Wade Forster has always been a lover of country musicians, but he never thought he'd become one himself.
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However, when the Winton local, who works on his family's cattle property and also doubles as a rodeo athlete, decided to purchase a $50 guitar off Facebook Marketplace five years ago, he didn't know it would alter the course of his life.
"I was working in Mount Isa doing an apprenticeship and I didn't have many friends up there so I was bored on the weekends," Mr Forster said.
"I bought a guitar for $50 off Marketplace and I started teaching myself.
"When we were at the Chillagoe rodeo, we were sitting around having a few beers. I cracked out my guitar and started playing and one of them said 'you can actually sing a bit' so I got a bit more proud about it and then really decided to have a go at it."
From that point onwards, the guitar travelled with Mr Forster around the outback, where he wrote his first single "Cigarettes" whilst working on the rodeo circuit.
His debut album "The Beginning" was released in August 2022, and quickly gained a loyal following of fans both in Australia and internationally.
"It really blew up overseas and in Australia but very big in America at the moment," he said.
"I get a heap of messages from American fans who just want more music, and they can't believe I'm Australian, they think I'm from Montana.
"I had no intent on getting that international crowd, but it's the dream to go play in America and be known there so it was pretty cool when people started singing my songs on TikTok."
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In January 2023, Mr Forster was one of 28 rising musicians selected to participate in an intensive country music educational program at Tamworth's Country Music Academy, which saw him perform at this year's Tamworth Country Music Festival.
"We went down to Tamworth for about two weeks and did a heap of gigs and learned from some of the best in the Australian industry, and got to play at the opening ceremony at the festival on the big stage as a group," he said.
"We got to play a few gigs around town and once again all the cowboys came out and supported me, which was good to see."
Mr Forster is now preparing to open Winton's Way Out West Festival next weekend, where he'll be performing in his hometown alongside a line-up of award-winning musicians, including headline artists Amy Sheppard and Andrew Farriss.
"It's a bit of a 'wow better not mess this up' because a lot of people will tell me if I do because I live right next door to them," he laughed.
"It is a bit nerve-wracking, but I'm pretty excited actually because a lot of my gigs are away and there's not many big festivals out here so I'm pretty happy to be included in the one that's in my hometown."
Mr Forster said the return of a rodeo to the town has locals buzzing, particularly as it's been 14 years since the last rodeo was held in Winton.
"People are excited," he said.
"Hopefully we can bring a bigger rodeo back sometime over the next coming years."
Mr Forster, who is "never one to leave a job undone," will also be working the rodeo next weekend, roping and steer wrestling, before jumping on stage to perform.
"Travelling around all the rodeos every year, you're sort of one big family and you get to know people, so it'll be awesome to go help my mates on some bulls and then also have them come watch me do my thing," he said.
"I'm with the mindset with music that it's just another rodeo, just another day."
Mr Forster is currently working on his second album and is now looking to tap further into the U.S market over the coming years.
"I feel like that's the market for me," he said.
"There's not quite a big market for cowboy country music in Australia seeing as there's not many cowboys left, but over there, there is a cowboy every two feet."
As for the $50 Facebook guitar?
"I have bought a new guitar, but I've still got the old one," he said.
"She looks pretty rough, the old thing. She's got dust on it from probably every rodeo arena in North Queensland.
"She's done some miles."
