Meet the Locals: Bass guitarist Tony Edwards is bringing his band to Dungog

Mr Edwards and his band, Smokin Jay's, are gearing up to play at the Dungog Memorial RSL on Saturday, June 18.

Having initially learnt the drums in a marching band, Mr Edwards bought a bass seemingly on a whim and taught himself the rest.

"I went to buy a drum kit but the guy didn't sell it to me in the end, but a mate of mine sold me a bass. So I bought this bass and I sat down and just listened to Status Quo records," Mr Edwards said.

Playing the bass for more than 45 years has meant that Mr Edwards has a decent handle on the instrument, accumulating nine guitars throughout this time.

"I don't know where they all came from, they just accumulate over the years. I've got them all out in a rack, I look at them and think, wow there's a stack of them," he said.

When he's not laying down bass lines, Mr Edwards can often be found either at the Tinshed Brewery or riding his bike through The Common.

"We're regulars at the brewery, we walk up there and our beverages are waiting for us... I like riding the mountain bike," He said.

Like most musicians, Mr Edwards and his band were hit hard by COVID, left unable to practise or perform right when they were starting to hit their groove.

"We had gigs booked about once a month. One wedding we did this January was postponed for three years," Mr Edwards said.

To Mr Edwards, Dungog is about as good as it gets, with good coffee, good beer and a good mountain bike course.

"You get good beer at the brewery and the fact that I can leave my RV going to the three tracks and be back in 45 minutes is outrageous. It's just a bloody good town," He said.

Although he sees a lot of positives in town, Mr Edwards biggest concern for the future of Dungog is not to fall into stagnation.

The Smoking Jays will take the stage at Dungog Memorial RSL at 8pm on Saturday, June 18.

For more information on the Smoking Jays visit thesmokingjays.com.