Dan Kelly

Who is Dan Kelly?

Daniel "Dan" Kelly is an Australian singer-songwriter and guitarist. He is the second oldest of six children and the nephew of Paul Kelly. He grew up in Queensland and learnt the guitar at thirteen, studying Environmental Science at University, in Brisbane, in 1990. He formed his first band, Nord, in Brisbane before moving to Melbourne in 1996, where in 2000 he started playing solo shows, under the name Dank Alley, not wanting to trade on his famous uncle’s name. In May, 2003 he released his first solo EP, Man O Mercy, which spawned the radio hit "Countermeal Kim".

The next year he formed a new band, Dan Kelly and the Alpha Males, comprising Kelly with Gareth Liddiard, Christian Strybosch and Tom Carlyon. They were best known for the falsetto vocal stylings of Kelly, touring alongside Dallas Crane, Dan Brodie and The Broken Arrows, Even, as well as at The Falls Festival in Melbourne and Tasmania and selected Big Day Outs. In March 2004 they released their debut album, Sing the Tabloid Blues, on In-Fidelity Recordings. Kelly was nominated for 'Best Male Artist', with the band receiving two nominations for 'Best Independent Release' and 'Breakthrough Artist' for the album at the 2004 ARIA Awards. At the same time Kelly also joined his uncle's band, Paul Kelly and the Boon Companions, performing on his 2004 album, Ways & Means.