Farriss’s wild-west themed music video, Run Baby Run, uses Gympie’s historic Mary Valley Rattler as its setting to mark the release of his debut solo album.

The self-titled album heralds Farriss’s foray into country music and was mostly produced in Nashville, Tennessee using the iconic Music City as inspiration.

The album is a world away from the rock anthems Farriss penned as chief songwriter for INXS, including Never Tear Us Apart, Need You Tonight, and New Sensation.

The single Run Baby Run was recorded in Nashville with Bruce Wallace and Phil Barton, and accompanied by local Nashville music legends.

The cinematic video produced for Run Baby Run follows a heroine on the run, played by Gympie’s star country singer, Caitlyn Shadbolt.

The Mary Valley Rattler featuring in Run Baby Run.

Shadbolt shot to fame in 2014 after becoming a finalist on the Australian X Factor, and has since had a slew of successful singles, winning the Country Music Channel’s Award for Best New Artist.

The video, directed by Duncan Toombs, uses drone footage to track the 100-year-old C17 Class Steam Locomotive through the Mary Valley to Amamoor Station – near the site of the annual Gympie Country Music Muster.

Gympie’s Mary Valley is on full display in the video, but the story of Farriss’s country inspiration extends further back, to his experiences at the 2019 Gympie Muster. He thought it was fitting to return to Gympie to use the Mary Valley Rattler in his video.

Michael Green, the General Manager of the Mary Valley Rattler, said it was a delight for the region.

Drone footage of the Mary Valley Rattler.

“We were thrilled that the Rattler was selected for the video, because the narrative epitomises the ‘romance of the rails’, which is at the heart of the Rattler experience,” Green said.

“It was even better that he cast Gympie’s own country legend, Caitlyn Shadbolt, in the lead role. She was the star performer at the Rattler’s relaunch in 2018, and we really value both her singing talent and her support for the Rattler and the local region.”

Green said that the creation of the video was a real community effort, with performers and extras from all over Gympie and the Sunshine Coast being involved in its production.

“The video has already attracted international attention for the song and the setting, and is destined to entice even more visitors to Gympie and the Mary Valley.”

Andrew Farriss and his band begin a national tour in April 2021 to promote the album, for full details and ticket information, visit his website.

For more information on the Mary Valley Rattler, go to their website.