THREE is the third album release from The Prairie Oysters.

The songs on this album were written, recorded and produced by the band. The musical styles on this album are a nod to the numerous artists and band who have influenced them over the years. The lyrics are based on personal experiences and observations reflecting their view of the world. 

THREE is a completely independent recording written, recorded, produced and mastered by the band. 

ON A WING AND A PRAYER

THESE BLUE MILES

SAY IT AINT SO

CHARLATANS AND WOULD BE AL CAPONES

A HELL OF A WAY TO FIND HEAVEN

WHEN THE DUST SETTLES

THE LIGHTS

Dripping Wet is a Dave Miles penned instrumental influenced by the great guitar instrumental bands of the 60's. A laid back tune Dave's tang guitar answered by Ed's wistful pedal steel notes. Recording during the ISO sessions of 2020.

DRIPPING WET

INTRODUCING ONE OF AUSTRALIA’S BEST COUNTRY ROCK BANDS

The Prairie Oysters have been raising hell and eyebrows all over the country since 2005 with their brand of country music that even makes non-believers get up and start dancing.   The Prairie Oysters have been making friends around the world with their repertoire which crosses over between country, blues, rockabilly and Rock’n’Roll. They continue to wow audiences with their vocal harmonies, slick guitar work and rock solid rhythm section. But their real appeal is their sense of humor, showmanship and their sense of fun making every gig a party.

Muso’s often get together and say things like “love your work man we should get together and do something ”. The Prairie Oysters were no different except for the fact they finally did it. The year was 2005. The guys had their own music commitments but wanted to have a bit of fun and do the occasional gig together. From the very beginning, people immediately began to take notice of their vocal harmonies, slick guitar work, rock solid rhythm section and a set list that crosses into Country, Southern Rock, Rockabilly, Blues and Rock’n’Roll. 
Since 2006, their shows have attracted large and diverse crowds including many who don’t normally call themselves country music fans. Needless to say they have become more than just a side project.
Melbourne has always been a tough market for Country Music. The Prairie Oysters are part of a growing scene that is rapidly changing the culture as their shows attract diverse crowds including many who don’t normally listen to Country Music. Their first show in May 2006 at the Ferntree Gully Hotel blew the punters away leaving the hardened Rock'n'Roll crowd wanting more.  
The Prairie Oysters’ popularity was recognised when the Country Music Guild of Australasia awarded them the Award for Most Popular Country Music Band in 2007, 2009 and 2010. In 2008, their debut single When The Dust Settles was voted as a top ten finalist for the National Country Music Award and received a Golden Guitar Nomination in the same year. They are currently finalistsfor the 2011 Victorian and National Country Music Awards in the National Best Group and Victorian Album of the Year categories.

The secret to their success is all down to one very important factor. FUN! Whilst the band is made up of five very competent musicians, more importantly it’s made up of a bunch of blokes who don’t take life too seriously and love doing what they do. 

Tony Bonnici: Vocals, Bass Guitar. 
Tony has been playing in bands since the mid 70s gaining a reputation as a versatile singer and musician. In the 
80’s he formed the hard rocking pub outfit, Proprietary Limited and then went on to become the front‐man 
for the Melbourne club band The Most. Tony is also a sound engineer and producer who has worked in many 
parts of the recording and broadcast industry. He continues to work freelance in between band commitments. 
Tony grew up listening to Country and Rock’n’Roll and is into “honest music that can kick my butt, make me cry 
or both”. His bass playing and powerful vocals are crucial to the band’s sound, providing “grunt” to the overall 
sound of The Prairie Oysters. 

Rob Street: Vocals, Drums. 
As the seasoned subject of drummer jokes, Rob has earned the right to shrug them off as he has earned 
himself a reputation as a versatile and sought after musician. He has played professionally since the early 70s 
and was a founding member of The Vincents. He was also a member of Rough Cut, and The Most. Rob’s 
talents also include live sound production working with a number of shows around Melbourne and Victoria. As 
a drummer, Rob is as solid as a rock and combined with Tony’s bass, creates a tight, chest‐ pounding 
foundation allowing Yorky and Lee to colour the front line with their guitar arrangements. Rob voice adds to 
the band’s vocal mix offering lead and backing vocals. Rob also plays guitar but that will never stop the 
drummer jokes. 

Dave Miles: Vocals, Guitars. 
Dave's no stranger to the Oysters having filled in prior to joining and going back a number of years with Rob as the bass‐player in The Vincents during the 80s and 90s. Dave is originally from WA and began his music career at the age of 12, playing the organ and guitar. Throughout the 70s and 
early 80s, Dave fronted a number of Perth punk and hard rock outfits including the hard rock outfit The 
Jackals. He's since worked and played all over Australia with different bands playing everything from country 
to punk. Dave has since rediscovered his country music roots listening to the likes of Steve Earle, Dwight 
Yoakum, Paul Kelly and John Mellencamp. Dave brings his unique “mongrel country” style guitar and 
complimenting Lee to give the band a hot front line. His vocal contributions now gives the band a five piece 
vocal line up. 

