Adrian Payne

About the Artist

Adrian Payne is one of Australia’s most versatile artists. Across the seventies, eighties and nineties he fronted rock and country bands, performed as a solo artist, and appeared in Jesus Christ Superstar, understudying both Jesus and Judas. He toured nationally with the Tommy Emmanuel Band, supported Joan Armatrading at the Sydney Entertainment Centre, and shared the stage with icons including Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry and the Everly Brothers. A sought-after vocalist and guitarist, Adrian has backed artists such as Slim Dusty, Tom Jones, Marcia Hines, Grace Knight, Jon English and Doug Parkinson across concerts, television, recording sessions and film soundtracks. While his career spans multiple genres, Adrian has a long connection to country music and a natural ability to bring story-driven songs to life. Since mid-2023, he has collaborated with lyricist Bruce Mackay (Mack Country), continuing to build a catalogue of authentic Australian storytelling songs.