Bringing his “New Blues With A Story” to stages across Queensland, Nathan Cavaleri’s lifelong love affair with music began where all the best stories do – at home.
“I remember my dad around the house playing his guitar, and I was just drawn to it,” Cavaleri said.
“I was drawn to the sound, even the look of a guitar.”
He credits his father, Frank, as his greatest influence.
“He taught me and was my coach the whole time, right by my side,” he said.
“The biggest influence Dad had over me was how to channel emotion through music – how to tell a story and connect that with people.”
Although often labelled a prodigy, Cavaleri has always resisted the term.
“I never liked the word ‘prodigy’ because it relates to skill,” he said.
“I played music because it made me feel good – and I wanted to make other people feel good through it.”
By the time most kids were still learning their times tables, Cavaleri was sharing the stage with icons like Jimmy Barnes, Diesel, Tommy Emmanuel, and even blues legend B.B. King, who famously dubbed him “the future of Blues”.
“Watching them go to work every night after my set was how I worked out that I wanted to perform,” Cavaleri said.
“It’s about taking that self-expression and connecting with the audience so you all go on a journey together. And that, to me, is magic.”
But his path wasn’t without hardship. Diagnosed with leukaemia at just six years old, Cavaleri found solace in his music.
“When I had chemo as a kid, music allowed me to digest my emotions,” he said.
“When I felt anger, sadness or fear, I was able to process all that through music.”
After entering remission, he took a long break from the spotlight through his teens – but never from the music itself.
Mentorship from Screaming Jets drummer Col Hutchman helped rekindle his confidence.
“He was always about waving your freak flag and being proud of it,” Cavaleri said.
Even so, returning to performing wasn’t easy.
“Through that darkness, I honestly believed that I’d never get up on stage again,” he admitted.
“But when I started to see things shift, I realised I didn’t want to turn my back on my greatest love.”
That rediscovery shines through his albums Demons (2020) and Miracles (2023) – sonic reflections of his evolution both personally and creatively.
“Demons is a little more withdrawn and withheld,” he said.
“But Miracles is like, I am jumping off this cliff, and I know I’m going to fly.”
Looking back, Cavaleri’s guiding message remains simple – and powerful.
“You’ve got to hold on to the magic,” he says.
“The magic – the spark – is your compass.”
For Nathan Cavaleri, music isn’t just performance. It’s healing. It’s storytelling.
It’s the beating heart of resilience and authenticity – proof that the blues, when played with soul, can still set us free.
He is performing at The Presynct in Nambour on October 31, The Lou Lou Room in Wynnum on November 1, before Ipswich on November 2 at Banshees Bar and Artspace with tickets available at the official Nathan Cavaleri website.
