Songwriter, diplomat, philosopher, poet and raconteur, in 2025 Fred Smith was awarded an Order of Australia for services to music and foreign affairs. Reflecting this improbable combination, his songs blend shimmering melody with hard-nosed realism to paint a vivid picture of the world we live in.

Australian Folk Music Awards Solo Artist of the Year (2022), “Fred Smith is simply the best folk/country musician working in this country…beyond writing some of the finest songs about Australians at war, he has created a repertoire that is wry, literate, witty, powerfully emotional and insightful.” (Bruce Elder, SMH).

With whip-smart lyrics, wry humour, some lovely melodies, and a brain and a heart, he consistently offers performances rich in thought and feeling.

Fred is the subject of an Australian Story documentary about his work in Afghanistan and on peace keeping operations in the war-torn islands of the South Pacific. His song-cycles have become important historical documents bringing to life the human complexities of the countries he has worked in: PNG, the US, Afghanistan and most recently Australia.

Backed by a band of WA’s most sensitive musicians, Fred will be presenting a range of sets rich in thought, feeling and story. With an extraordinary back catalogue of songs and new material, Fred Smith never repeats a song at a festival. Fred Smith and band will be performing songs from his rich back catalogue and his new shows “America” and “Domesticity” which premiered to five-star reviews at the Adelaide Fringe.

“Fred Smith is an Australian national treasure. Diplomat, philosopher, poet and raconteur, his songs reverberate with the prophetic voice of humanity.” (Peter Wilkins, Canberra Critics Circle)