One of the country’s leading ladies of country music is bringing her tour to the Capital, on Saturday 16 July. Melinda Schneider takes 5 with CW for a chat about love, weddings, and 40 years in the music industry.

We heard you’re engaged, congratulations. How is the wedding planning going?

I’m pretty casual, we’ve both been married before. We’ve had those big glamorous weddings in the past; we don’t need to do it again.

We’re going to have it on the beach with a couple of hundred of our best friends and family. As I said, I’m quite casual about it. I haven’t even got my dress yet. I’m not sure what it will be – not white, probably black.

Your tour is all about love. What are your favourite love songs of your own and someone else’s?

I’ve got a song for my mum when my dad died called Dream Him Home. They were together for 40 years and she told me she couldn’t wait to sleep at night because she got to see him again. It’s a real tearjerker.

I Will Always Love You, the Whitney Houston and Dolly Parton versions. It’s such a versatile song, mine is hybrid between the two, it’s in the show.

You’ve been in the music industry for 40 years, What are you proudest moments?

Recently, my album Melinda Does Doris just went gold. It’s a huge accomplishment these days with streaming services, it’s hard to get that many people to buy physical, in-hand albums. Streaming services ruined our industry.

Selling out the Opera House Concert Hall was another huge accomplishment for me.

What are your favourite things about visiting Canberra; what keeps you coming back, other than the fans and shows?

I love how clean it is and so logical and easy to get around. There’s great food in Canberra too, we went to a Chinese restaurant in the city at like 11pm and it was great, I can’t remember the name of it.

What’s next for you?

I’m recording a new original album. It’s been a while since one of those after 10 years of concept albums. It will be released in March, and it’s called Created Equal. Messages around equality for women, we’re still hundreds of years behind in equality and I’m passionate about all that, I’ve been following Britney Higgins and Grace Tame’s work. It’s a pretty exciting time to be a woman and see change come in to play.

See Melinda Schneider perform Love Songs at The Street, Saturday 16 July 8pm; thestreet.org.au

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