Hat Fitz is a "veteran" wild man of the blues scene in Australia. He has a record 18 straight appearances at Byron's East Coast Blues and Roots Festival, a record that is not likely to ever be broken, and one which bears testimony to his amazing live performances and popularity with festival goers.
Hat Fitz has, over the last few years, increased his European touring dates from what was originally a two week "look about" in Ireland to a yearly full-tilt 4 month multi-country extravaganza.
His "take-no-prisoners" reputation of years gone by may have mellowed ever so slightly, but audience reaction worldwide is always the same, no matter if it's an intimate room or a major festival, they drift off into the early mornings, covered in smiles and drenched with sweat.
A few years back, Hat Fitz was performing at Ireland’s Castlebar Blues Festival and it was suggested that he might like to check out a wonderful singer by the name of Cara Robinson, who was performing at the festival that night.
He was duly knocked out by the gorgeous Irish singer, and proceeded later that night to quite literally knock Cara out as well. They were dancing together, and the rambunctious Australian twirled and lifted the lovely Irish lass – straight into a column. It was the beginning of a beautiful relationship, both professionally and personally.
6 months after that fateful night and after many a late night phone call, Cara found herself in Australia for a holiday to visit ‘Fitzy’. Fitzy pulled out all stops – taking his Irish sweetheart to see some of our finest; the Barrier Reef, the Blue Mountains, the city of Sydney by night, the Central Coast and way out west to the outback. It worked a treat; Cara was smitten by both Fitzy and Australia.
The combination with Cara Robinson has been described as a match made in heaven and after witnessing a live performance and listening to their music it's impossible to dispute that description. The wildness of Hat Fitz’s performance is still there, but is now tempered by the bewitching Cara.
Cara draws on her soul background (she’s toured Europe and the United States with singers such as Jamiroquai and the hugely popular Corrine Bailey-Rae), and although blessed with a sensational voice she was not content to be labelled as ‘just a singer’. She has taken to drumming duties as well as washboards, flute and tin whistle, sometimes all at once.
Over the past few years, the now husband & wife duo have slightly changed their musical direction. They have been writing more original material together and honing a sound that is growing from strength to strength and moving into new genres. But their music is still blessed with that “old timey” feel and flavour, as shown on their latest release “Wiley Ways” which was produced by Australian blues legend Jeff Lang.
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