A heart attack and subsequent triple bypass operation were all part of the three year journey that led to the release of Proud, Bart Willoughby’s new album.
“That was my dream a long time ago, to do an album all by myself,” says Bart.
‘Don’t Get Down’ features on this new album and its lyrics express Bart’s feelings of life in the wake of his heart attack.
“Yeah, I sort of died on the operation table. I had a heart attack. I went to the hospital before the heart attack and I sort of died for about seven minutes,” Bart says.
“’Don’t get Down’ was life coming back ‘cause there are worse things than death, so try and make your decisions right because you only have life and it’s always going forward, it never goes backward.”
Bart, who has been entertaining audiences now for over 30 years, has an infectious passion for music.
“Love is beautiful, that’s what music is if you use it right. You know there are a lot of beautiful, innocent people out there that listen to music in the most beautiful, innocent way,” he says.
“Now I write songs for the beautiful people who listen to music so innocently.”
best wishes to you Bart. if you read this. I really enjoyed a plane trip from Adelaide to Melbourne with you a few years back. You were teaching at Yalata, now I’m teaching at Boggabilla… but we both have a little place in our hearts for Koonibba. (unless they cut that bit out of yours) 😉