Biography

"Having now lived with the album for several weeks, while also exploring the group's previous albums via streaming, I am confident in describing The Stars, If You Look Closely as an exceptional album of roots music...there may not be a more hopeful and inspiring roots song in 2024 than the title track...rich in surprising turns and insightful lyrical choices...
In my opinion, lead vocalist Nadine Budge is the star. While her voice contains elements that remind me of folks familiars, such as Connie Smith, her style is completely her own: dramatically powerful - forceful even, without betraying her bandmates by distracting from their significant instrumental foundation"
(DONALD TEPLYSKE - FERVOR COULEE, ROOTS MUSIC OPINION, CANADA)

“Champions of fresh bluegrass but with a bedraggled soul of rock and roots."
(CLAUDIO GIULIANI, BUSCADERO MAGAZINE, ITALY)


With 16 years playing together under their belts, The Stetson Family continue to deliver spirited, free-wheeling Americana, folk and bluegrass, infused with lush harmonies and original songs that take the audience on a journey down life’s sometimes joyous and often crooked highway.

It’s been nine years since The Stetson Family’s last album (TRUE NORTH 2015) but like a slow train coming, THE STARS, IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY, is a welcome sight. It’s the fourth album from this Australian band, coming to you in their sixteenth year. It comprises all original songs, written by lead vocalist Nadine Budge and John Bartholomeusz, along with two songs left unfinished by fellow founding member and mando player Andy Carswell, who left this world in 2016. The Stars, If You Look Closely is dedicated to Carswell.

The 11 original songs on The Stars, If You Look Closely are true to Stetson Family form with a mixture of up-tempo tracks and ballads, along with an instrumental, Nightfall.

The band feels honoured to have recorded and produced this album with Ern Rose, legendary Australian engineer and producer who’s been at the helm of many of Australia’s iconic albums over the past five decades by the likes of The Little River Band, Renee Geyer, Daddy Cool and so many more. The album was mixed and co-produced by Ern Rose & Nadine Budge


The Stetson Family hail from Melbourne, Australia, forming in 2008, when Nadine Budge, John Bartholomeusz and Colin Swan, three members of 80s synth-pop band Schizo Scherzo, had a chance meeting after 15 years and bonded over the music from O Brother Where Are Thou. Instruments came out, voices harmonized, Bartholomeusz’ childhood friend Andy Carswell came into the picture and, soon after, original songs started flowing. They were joined by Luke Richardson on double bass, and now, after the passing of Andy Carswell, have multi-instrumentalist Greg Field on mandolin and fiddle. Four albums down the track and the band still revels in playing to audiences all around the country.


Their third album, True North, established the band internationally, breaking out of Australia onto US Roots and Americana charts, garnering stellar reviews in the UK, USA, Italy, Czechoslovakia, Uruguay, and many places in between. The band were nominated for Best Group/Duo at the Victorian & National Country Music Awards 2016 and Best Song 2012. Their song O Winding River was one of 10 songs chosen from around the globe to be showcased in Nashville, Tennessee, at the International Bluegrass Music Association conference and festival. Their albums have made multiple international Top10 lists, including Italy’s premier roots magazine Buscadero.