It’s pretty bloody good Kasey by Les Everett

• At Astor Theatre Photo by Les Everett

I haven’t listened to this song since deciding to write about it. It’s been a while and I’m missing it so here goes.

 I wanted to accurately bracket the first time I heard Not Pretty Enough and the last time. 

On 24 April 2001 young (but experienced) Australian country singer Kasey Chambers supported American superstar Emmylou Harris on her Australian tour. We had front row seats at Perth’s Burswood Theatre… off to the side, not front and centre.

Chambers said she had a new song to try out on us. It was the song of an artist trying to make a go it in the music industry, on her own and not quite knowing where or if she fitted in. Not really a country queen. Not a pouting pop starlet. Not a big voiced diva. Not pretty enough perhaps.

It was a song of bravado, timidity, confidence, confusion, resilience and sorrow. It was a cry for attention, “Why do you see right through me?”

The last time I heard the song was on 15 May 2025 at the Astor Theatre in Mt Lawley and how a song and a life can change and grow.

It was Chambers, the mentor now, on banjo accompanied on vocals by rising star fiddle player Felicity Kircher, impressive support act Jenny Mitchell and her sisters The Mitchell Twins. 

It might be the last time Not Pretty Enough gets this treatment. 

It was glorious.

It won’t be the last time I hear the song, that’s for sure.