Casey Barnes ProfileAustralian country stars are preparing for another Deni Ute Muster ahead of its return in October.
Locked in for Friday, 2 October, and Saturday, 3 October, the Muster is once again bringing together a mix of global heavy hitters, homegrown legends and rising stars for what’s shaping up to be one of the biggest weekends in the Australian country music calendar.
Beyond the music, the Deni Ute Muster continues to be one of Australia’s ultimate bucket list events, pulling in close to 20,000 people each year and backed by an army of more than 1,000 volunteers. It’s not just about the stages; it’s about celebrating Australian culture, community and, of course, the humble ute.
The line-up, led by headliners Tones And I, Lee Kernaghan, Tyler Braden, and Sheppard, is packed with surprises, but still has a country heart.
To celebrate this year’s edition, performers such as Sheppard, Casey Barnes, Amber Lawrence, Bella Mackenzie, Zac & George, Tori Darke, and Austin Mackay have caught up with Countrytown, sharing what they’re looking forward to about the 2026 festival and recapping us on a milestone year for all of them.
Check out what they had to share with Countrytown below.
Countrytown interviews Deni Ute Muster artists
Countrytown: What have the past 12 months looked like for you and what’s coming up?
Bella Mackenzie: The past 12 months have been insane! Starting the year by touring & sharing the stage with US artists Jake Banfield, Riley Green, Braxton Keith, Jake Worthington and playing my first CMC Rocks in March to visiting remote outback community Julia Creek to play Dirt N Dust Fest, I've truly had some amazing times playing live!
I've released 5 singles with 2 more to come this year & seeing my fans, new & existing, connecting with my music blows my mind every day.
I can't wait to meet everyone in 2027 when I hit the road with a live show at least once a month! Including kicking off the year with my Bella & Friends show on the 17th of Jan at Tamworth Country Music Festival.
Sheppard: It’s been a really exciting and creative year for us. We’ve spent a lot of time writing and recording, while releasing new music including Beautiful Nothing, Sayonara and our latest single, Night Drive.
We’re now building towards our fifth studio album, which feels like a fresh chapter for Sheppard while still delivering the big melodies and uplifting energy people know us for. There’s plenty more new music on the way, and we can’t wait to bring these songs to the stage at Deni.
Tori Darke: The past 12 months for me have been absolutely WILD. In just the last 3 months, I've made my US & UK festival debuts, and those shows were more than I could have ever imagined.
This year has been a big year for releasing new music, playing lots of shows and significant career growth. I'm over the moon with the way this year has gone, and I'm so excited to see where the next 12 months take me. There will be a lot more new music and some really exciting shows and tours on the horizon.
Zac & George: The past 12 months have been some of the most rewarding months of our career. We have played some awesome festivals that Australia has going on and also did a run of shows to places we had never been before.
We’ve also been heavily focused on writing and producing a bunch of new music that we are tying up into a project. This is a huge first for us, as we have never put out something like this. It’s always been song by song up until this point, but in the last 12 months we have pulled together an album we are very proud of.
Casey Barnes: It’s honestly been an incredible 12 months and probably one of the biggest periods of my career. We kicked off the year winning a Golden Guitar, and more recently I released my new album Made For This, which gave me my first-ever overall ARIA #1 Australian Artist Album. That was a pretty special moment after doing this for such a long time, and something I’ll never forget.
We’ve also been touring heavily, playing some amazing festivals and shows around the country, and now I’m really excited to bring this new album and live show to Deni. There’s still plenty more to come before the end of the year, so I definitely feel like we’re riding a pretty amazing wave at the moment.
Amber Lawrence: The past 12 months have been huge! I’ve continued doing what I love most — touring relentlessly, playing more than 60 shows around Australia, from my own headline shows to some of the country’s biggest festivals.
A massive personal milestone has been releasing my eighth studio album, Suburban Cowgirl, which debuted at #1 on the ARIA Australian Albums Chart - across ALL genres. As an independent country artist, to see my album sitting at number one alongside every genre of Australian music was a pretty incredible moment and something I’m extremely proud of.
The album has really been the soundtrack to the past year. I wrote and recorded it in between touring, school drop-offs and family life, and released songs including Something To Dance To, Comeback Queens, and That’s Cowgirl to Me. I also released my first children’s book, The Suburban Cowgirl, which tells a version of my own story — a little girl from the suburbs who dreams of becoming a country singer.
And there’s no slowing down! I’m currently touring the new album with my Cowgirl to Me Tour, with headline shows and major festivals including Gympie Music Muster and Deni Ute Muster, and plenty more touring into 2027.
After more than 20 years in the industry, I actually feel more driven than ever. I’m really proud that I’m still growing, still reaching new milestones, still touring at this level and - most importantly - still loving making music and connecting with audiences.
Austin Mackay: The past 12 months have been crazy, to say the least. I’ve had the opportunity to tour the United States 3 times, one of those being my very first international headline tour!! I have played a number of festivals, including CMA Fest, Howlin’ Country, Savannah In The Round and supported two major international artists.
