Paul Kelly (born on 13 January 1955) is an Australian singer, songwriter, musician, producer, and guitarist, who has gained popularity through his outstanding performance. He is the richest Australian singer with an estimated net worth of $5 million.

In this article, we will read Paul Kelly’s age, height, weight, family, parents, wife, children, net worth, salary, and facts.

Profile Summary
NamePaul Kelly
Birth DateBorn on 13 January 1955
Birth PlaceAdelaide, Australia.
GenderMale
NationalityAustralian
ReligionChristianity
Profession Singer, Songwriter, Musician, Producer, and Guitarist
Age68 years old as of 2023
HeightIn Feet & Inches: 5′ 8″
In Centimeter: 173 cm
In Meter: 1.73 m
WeightIn Kilogram: 80 kg
In pounds: 176 lbs
Net Worth$5 million as of 2023
FatherJohn Erwin Kelly
Martial StatusDivorced
Ex-WivesFirst Wife- Hilary Brown
Second Wife: Kaarin Fairfax
Children Daughter: Madeleine and Memphis
Son: Declan

Who is Paul Kelly?

Australian singer Paul Kelly
Australian singer Paul Kelly

Paul Kelly is an Australian musician known for his rock and folk songs. He has been a solo artist and part of different bands like the Dots and the Coloured Girls.

His music covers various styles, from bluegrass to reggae, but he is best known for his folk and rock tunes. Over 30 years, his songs have beautifully described life and the vastness of Australia.

Some people, like David Fricke from Rolling Stone, think he’s one of the best songwriters ever.

Even though he’s been doing this for a long time, Paul Kelly still sees himself as a beginner in the world of songwriting.

Paul Kelly Early Life

Paul Maurice Kelly was born on 13 January 1955, in Adelaide. He is the child of John Erwin Kelly, who worked as a lawyer, and Josephine (nee Filippini). Paul is the sixth of eight surviving siblings in his family.

There is a fun story that says Paul was born in a taxi outside Calvary Hospital in North Adelaide, according to Rip It Up magazine.

Even though he was brought up as a Roman Catholic, Paul later mentioned that he doesn’t follow any religious beliefs.

Interestingly, he has a connection to Ireland through his great-great-grandfather, Jeremiah Kelly, who moved to Clare, South Australia, from Ireland in 1852.

In his family, the legal profession seems to run in the blood. His paternal grandfather, Francis Kelly, established a law firm back in 1917, and his father, John, joined the same firm in 1937.

Paul Kelly Father

In 1968, John Kelly passed away at the age of 52 after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease three years earlier.

His son, Paul Kelly, was just thirteen years old when his father passed away. Paul fondly remembers his father, saying, I have good memories of him. I missed him a lot when he died.

He couldn’t play sports with me because he wasn’t feeling well. The older kids were starting to connect with him when he passed away.

Paul Kelly Age

Paul Maurice Kelly is 68 years old as of 2023 and he was born on 13 January 1955, in Adelaide, Australia.

He celebrates his birthday every year on 13 January and shares pictures on social media.

In his long life, Paul has achieved remarkable success as a singer-songwriter,

Paul Kelly Height and Weight

Paul Kelly is currently 5 feet 8 inches tall, which is equal to 173 centimeters or 1.73 meters. He weighs around 80 kilograms, which is approximately 176 pounds. With such a physique, he maintains an amazing and healthy appearance.

Paul Kelly Education

Paul Kellys educational journey started at Rostrevor College, a Christian Brothers school.

There, he played the trumpet, studied piano, and excelled in sports, becoming the cricket captain and playing Australian rules football. He was also named the top student in his senior year.

After that, he began studying arts at Flinders University in 1973, but he didn’t enjoy it and left after a short time.

He decided to explore his passion for writing and even started a magazine with some friends.

For a while, Kelly took on various jobs, traveled around the country, and learned to play the guitar. In 1976, he moved to Melbourne, which marked a new chapter in his life.

Paul Kelly Career

Paul Kelly
Australian singer Paul Kelly

Paul Kelly career journey started when he made his first public performance in 1974 in Hobart, while he was traveling around Australia.

He performed at a folk club, where he sang some songs and felt incredibly nervous but relieved afterward.

In 1976, he appeared on a compilation album called Debutantes and joined a band called The High Rise Bombers.

This band included various musicians, and they recorded a couple of tracks for a compilation album.

By this time, Paul Kelly was already known as a talented songwriter in Melbourne, and his performances were highly respected.

He even met his future wife, Hilary Brown, during one of the band’s gigs. They got married, and their son Declan was born in 1980.

The band, known as Paul Kelly and the Dots, went through different line-up changes from 1978 to 1982.

They released a few singles and albums, with their song “Billy Baxter” becoming their first charting single.

In 1983, Paul Kelly formed the Paul Kelly Band, which went through some changes in its members.

Unfortunately, Paul faced personal struggles, including drug use and a disrupted marriage, which affected his career.

He eventually moved to Sydney to share parenting responsibilities with his wife as their son grew up.

Paul Kelly Net Worth

Paul Kelly has estimated net worth is around $5 million as of 2023.

His main income source is being a professional singer, songwriter, musician, and producer.

In addition to his vocal and songwriting abilities, Paul Kelly is a skilled musician who can proficiently play the guitar and various other instruments.

These musical talents have played a crucial role in establishing his reputation and financial well-being.

Paul Kelly Wife and Children

Paul Kelly relationship journey has seen him through several significant chapters in his personal life.

Paul Kelly First Wife & Divorced

Paul Kelly First wife Hilary Brown
Paul Kelly First wife Hilary Brown

His first marriage, which lasted from 1980 to 1984, was with Hilary Brown. During their marriage, they welcomed a son named Declan.

Over the years, Declan pursued a career as a radio presenter and drummer. In the documentary Paul Kelly, Stories of Me, Declan shared his emotions related to the song “When I First Met Your Ma,” which Paul wrote about his courtship with Hilary.

Though songs were dedicated to Hilary, some were about other women as well, which she humorously remarked on.

Paul Kelly second Wife & Divorced

Paul Kelly second wife Kaarin Fairfax
Paul Kelly second wife Kaarin Fairfax

Paul Kelly second marriage took place from 1993 to 2001, with actress Kaarin Fairfax. They had two daughters, Madeleine and Memphis.

Kaarin Fairfax also contributed backing vocals to some of Paul Kelly’s music during his time with the Messengers.

After their separation in 2001, the daughters stayed with Fairfax, but Paul Kelly maintained contact with them.

In his relationship with a journalist, university lecturer, and opera singer Sian Prior from 2002 to 2011, Kelly wrote the song You’re 39, You’re Beautiful and You’re Mine for her.

Sian played a significant role in Kelly life, inspiring him to overcome his long-term heroin addiction. However, their relationship came to an end after some time.

In 2014, Sian Darling became Kelly’s partner. They met while performing in a theatre show called Funeral.

They continue to live and work together. Darling, who is an artist, activist, curator, and producer, has had a notable influence on Paul Kelly’s work.

She is the subject of several of his songs and has been involved in producing and directing some of his music videos.

Their partnership has been marked by a close personal and professional connection.

Paul Kelly social Media

Paul Kelly is active on every social media platform where he posts pictures and music videos and gained a huge fan base.

On Instagram, he has more than 83.9k followers, and On Facebook, he has 214k followers, and on his Twitter profile, he has about 24.1k followers.

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