Mahalia Barnes

Mahalia Barnes has been in and around music her entire life.

Throughout her childhood years she was exposed to everything from Ray Charles, Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett to Ike and Tina Turner, Aretha Franklin, Donny Hathaway and Stevie Wonder, all of which helped shape her into the powerhouse soul and blues vocalist that has jaws dropping every time she picks up a mic.

Hard Expectations was recorded at Freight Train Studios in Botany and mixed at Apple Street Studios in Berrima and features US guitarist Kirk Fletcher (The Fabulous Thunderbirds) playing on all tracks and blues/rock powerhouse, Joe Bonamassa, taking the guitar solo on Move On. The title track, Hard Expectations, was written by Cold Chisel’s Don Walker and has already been added to national ABC Local Radio playlists.

The album features 9 original songs written by members of The Soul Mates, as well as the title track, Hard Expectations, and covers of Curtis Mayfield’s Hard Times and The Pointer Sisters’ You Gotta Believe.

About Great Southern Nights This event is part of Great Southern Nights. This NSW Government initiative is delivered by its tourism and major events agency Destination NSW in partnership with the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) to stimulate the revival of the live music and entertainment sectors and in turn the visitor economy in the recovery phase of COVID-19. All music events will be programmed in line with current NSW Government health advice regarding physical distancing and venue capacity of public gatherings.