After years of chasing stages, stories and songs across Western Australia, Michael Ward is pressing pause long enough to appreciate where the journey has taken him. The award-winning singer-songwriter returns Friday, August 28 with ‘How Good Can This Get?’, an optimistic country-roots anthem about gratitude, perspective and recognizing the good things that can easily become invisible when life gets busy. The release arrives just ahead of an 18-date national tour, giving audiences a new song to carry with them as Ward takes his music around the country.
Raised among the salty swamplands of Stratham, Ward has built a career that reaches far beyond his Western Australian beginnings. As the winner of the Homegrown Hundred National Countdown and an established touring artist, he has developed a reputation for songs that favor honesty over pretense, drawing from the everyday experiences that connect people regardless of where they come from. Following his recent single ‘No Regrets’, Ward continues to explore the meeting point between Australian rock, roots, blues and country, this time turning his attention away from what went wrong and toward what is going right.
At the heart of ‘How Good Can This Get?’ is a deceptively simple idea: sometimes the best part of life is the part we’re too distracted to notice. Warm acoustic guitars and earthy roots-rock rhythms give the track an inviting foundation, while its infectious chorus provides the kind of optimism that feels impossible to resist. Ward’s weathered, straightforward vocal delivery keeps the song grounded, ensuring its message never feels overly polished or sentimental. Instead, it sounds like advice from someone who has learned through experience.
Ward explains:
“‘How Good Can This Get?’ is about appreciating where life takes you. Sometimes we spend so much time looking for what’s next that we forget to enjoy the moment we’re living in. This song is a reminder to stop, look around and realise just how good things can be.”
That sentiment runs through every part of the track. There is reflection in the verses, but the song ultimately refuses to dwell there. This is music about taking a breath, looking around and allowing yourself to be grateful. Production balances the organic character of Ward’s roots influences with a contemporary polish, giving the song enough familiarity for longtime country and roots listeners while opening the door to a wider audience.
More importantly, ‘How Good Can This Get?’ feels like a celebration without needing a reason to celebrate.
It doesn’t promise that life will suddenly become perfect. It simply suggests that even among the setbacks, uncertainty and daily distractions, there are moments worth stopping for. And sometimes, that’s more than enough.
With ‘How Good Can This Get?’, Michael Ward offers a timely reminder to stop searching for the next destination long enough to appreciate where you are standing now.
‘How Good Can This Get?’ arrives Friday, August 28, ahead of Michael Ward’s 18-date national tour.
The ‘How Good Can This Get?’ Australian Tour
Thu, Sep 03 – Denham Town Hall, Denham, WA
Fri, Sep 04 – Onslow Beach Resort, Onslow, WA
Sat, Sep 05 – Whalebone Brewery, Exmouth, WA
Sun, Sep 06 – Bills Bar, Coral Bay, WA
Fri, Oct 02 – Prince of Wales Hotel, Bunbury, WA
Sat, Oct 03 – Mandurah Country Music Festival, Mandurah, WA
Sun, Oct 04 – The River Hotel, Margaret River, WA
Sat, Oct 10 – Gidgestock Music Festival, Gidgegannup, WA
Fri, Oct 23 – Exeter Hotel, Adelaide, SA
Sat, Oct 24 – Horsham Country Music Festival, Horsham, VIC
Sun, Oct 24 – The Mallee Hen, Lascelles, VIC
Fri, Nov 13 – 459 Bar, Perth, WA
Sat, Nov 14 – King River Tavern, Albany, WA
Sun, Nov 15 – Indian Ocean Hotel, Scarborough, WA
Sun, Nov 29 – Launceston Country Music Festival, Launceston, TAS
Fri, Dec 18 – Nickel Bar, Kambalda, WA
Sat, Dec 19 – 33 Degrees, Esperance, WA
Sun, Dec 20 – Lucky Bay Brewery, Esperance, WA
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