Made up of songwriter/vocalist Lyn Taylor and guitarist Nick Payne, The Orphans have been making inroads in the Sydney country/roots scene with their Ryan Adams, Gillian Welch inspired songs which talk of trial, isolation and distance from loved ones.

Meeting on Queensland’s Darling Downs in 2000, it wasn’t until Nick moved to Sydney and Lyn came to visit in 2006, and brought her new guitar, that these two discovered a common love for raw, back-to-basics country music. A long distance collaboration developed from this which involved writing songs and playing them down the phone. A lightning trip to Toowomba in October of 2006 for a handful of gigs proved that playing together was what these guys wanted to do. Shortly after Lyn moved to Sydney and the song writing, rehearsing and gigging began in earnest.

The 2007 was spent playing any and every gig this duo could get. Many of these gigs were in dingy rooms that were nearly empty or populated with drunk old men. “We learnt very quickly that it was up to us to show people we had something that was worth listening to,” says Orphans guitarist and vocalist Lyn Taylor, “it wasn’t just the songs, but also what we had to say and the energy that we were able to put into the performance that made people listen.”

Following on from the experiences of 2007, The Orphans have taken matters into their own hands in 2008 to organise a series of shows they call The Orphanage Sessions. These shows feature The Orphans and a special guest each month. “I got frustrated with trying to find live music by country/roots artists in Sydney,” says Nick Payne, “ we wanted a venue where you could not only listen to and enjoy the music, but one with an intimacy such that you could participate with the artists in the creation of the music itself.”

In reviewing one of these sessions, Sophie Hamley from Jolene: The Country Music Blog (http://jolenethecountrymusicblog.blogspot.com) said,

“… what made this show special was the band’s connection to their songs and to the audience. The setting made that possible...”

And also,

“Perhaps both songwriters know that it’s best to leave strong emotions and words unadorned, so the listener can appreciate them better. It certainly worked for me and everyone else in the audience.”

The Orphans have shared the stage with other artists such as Karl Broadie, Caitlin Harnett, Sam Hawksley, Jessica Belle, Cassandra Smiles and others. They are sometimes joined by Pedal Steel virtuoso Mike Kirkley.