Coming up, I have an official showcase at AMERICANAFEST in Nashville, along with debut appearances at Deni Ute Muster and Groundwater. This all seems like a pretty good lead-in to my debut record, which is due for release in early 2027!
Countrytown: Who are you most excited to see at Deni Ute Muster and why?
Bella Mackenzie: I can't wait to see the head of the outback club himself, Lee Kernaghan! The first time I watched Lee play was when I knew I wanted to do country music, so it's always a full-circle moment to watch him play, now being a recording artist myself.
Sheppard: It’s hard to choose, but we’re especially excited to see Lee Kernaghan. He’s a true Australian country music icon, and there probably isn’t a more fitting place to watch him perform than Deni.
His songs are made for a huge regional crowd and carry that same sense of community, pride and singalong energy that makes the Muster so special. We’ll definitely be trying to catch his set. Also, so pumped to see our friends Casey Barnes and Taylor Moss, but that’s a tough one to pick!
Tori Darke: I'm really excited to see Sheppard. I've loved their music for such a long time but have never been on the same lineup as them to see a full live show. I'm excited to see them in full swing and be down the front dancing to Geronimo.
Zac & George: We are pumped to see Tyler Braden. We’ve been huge fans for a while, discovering him on the American playlist All New Country a while back, which has all the new country releases each Friday. We draw so much inspiration from the US acts in their songwriting and performance. Very keen to see how he presents DEVIL YOU KNOW live.
Casey Barnes: There are actually a few! Hard to name just one favourite… Lee Kernaghan is always incredible live, and he’s obviously such an important part of Australian country music. I’m also really looking forward to seeing Sheppard; they put on such a great live show, and I love that Deni brings artists from slightly different worlds together on the same bill.
And I definitely want to catch Tori Darke, Amber Lawrence and Taylor Moss. They’re all great mates and 3 female artists who are absolutely killing it at the moment. That’s one of the things I love about festivals like Deni… you get to catch up with so many friends in the industry that you normally only see when you’re crossing paths on the road.
Amber Lawrence: I’m really excited to see Tones And I. I’ve never seen her live, and I just think she’s such an incredible Australian success story. I love watching artists who do something completely different to me, so I’m really keen to see her show and how she connects with a massive festival crowd.
And of course, I’ll be trying to catch as many of my country mates as I can too! I’ll be there the whole weekend, going between MC duties and my main stage performance, so I’m going to get to enjoy a lot of music!
Austin Mackay: I’m excited to see Ian Moss & Troy Cassar-Daley. I grew up on Cold Chisel, and have been a huge fan of Mossy’s solo stuff since I was a youngin’. Troy’s recent album Between the Fires was such an incredible collection of songs (his best in my opinion), and I am so excited to hopefully hear some of those songs live!
Countrytown: What separates Deni Ute Muster from other festivals?
Bella Mackenzie: This will be my first Deni Ute Muster, but from what I’ve heard, this festival has it all! I can’t wait to explore all that it has to offer!
Sheppard: Deni isn’t simply a music festival - it has its own culture. The utes, camping, competitions and people travelling from all over the country make it feel like one enormous annual reunion.
It celebrates regional Australia in such a genuine way, and that atmosphere carries through to the performances. People don’t just arrive to watch the show; they come ready to be part of the entire experience. There really isn’t another festival quite like it.
Tori Darke: Deni Ute Muster is like no other festival I've ever been to for so many reasons.
There is something for everyone: Ute Lovers, Music Lovers, Blue singlet wearers, the kids, and the list goes on. I've been to Deni before as a spectator, and it was such a fun weekend. I cannot wait to go back this year with my band and have some fun at Deni with them.
Zac & George: We’ve only briefly popped down to Deni once before, so we are really looking forward to spending a bit more time this year at the festival. From what we know, it’s one of the last of its kind. We don’t think there’s another event in the world like it.
Casey Barnes: Deni has its own identity. There really isn’t anything else quite like it. It’s obviously got an incredible history, and some massive artists have played there over the years, but it’s much more than just a music festival.
People genuinely make a pilgrimage to Deni every year. You’ve got the utes, the camping, the music, the characters and that incredible sense of community and mateship. For a couple of days, this huge community basically appears on the plains, and everyone is there for the same reason… to have a great time and celebrate Australian music and culture.
That authenticity is probably what separates Deni for me. You know exactly where you are when you walk out on that stage, and there’s nowhere else in Australia that feels quite like it.
Amber Lawrence: I have to start with the iconic blue singlet - it just sums up the authenticity of the people and the music. Deni is more than a music festival - it’s a slice of Australia. There is something for everyone, from music lovers to ute lovers, to kids and families. It’s just the best!
Austin Mackay: Well, this is my first time, so I’m not sure I can really answer that one yet. But from what I’ve heard, the folks down there love to get real rowdy. That alone has got me so excited to open the main stage at Deni!
Tickets to the 2026 Deni Ute Muster are now available.
