Lee Kernaghan is a man driven by two things: country music and connection. In 2025, he’s giving fans both in full force. With a 40-date national run, the final chapter of his Boys from the Bush tour, and the 10-year anniversary of his landmark Spirit of the Anzacs album, there’s no slowing down for this Australian icon.

“We’re revamping the show. We’re amping it up,” he says with a grin. “And as I think somebody said once, there’s no substitute for horsepower. So we’re going to be cranking it up with some pretty legendary shows right across Australia.”

The Boys from the Bush: Final Chapter Tour will revisit fan favourites, rare tracks, and heartfelt stories, with Lee pulling from decades of hits and deep cuts alike.

“We’re getting back into some of that stuff that’s a little more obscure like Electric Rodeo. I haven’t sung that one for years,” he says. “There’s been a lot of requests coming through on Instagram and Facebook for songs that might not have been radio hits but are still people’s favourites. So we’re putting that all together.”

For long-time fans, it’s more than just a concert, it’s a chance to revisit memories that have become part of their own life’s soundtrack. “It all comes down to the songs and connecting with people,” Lee says.

“My passion is to write songs about Australia, our people, our way of life. A lot of the audience that comes to the concerts not only know the songs, but they’ve lived them. That’s the reason they keep coming back.”

That connection runs deep, and it's only grown stronger over the years. “There were people coming to my gigs back in the ’90s who were going to B&S balls and raising hell,” he laughs. “Now they’ve got kids, and grandkids, and they’re all coming along. It’s like a whole new generation of country.”

But while this tour celebrates the road travelled, 2025 also marks a deeply personal milestone: ten years since Spirit of the Anzacs, an album that captured the hearts of a nation and gave voice to generations of servicemen and women.

“There was definitely a divine hand at work in the writing of that song,” Lee recalls. “I was visiting the War Memorial at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and looking at these immortal words engraved in marble: He is all of them, and he is one of us. As I read those words, I got the goosebumps up my arms and the shivers up the back of my neck. That really was the birth of the Spirit of the Anzacs song.”

The album, which featured a powerhouse lineup including Guy Sebastian, Jessica Mauboy, Sheppard, Shannon Noll, Meg Washington, Jon Stevens and more, became the highest-selling Australian album of 2015. But beyond its commercial success, it remains a deeply meaningful tribute.

“Everybody donated their time and their talent, from the songwriters to the record companies and publishers, to ensure that every single dollar raised from the song went back to our service men and women, through support groups like Legacy and Soldier On. The song truly belongs to Australia,” Lee says. “It was a great privilege to be just a small cog in a much bigger wheel.”

Much of the album was inspired by letters, diaries, and archived recollections from Australian soldiers and their families. For Lee, the process was profound.

“When I was reading the archives at the War Memorial, it was as if the stories were writing themselves. I could hear the music as I read their words,” he says. “It happened very organically, and it became the album Spirit of the Anzacs. The thing that really gladdens my heart is that on ANZAC Day, this song is still sung from school assemblies to special memorial services. That’s what gives me the greatest satisfaction. It’ll continue to resonate and be sung for years to come.”

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Even now, with the next chapter looming, Kernaghan’s roots remain firmly in the stories and people that shape this country. “It’s just a deep love of country music. It’s ingrained in my DNA,” he says. “I remember the first time I heard Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Hank Williams Jr., and David Allan Coe when I was about 13 years old. Those outlaws just struck a chord inside of me, and it’s just gotta keep coming out through the music.”

That music, Kernaghan hints, is far from over. While this tour marks the end of the Boys from the Bush era, he’s already working on a new album, with hopes to release a single or two before year’s end.

“I’m just making sure that when I do put it out, it’s something I can be proud of and hopefully something that’ll stand the test of time,” he says. “Songs are like family members. Once they’re out in the world, you can’t disown them.”

Whether it’s the final run of a beloved tour or the next chapter of his songwriting journey, one thing is certain: Lee Kernaghan is still singing Australia’s story, and we’re all still listening.