Josh Setterfield said a childhood spent growing up in Wangi Wangi had inspired him to write and record the song Hometown.

Now living in Brisbane, Setterfield, 26, said a trip to Wangi Wangi this year proved the catalyst.

“I was down here a couple of months ago, and for this one time I really didn’t want to leave,” he said.

“I realised how much I miss it when I’m not here. I grew up in a pretty cool little spot, I think.”

The acoustic track and heartfelt lyrics reflect the relaxed Wangi Wangi way of life. And the themes of family, belonging, and yesteryear are resonating with fans.

But it could have been a very different record.

Setterfield was formerly the frontman for Brisbane’s punk rock band, Call The Shots.

“Yeah, I was the singer in a punk band for seven years,” Setterfield said.

“We got to do some pretty awesome things like tour with The Offspring.”

But when that band folded last year, Setterfield felt a calling. And the voice doing the calling had a country twang.

“I thought that instead of going down the same path, I wanted to try something completely new,” he said.

In Keith Urban he saw the kind of artist that he’d like to be.

“I know it sounds cliche being from Australia, but Keith Urban is like a God to me,” Setterfield said. “He’s the guy that got me into this genre the most.”

Hometown is the first release of what will be Setterfield’s second EP, From Dusk. 

The single features a video clip which was shot in Wangi Wangi over three days.

It features some impressive footage of the lakeside town, and shows Setterfield visiting his grandparents, Harry and Mary Rae.

“I’m pretty stoked that I actually got Nan on camera because she’s not into being on that side of a camera,” he said.

“But Pop loves it. He likes to be part of everything I do musically. He’s probably my biggest fan.”

Setterfield’s debut single Day and Night, from his debut EP of 2016, Live It Up, earned national country radio exposure. Next month, he’ll perform at the 2017 Deniliquin Ute Muster.