ALBUM REVIEW – A THOUSAND CAMPFIRESDEAN PERRETT is well known and respected for his quality albums in the Balladeer tradition, but with his newest album A Thousand Campfires, he has exceeded all expectations. His songwriting is growing even better with every release and he has some excellent companions to work with. IAN QUINN penned The Dust of Kalkadoon and We’re Doing Fine, which Dean has recorded with ANNE KIRKPATRICK. He also joins with DIANNE LINDSAY on There’s A Rainbow Round My Memories. Both are very beautiful duets. STUIE FRENCH applied his expertise as a player, producer and songwriter co-writing with Dean on Fool’s Gold and the title track A Thousand Campfires along with fellow balladeer PETER PRATT. Dean’s Rain, Rain, Rain proves his heartfelt and intimate knowledge of a true man on the land. SLIM DUSTY’S guitarist CHARLEY BOYTER is immortalize in Charley Guitar. Dean Perrett has delivered another album full of real and memorable songs.Review by Deborah Minter, Country Music Capital News (January 2009) He’s been one of the best sounds in the Bush Ballad world for a long time, who can always be relied on to give a five star performance, and one wonders if DEAN PERRETT’S new album will be the one that puts the icing on his cake. “A Thousand Campfires” is the title, and it boasts twelve tracks. Never a slouch with the pen, Dean’s songwriting talents shine through on the eight tracks he either wrote or co-wrote. One of the tracks he shared in writing was, “The Cannon Hill Ghosts”, in which he collaborated with the almost legendary, KELLY DIXON. Bundaberg’s IAN QUINN has also left his stamp on this one with one of his works, “We’re Doing Fine” featuring as a duet, with Dean teaming up with ANNE KIRKPATRICK, whilst another of his songs, “The Dust of Kalkadoon”, is the first single lifted from the album for radio release. Another track of great interest is, “There’s A Rainbow Round My Memories”, which was written by the late SLIM DUSTY, and sees Dean doing another duet, this time with DIANE LINDSAY, (daughter, of the late REG LINDSAY, another long standing favourite in Australian Country Music). Grab a listen to this album, it’s top value.Review by Burt Everett, printed in “The Guardian", Bundaberg QLD. ALBUM REVIEWS – NEW TRADITIONSQueensland Bush Ballad performer DEAN PERRETT joins with one of Australia’s finest new producers and musicians STUIE FRENCH (of FERAL SWING KATZ fame) to create his new CD New Traditions. The result is a smooth and polished effect, with Dean’s strong Bush Ballad style still in the forefront and musicianship par excellence. Dean’s songwriting is as strong as ever, with memorable tracks Channel Country Ringer, Jewel of the Newell, Packhorse and Waterhole, Between Two Worlds and The Bright Tomorrow just some of the fine tracks. Stuie joins with Dean to write The Peel Street Blues, a humorous take on a wannabe guitar ‘star’. TRACY COSTER duets with Dean on the classic Over the Hill. Other tracks, Would Clancy Be Welcome?, The Man From Never Never and Two Old Mates (with guest vocalist JEFF BROWN) are equally enjoyable. Dean’s traditions may be new, but his values are still firmly placed with the country.Review by Deborah Minter, Country Music Capital News. DEAN PERRETT was born to sing, especially to sing the stories of the Australian Hinterland. The words, the songs and the backing musos and engineering of the finished product herald the arrival of this annual release. Broadcasters acclaimed it as being superlative in all aspects. This release sets the bar reading at an all time high. DEAN PERRETT has well and truly arrived. Ask any Australian Broadcaster! Any one of them will second that motion.Citation on Australian Country Recording Award for 2006 Bush Ballad Album of the Year awarded to Dean for New Traditions Album.ALBUM REVIEWS – RETURN OF THE STOCKMANA bushie from the top of his hat to the tips of his RM boots, Dean Perrett knows the bush in his blood and his music. His latest CD Return of the Stockman celebrates the bush like few other albums have lately avoiding climate issues and personal loss and choosing to enjoy the traditions that keep the majesty of the bush alive. The title track The Return of the Stockman is the first single; a Coster/Dusty classic done with a sprightly swingy feel, Songs Like These, written with mate and fellow balladeer Ian Quinn is one of the few originals and sits comfortably beside well-known classics like By A Fire of Gidgee Coal, Camooweal and Plains of Peppimenarti