By NATALIE GALLENTI
A CAROLINE Springs musician will once again showcase his talent at an upcoming tribute show in Sunshine.
Trevor McQuade, 52, will direct and play guitar in the stage show Legends American Trilogy – Orbison Cash Presley, being presented by Club Italia this month. The show will feature three of Australia’s leading tribute artists Marty Penrose, Alan Bowles and Damian Mullin.
The father-of-three is well versed in the music industry and has been playing gigs in pubs and clubs since the early 1980s, but it wasn’t until 1993 that he decided to launch a show honouring music icon Roy Orbison.
The tribute show eventually morphed into a live spectacular that now also features music from the king of rock n’ roll Elvis Presley and country music legend Johnny Cash.
“I initially put the Big O show together with a view of running a few seasons in the league clubs in New South Wales,” Trevor said.
“That show sold out in less than a week… we did six sold out shows in six weeks… at that time I had no idea there were so many Roy Orbison fans in Australia.”
Trevor told Star his love of music began at a very early age and was inspired by UK rock band Status Quo and, like most teenage boys, his desire to be popular with the ladies.
“Initially I played brass in the school band… and then all my friends were getting together and jamming and I just wanted to jam with them,” he recalls.
But his love of music was not simply a fad and Trevor focused his studies on performing and then teaching the guitar. He recently opened the Caroline Springs School of Guitar in the hope of inspiring budding artists.
He will celebrate his 20th year in the tribute business on 27 September at Club Italia with the launch of the new show. Tickets are available on 9367 4187.