When Kaitlin Butts touched down in Australia to support Lainey Wilson on her Whirlwind World Tour run, she probably expected a bit of jet lag, strong coffees, lots of beach trips and glasses of wine. What she likely didn’t expect? Her guitar arriving in Sydney… completely smashed.
At the start of the tour, following a flight from Brisbane to Sydney with Jetstar, Butts opened her case to discover her trusty six string had taken a serious hit in transit. We’re not here to point fingers - guitars and air travel have had a long, complicated relationship since the beginning of time - but let’s just say it wasn’t the welcome party she probably had in mind.
By the time she hit the stage at Howlin' Country Festival in Newcastle, she’d secured a borrowed guitar from the crew of Flatland Cavalry and was able to complete her set where the crowd was none the wiser - until she revealed the ordeal to the audience, prompting a collective groan of second-hand pain from the crowd.
Fans still got the full Butts experience: powerhouse vocals, sharp storytelling, and zero indication that her tour had started with a minor (or really major) gear crisis. Honestly, if anything, it added a little outlaw energy to the whole saga.
A smashed guitar might not be the ideal way to kick off an Australian tour, but Butts turned it into just another road story the kind (we hope) she can laugh about later.
If there was ever a song that cemented Butts as one of country’s sharpest new acts in country music, it’s You Ain't Gotta Die (To Be Dead To Me). The breakout track became a viral moment and a fan favourite thanks to its smart hook and deliciously dramatic premise. Truly nothing says modern country catharsis like writing someone out of your life while they’re still very much alive. Blending classic honky tonk attitude with a theatrical flair, the song feels both tongue-in-cheek and emotionally lethal.
On behalf of Australian, Kaitlin we’re so sorry, and Jetstar is absolutely dead to us too.
Countrytown brings you Australia’s best country music news, interviews, charts and more every week! This post was authored by Countrytown and originally published on the Countrytown website. It has been re-published with permission.
