Picture you’re down in a nostalgic honky tonk bar. A country song is humbly filling the silence between barflies murmuring and the chink of glasses – it’s probably even coming from an actual jukebox, spotlighted by red neon. Crying steel licks… fiddles and guitars… That’s Blake Dantier.But don’t be fooled. He aint just barroom background filler. His previous single Last Call is a gritty beer-soaked anthem, hell bent on a good time. Akin to a 90s country barn burner – a la Brooks and Dunn. The song you heard on the jukebox was probably his latest single, Layover. Its laid back, tropical groove makes you wish you were on a cruise ship (remember those?), sipping a pina colada at 11am in the morning.
Blake’s unique song writing has slowly, but surely, proved him one to watch; with all 4 of his self-penned singles earning a top 50 spot on Australia’s national Country airplay chart (CountryTown Hot 50). He even attracted the attention of Adam Harvey, who duets with him on the Spotify-only release, You Don’t Mix Whiskey. Showing that his vocals – and smoking tele licks – are equally at home on an alt-country ballad or a honky-tonk showstopper.
If you’re wondering where on earth this guy came from, let’s go back to a Penrith hospital in ’94… ok maybe not that far… It started with a drum kit on his 12th birthday. A few high school bands, talent comps, a massive uni degree debt and who-knows-how-many pub gigs later… and here we are. He may not be from the country but he hasn’t let that stop him from crafting truly authentic Country music.
Since releasing his first single back in early 2020 Blake has built a solid following without being able to get out and do what he does best – playing live shows. But you can bet as soon as the road is clear, he’ll be on it, headed to a gig. And with him will be his debut album. Set for an early 2022 release it’s an unapologetically Country collection of bittersweet ballads, raucous barroom anthems and everything in between.