November Artist of the Month: Peter Campbell
Gather round and indulge in the addictive, melodic storytelling of our 100% Home-Grown Artist Of The Month for November, Southern Highlands’ singer-songwriter Peter Campbell. During this month, Highland FM 107.1 will showcase a selection of Peter’s music from his 2025 album, Burden of Hope.
In a world craving authenticity, Australian singer-songwriter Peter Campbell cuts through the noise. In the words of his own song, Pete has willingly carried a Burden of Hope for just on 60 years. Poetic and powerful, this music has a timelessness to it – a rare blend of infectious alt-folk and contemporary relevance in a call to action, connection and healing. It is strong music with a beating heart.
Evocative lyrics, rich melodies and a magnetic stage presence make for a performance that is as entertaining as it is compelling. Pete invites an audience to find connection in human experiences that are universal, moving it from tears to laughter and back again. Expect raucous participation, striking finger-style six string, feisty 12 string, tender banjo and arresting a cappella – a powerful reminder of music’s ability to heal and inspire.
His second album, Across the Border, was produced by folk legend Noel Paul Stookey – Paul of Peter, Paul & Mary (PP&M) fame – at his Henhouse studio in Blue Hill, Maine, USA. PP&M covered his song Wild Places on their album Such is Love, he also toured with them.
In 2020 Pete wrote Waited Too Long which became the anthem for the United Nations International Summit on Domestic/Family Violence in the COVID-19 Era, a three-day online conference out of New York attended by leaders and experts from 47 countries, opened by Pope Francis. While some have called it the saddest song in the world, the intimate observation and cinematic detail in Waited Too Long are the hallmarks of his potency as a songwriter.
2025 sees the release of Peter Campbell’s startling fifth album, Burden of Hope, produced and engineered by Brendan Gallagher. With the world in turmoil, the task of remaining hopeful is urgent and involves hard work. This collection speaks to the heart of our times without flinching. From the rollicking hilarity of the politically incisive Same Science (recorded live), to the wistful yearnings of Half the World Away and I’m Not Saying, the overtones of country in Waiting on the Weather and Brindabella Blue, the passionate Coat of Many Colours and the almost savage title track, Burden of Hope – these songs weave through the landscape of our shared humanity, keeping unerring focus on compassion, healing and love.
In parallel to his music, Peter is an architectural graduate, graphic designer, photographer, glass artist, magician and ventriloquist. Music has always been the passion, but his creative life has expanded into many other areas. He performed in professional theatre and film with Australian comic legend Grahame (Auntie Jack) Bond and created The Mugic Man – an uproarious kids show combining magic, ventriloquism and wild banjo. He has designed architectural glass environments for cathedrals, residences and institutions, created destination brands and wayfinding systems for cities, regions and towns, and undertaken large photographic projects exploring the social impact of industrial change. The Biscuit Factory, a photographic essay on the closure of the Westons Biscuit Factory in Sydney’s Camperdown, was celebrated in a major exhibition at the Museum of Sydney.
Learn more about Pete at www.petercampbell.au.
ALBUM: Burden of Hope
