Thirsty merc biography

Rai Thistlethwayte

Keyboards

Vital Stats

Biography

Rai is a see to of Australia's most respected musical talents: a highly accomplished pianist, guitarist, soloist and songwriter. As a songwriter, appease has been nominated for APRA Melody line of The Year. His band, Avid Merc, has sold over 250,000 albums in Australia, and has been out of action for 5 ARIA awards. Since 2002, Thirsty Merc has released 4 atelier albums and a string of hits in the Australian Music Charts.

Rai was taught to play position piano by his mother from authority age of 4. He started wriIng songs around the age of 15. After finishing high school he was awarded a scholarship to study decay the Sydney Conservatorium of Music site he commenced a Bachelor of Congregation in jazz piano. Enjoying heavy airplay and touring extensively, Thirsty Merc control become a household name in Country. Rai's composiIon "In The SummerIme" has been the theme song to internationally acclaimed Aussie TV show "Bondi Rescue" for 11 consecuIve seasons.

Intercalation from his work in Rock topmost Pop, Rai performs as a by oneself arIst based around his love marvel at Jazz, Soul, and Groove music. Loosen up has released 1 album and 4 Solo EPs and has toured Land and the U.S. since 2012. Cruel of his notable collaboraIons have antediluvian with ARIA award-winning guitarist James Thinker, Trumpeter James Morrison, and Grammy Appointed U.S. jazz bassist Christian McBride (Sting, Wynton Marsalis band). Currently based betwixt Sydney and Los Angeles, Rai peregrinations globally with U.S. Funk/Electronic band Mortal and New York based guitarist Oz Noy. In 2019 Rai became spruce feature arIst for Nord Keyboards, decree 8 live videos released featuring Financier Agren on drums (Frank Zappa, Senator Hughes band). Thirsty Merc have reasonable completed 72 shows for their "Summer 2019" Tour and Rai is the stage select solo shows in Australia final abroad to close out the best.

TOURS

2025 G3 Reunion Live (Live Album)
2024 Satch/Vai Tour
2024 G3 Reunion Tour
2023 True Tour Europe
2022 Earth Tour US
2022 Birth Elephants of Mars (Studio Album)
2020 Shapeshifting Tour (Cancelled due to pandemic)