It brings great joy to Bob and Kirrily Corbett when they see their children, six-year-old Marley and three-year old-Matilda, staging impromptu concerts at home. For Bob and Kirrily, music is an integral part of life, and for Bob and his musical mother Veronica, the concerts recall similar performances he and his sisters gave at their New Lambton home near Newcastle, reports Aurora.
As Bob says, “Music’s been there from day one.” Veronica, who belongs to The Roller Doors singing group, is descended from a long line of accomplished singers and musicians; “My grandmother, Kate Duggan, loved to perform and participated in competitions with Dame Nellie Melba!
My Dad, Bob Stove, was a wonderful musical arranger, and the choirmaster at Corpus Christi Church, Waratah. From there he formed the Waratah Singers and I was one of them. I always wanted to be a backing singer, but that didn’t happen.”
Veronica recalls that when Robert (as she always calls her only son) was helping her and her late husband Paul with the washing up, he would suddenly disappear. “What did we say?” they would wonder but even then, he was hurrying to record an idea for a song.
Aurora first encountered Bob, 39, at the November launch of ASPIRE, the Catholic schools’ initiative to enhance opportunities for students who are gifted in the performing arts. Bob reflects on his own experience: “The version of ASPIRE that I had was (former) Fr Pete (Davies) of Hamilton.
"He noticed us having a jam in the school yard at St Francis Xavier’s, and he gave us a key to the parish function centre so we could practise, as long as we weren’t there when bingo was on! After eighteen months, our band ‘Mercy Dash’ was winning band competitions.”
This is a reminder that Bob has already achieved longevity and his being named Toyota Star Maker in January this year is as much a reward as an opportunity. While the album deal and the pilgrimage to Nashville (not to mention a brand new car) are sweet indeed, Bob says the award is “a validation of the work that’s been put in and the sacrifices we’ve all made, that’s what it means to me – it’s all worth it!”
FULL STORY Bob Corbett - music-maker, star-maker (Aurora)