of Fame. Melbourne audiences knew what they had in Chris Wilson. There are exceptions to Joni Mitchell’s observation from ‘Big Yellow Taxi’. “ Don’t it always seem to go, that you don’t know what you’ve got til it’s gone…” WORDS BY CHRIS LAMBIE Recorded in 1994, Chris Wilson’s Live At The Continental stands as one of the most revered albums ever released in this country.

Chris wilson live at the continental