Jamie Argent-Jones: Guitars. Vocals
Jamie is also a West Australian who made the trip over to Melbourne in early 2009. He has a keen interest in many styles of music - whilst in Fremantle, Jamie was simultaneously a member of the sea shanty and Irish drinking song band The Fusiliers and heavy underground psych-rock band The Hindenburgs . Since moving to Melbourne, he has been performing with some of Melbourne’s top musicians as the guitarist with Sol Haus And The Spokesmen, a ‘50s and ‘60s R&B/soul revue. Jamie’s interest in country music was sparked in his teens after purchasing a few couple of country records with a like-minded friend. He became increasingly interested in honky-tonk country, blues, western swing and Zydeco, and these varied influences show in his guitar playing. He joined The Prairie Oysters in late 2010



The Prairie Oysters are acrowd favourite in the Victorian Country Music scene with a legion of loyal supporters making new friends wherever they perform. The secret to their success is all down to one very important factor. FUN! Whilst the 
band is made up of four very competent musicians, more importantly it’s made up of four guys who don’t take 
life too seriously and love doing what they do. 

Giving something back to the community 

While The Prairie Oysters have been busy working and making a name for themselves, they have also managed 
to give their time for free to some very worthy causes. The guys have been collaborating with local 
organisations putting on shows for drought affected rural communities. The band also gives its time, along with 
other Melbourne bands on Good Friday to play at Rock’n’Roll dances to raise money for the Royal Children’s 
Hospital Appeal; an institution in Victoria 

In December 2006, Victoria was in the grip of one of its wildest summers. Bushfires and soaring temperatures 
in the forties made life hard for many people and all this during a drought that wasn’t letting up. People in the 
cities became aware of the seriousness of the drought as water restrictions were raised to unprecedented 
levels. Of course this was nothing new for people in the bush who had been on extreme level restrictions for 
years. But this was the summer that gave The Prairie Oysters their first glimpse at the human cost of the 
drought. 

Tony: “We were booked to play at a wedding near the NSW border. But the reception was cancelled because 
the drought had also dried up the family’s finances. The bride’s father’s pride was crushed when he made that 
call and you can hear it in his voice. We’d been hearing about the hard time people were having in the bush but 
this really hit home.” 

“It got us thinking about the things farming families must be going without to make ends meet. We came 
up with the Rain Dance idea not long after that. We hope it won’t be necessary to do too many drought relief 
gigs in the future but they are by far the most rewarding we’ve done in the 30 odd years we’ve been playing. 
We’ve met a lot of great people and made a lot of friends and we’ve been humbled by their resilience” 

In December 2006, the guys placed ads on rural websites looking for local organizations interested in hosting 
Rain Dances in their towns. Within a week, two Rain Dances were organized; the first in Mathoura NSW in 
February 2007 followed by Lockington, Victoria in March. Both occasions were a success with each gig 
attracting around 200 people who chatted, shared a yarn or two, danced and just let their hair down. 

So began a successful series of gigs, taking The Prairie Oysters across Victoria and Southern NSW, Tasmania 
and Queensland. Venues are organized at a local level while the band organizes publicity distributing press 
releases to local newspapers, radio and TV stations to give the event coverage. On the actual night, the band 
performs for free.

Together Forever

When This Is All Over is an anthem for 2020 and a message of hope that we'll all get through challenging times if we stick together.  This is the second release for The Prairie Oysters in seven years from their ISO sessions recorded during COVID lockdown in Melbourne Australia. The boys all recorded their parts in their homes and were all put together and mixed

When This Is All Over

WHEN THIS IS ALL OVER

A song about a musician who lived the dream and lost a lot more. Another release from The Prairie Oysters upcoming album The ISO Sessions in 2020.

McCready's Mercedes

McCREADY'S MERCEDES

The Prairie Oysters are a three piece band from Melbourne Australia who are regarded by many as one of the most popular and hard working country rock acts in the country. The band is made up of a nucleus of three seasoned and talented musicians and songwriters, Tony Bonnici, Dave Miles and Mick Evans. The Prairie Oysters have been together since 2005 and have three albums to their name. 

Their sound is influenced by many artists including Steve Earle, John Fogarty, The Kentucky Headhunters, The Mavericks and many more. Their live shows are great fun and the band tours as a four of five piece bringing along a couple of mates to play along. They have made a lot of friends around Australia and internationally with their music and their killer live shows.

The Prairie Oysters

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