to name but a few. Riding Down the Valley sees Dean duetting with Peter Pratt in tribute to Buddy Williams. The album was produced by Stuie French and the classy musicianship is flawless and in the best of Bush tradition.Review by Deborah Minter, Capital NewsIt’s as good as balladeer band as any singer would want for – Slim’s bass player and producer Rod Coe, together with one of Slim’s classic guitar pickers in Charley Boyter and Stuie French on the desk, delivering this “live in the studio” album of straight bush ballad classics mainly from Slim Dusty’s catalogue of songs.Review by Country Music Store, BrisbaneALBUM REVIEW – MY SADDLE BAG DREAMSThis is Dean’s sixth album release and is sure to generate a lot of sales. Dean has written on the CD cover, “This mob of new songs that we have mustered together for you are stories and truths about the things that are close to my heart”. This is evident with the great collection of stories in songs such as “Light Horse Heroes’”, “Slim Dusty – One of a Kind”, “Home on Brumby Creek” and “Big Old Mustering Horse”.Over the years we have reviewed a few of Dean’s album as they have been released and this, folks, is another great album to add to your country music collection.Album review by Charlie Sparrow (Blue’s Country Magazine)ALBUM REVIEW – KEEP ON THE SUNNYSIDEThis is a project that Kerri and myself have both been wanting to record for a long time. Like bush ballads, gospel music is also very close to our hearts. The album includes three new songs from my pen as well as the award winning song “The Shelter of the Cross” which has been re-recorded especially for this album together with 9 other great gospel favorites of ours. The album is a mix of duets and solo numbers with a touch of bluegrass backing.Quotes from Dean PerrettALBUM REVIEW – ALL SET AND SADDLEDThis young balladeer has been progressively releasing strong bush ballad albums, and “All Set and Saddled” which includes a list of songs mainly from Dean’s own pen, with a few co-writes, one from Glenn Perrett, one with Ernie Constance, and one with Shaza Leigh has continued the trend. This is a great album, all strong bush ballad stores, to mention a couple “Cattle Coach King”, “The Jewels in Kidman’s Crown, “The Saddle that Weineke Made” and there is even a duet with Reg Poole, and a gospel song “Hold on to Jesus”. A stand out track is one Dean wrote about the late Barry Thornton, “Barry Thornton – Our Tribute”, featuring Lindsay Butler on guitar as the song pays tribute to a mate and great bush ballad guitarist. This album is great listening from start to end.Review by Peter Coad (The Balladeers Bulletin January 2004)ALBUM REVIEWS - THE REAL THINGDean Perrett is the real thing – a boy from the bush who, with his family, runs a cattle property in the South Burnett area of Queensland. So it’s no surprise that bush ballads are a part of Dean’s life. He is one of Australia’s talented young bush ballad brigade, honing his craft with great Aussie traditionalist like Stan Coster, Lindsay Butler, Brian Letton, Brian Young and Reg Poole.Dean’s new LBS album “The Real Thing” is a carefully crafted collection under the guidance of Lindsay Butler that puts the focus back on the true traditional feel of bush balladry. Dean has written some excellent ballads for the album including “The Saddle Is His Home”, “Georgina River”, and the beaut vocal collaboration “The Young Balladeers” with bush ballad mates Glenn Jones and Jeff Brown.The first radio single “The Real Thing” is a clever story about the demarcation line between the weekend suburban city ringers and the true Australian bushman. There’s no prize for guessing which side of the line Dean’s on.Album Review by Mike Smith, NfS Publicity & Editor of Capital News.If you’re looking for a “real deal” bush ballad album, then this one is for you. Dean Perrett has a pleasant voice and sings in an Australian accent, he also writes songs that are a reflection of life in the country and performs them in the traditional Aussie country way. Perrett performs 8 of his own songs on this album and they are most credible. He also sings the lovely Stan Coster song ‘Where the Desert Flowers Bloom’ and duets with Lynette Guest on ‘Australia Land that I Love’. Jeff Brown and Glenn Jones have come and lent a hand on ‘The Young Balladeers’.The Real Thing was produce by Lindsay Butler and features Lawrie Minson on dobro, harp and guitar and Mike Kerin on fiddle and mandolin. Album Review by Rosie Adsett (Country Update)
