Wade Forster

About

Wade Forster brings authentic Australian outback country to American Red Dirt audiences, and the reception has been extraordinary. The working cattleman and professional rodeo cowboy from Winton, Queensland represents the real deal—still working on a cattle station in the outback, writing songs about the life he actually lives, and delivering performances that transcend geographical boundaries because authentic country music is universal.

Forster's story reads like something from a country song: born and raised on an outback cattle station, he left Winton in 2017 for a refrigeration career in Mount Isa, bought his first guitar for $50 from Facebook, and taught himself to play. Just seven years later, he's become one of Australian country's biggest success stories and is successfully crossing over to American audiences. His January 2024 win as the 44th Toyota Star Maker—Australia's most prestigious country music award—validated what fans already knew.

The numbers tell an incredible story: over 40 million global streams for an independent Australian country artist is virtually unheard of. His September 2025 debut U.S. headline tour "The Dying Breed Tour" sold out all 15 shows before he'd even stepped foot on American soil. His performance at Born & Raised Festival 2025 introduced him to the Oklahoma Red Dirt community, and his February 2026 opening slot for Shane Smith & The Saints at the Ryman Auditorium represents the venue where country music history is made.

Cody Johnson personally invited Forster to perform for 25,000 fans at Rod Laver Arena during Luke Combs' Australian tour—the kind of endorsement that speaks volumes about Forster's talent and authenticity. His album "The Beginning," recorded at Simon Johnson's Hillbilly Hut Studio, captures the Australian outback's vast landscapes and cowboy culture with the same honesty that makes great Red Dirt music resonate. Wade Forster proves that genuine country music—songs about working, living, and surviving in rural landscapes—connects across continents when it's delivered with skill and authenticity.