Adopted Aussie Steve Clisby today released his brand new recording of the iconic Peter Allen classic I Still Call Australia Home to celebrate diversity and tolerance for Australia Day 2016.
Clisby, the seasoned musician who shot to TV fame on The Voice at the age of 67 and stole millions of Australian hearts, said today: “I wanted to give back to the incredible supporters I have in Australia. I’m originally from California, but have lived in this beautiful country for over 16 years now – I fell in love with it the moment I arrived. I definitely call Australia my home and being able to do this now is very powerful for me.”
Peter Allen’s iconic anthem – famously adopted by Qantas as the song that draws Australians back home each year – is given a heartfelt and soulful new twist by Clisby, who proudly gained his citizenship in 2013.
To him it’s a song that celebrates the diversity that now exists throughout Australia.
“I wanted to express in the deepest, most personal way how much I – and all those who, like me have made Australia their adopted home – love and appreciate this beautiful land,” he said.
“Australia is a new place, a young place, and that means there’s room to grow. It’s a place you might make mistakes, but it’s a place where you can also make a difference if you want to, without anything to get in your way.”
Producer Michael Tan said: “Steve Clisby’s new version of I Still Call Australia Home celebrates Australia’s growing cultural diversity by bringing its meaning to a wider audience. It’s a logical progression for Steve following his success on The Voice and the way Australian audiences have embraced his journey.”
Clisby added: “Most of all, it’s about gratitude for the openness I found here. This was something my mother, Ruth, always found so amazing. It speaks about the effort it took to get here, the experiences I’ve had here, and the love I have been shown as people opened their arms.”
“Today I wanted to give back for that incredible support.”