MOUNT Isa has been good to musician Viv Edwards.
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That is why she will be performing one of her last gigs at the Isa Fest before she leaves to return to her home town of Innisfail.
Edwards and her husband Warren moved from Innisfail to Gunpowder so their asthmatic son could benefit from the drier air.
The young mother never considered herself to be a musician and only discovered she was skilled at a talent show.
``The very first time I found out people actually liked my voice was in Gunpowder, in the Bull Bar,'' Edwards said.
``One of the contractors was running a talent quest.''
Edwards took first place by singing a cappella to Lean on Me .
She moved closer to Mount Isa when her children were old enough to attend high school.
Edwards and her family still had to travel a distance to shop in Mount Isa and would stay the night when they did visit.
She discovered karaoke while waiting for her mother to play bingo at the Irish Club.
Edwards impressed an attendee who asked her if she could sing at a Christmas party.
She was sceptical but performed her first real gig.
Edwards was encouraged enough to create her first album, Ship Out on the Desert .
Mount Isa Mines approached Edwards and offered to fund the album because of one of the songs, which describes the mine site eloquently.
``It reminds me of an ocean liner that comes out at night,'' Edwards said.
Release of the first album enabled Edwards to receive government funding for her second.
Edwards has released another two albums, has won several awards, and has become a mentor for younger local musicians.
She is moving back to her home town to be closer to her grandchildren.
Before she leaves she will be performing with her acoustic guitar at the Isa Fest on May 10.