Whitlams frontman Tim Freedman dips his toes into country music pool in Tamworth tour

Just don't call his new single 'man about a dog' a country tune.

"I think this song is a little bit rural, which is why I coined the phrase pastoral pop," he said, comparing the agricultural ballad set at the end of a drought to the "meadows and green hills and storms coming in from the sea" of Van Morrison.

The one-man show comes to Tamworth's Capitol Theatre next Thursday.

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It's the first regional solo tour in Freedman's 30 year career, and his first visit to the city in years, he said.

Freedman said he initially planned to launch the tune in Tamworth, but was foiled by scheduling.

"It's the first farmer that's ever featured in a Whitlams song," he said.

It may not be the last.

Freedman told the Leader he'd recently met up with music producer Matt Fell, a friend.

Over a beer they talked over a concept for a "side project" that the Whitlams singer described as "a little bit country".

"It's far too early to talk about," he said - but mentioned he'd always had a love for the genre "from Elvis on".

Asked if he'd be up for a booking at the next Country Music Festival, Tamworth's 50^th, he said he'd be there in a heartbeat.

The Whitlams' upcoming album 'Gaffage and Clink' is due for release later this year, their first since 2006.

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