For more than twenty years Duncan Toombs has been quietly kicking massive goals in the Australian country music industry. He’s toured and recorded with Kasey Chambers, Adam Brand and Lee Kernaghan (to name a few) and was an integral member of the Golden Guitar award winning group the Adam Eckersley Band for 3 years. He’s perhaps best known as the gifted filmmaker behind countless great music videos at The Filmery, but now he’s added one more feather to his cap, with the release of his sensational debut single, ‘Run’.
The stranger to the spotlight has announced his arrival with a good old fashioned love song. “Run is a song about my wife Amanda and I falling in love,” he grins. “I believe if you ever get the chance to find someone or something you love in this life. Hold on tight … and RUN through life!” That’s exactly how this tumbling track makes you feel – as though you’re whizzing down a highway with your hand out the window or bounding through a sun-drenched field of overgrown grass. Toombs’ warm vocal captures the sentiment perfectly and invites you on his own personal leap-of-faith journey.
The single was recorded during a two-day spell at Rod McCormack’s, The Music Cellar on the NSW Central Coast. McCormack, along with Toombs and Scott Bird produced the debut effort with a little help from some of Australia’s top hired guns. “I was extremely lucky to record this song with a bunch of incredible musicians whom I’m lucky enough to call friends,” rejoices Toombs. One such friend was the highly praised, award magnet, Matt Fell. “I was also very lucky to have Matt Fell play in the band and throw in some absolute magic.”
Toombs is only on the cusp of his solo career, yet his praises are already being sung. “He has one of the most authentic modern country sounds you’ll hear. ‘Run’ is a true reflection of this,” says the incomparable Kasey Chambers. Much loved, country music queen, Gina Jeffreys, goes further and says “rich, beautiful, heartfelt vocals with an undeniably refreshing return to traditional country sounds. I absolutely love Duncan’s voice, and this will be one song that gets high rotation in our house!”
With 7 x Golden Guitar wins already under his belt for ‘Music Video of the Year’, along with a further 2 x Golden Guitar awards for New Talent of the Year and Best Group or Duo as an integral part of the Adam Eckerskley Band, Toombs is thrilled to be finally sharing his own songs with the world, while on tour this year. “I am so excited to be hitting the road this year touring with my long-time friend Lyn Bowtell,” confesses Toombs.” I will be putting together some of my very own showcases also.” For a long time, country music fans have had no doubt they’re in for a world class performance when Duncan Toombs is in the band – now even more so that he’s front and centre behind the mic.
‘Run’ is the first step for Toombs into uncharted territory. Yet with such a large family of industry and fans throwing their support behind him, his debut single is bound to find success. Just one of his biggest champions, Kasey Chambers, said – “many of us have been waiting for Dunc to share this other side of his talents and I’m happy & proud that the time has finally come!” With ‘Run’ being the first single to emerge from Toombs’ upcoming album, listeners ought to hold on tight, because this driven debut is just the beginning of a whirlwind of great music and stories.