Since moving to Wollongong for university, Legge has branched out from his blues-infused Swamp Stompers band to write and record some solo work.

His album and massive tour launches this weekend at the Cobargo Folk Festival. And while moving on from his home town, his band and his signature style, he is still paying homage to his roots with the new album titled Driving Out of Eden.

"I guess I was looking for a new challenge," he told the Bega District News ahead of his album launch.

"I've been writing for about four-five years, with a different flavour that didn't really suit the Swamp Stompers.

"I wanted to steer clear of the blues for this record - you could call it more alt-country and folk rock. It's still acoustic - and there's still a lot of banjo though!"

Legge said it was a fitting title for his debut solo album, with quite a lot of stories from his time growing up in the Bega Valley shared through the new tracks.

He said his writing was influenced by the great songwriters he grew up listening to, including James Taylor, City and Colour, Passenger, and Bernard Fanning among others.

"I'm really proud of what I've put together. It's been a long time in the making," Legge said.

"The first song was written in my room while I was studying at uni. Now I'm a teacher in Wollongong.

"I really enjoyed writing these songs."

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Legge worked with renowned New Zealand producer Ben Edwards on Driving Out of Eden. The collaboration was thanks to a $10,000 Create NSW scholarship announced in May 2018, helped along by an additional grant from the Yuin Folk Club.

He said working alongside someone like Edwards, who has been in the industry a long time and prodcued artists including Julia Jacklin and Marlon Williams, was an amazing opportunity to improve his craft.

The result was released on iTunes, Spotify and Amazon last week, while physical copies will be available at his gigs beginning with the Folk Festival this weekend (March 1-3).

A video clip for his first single, the album's title track, has also just been released. It was all filmed in the Bega Valley with plenty of local sights featured.

"And the single just debuted on TripleJ so I'm pretty stoked about that," Legge said.

Catch Corey Legge launching his debut solo album, Driving Out of Eden, this weekend at the Cobargo Folk Festival.

He will also return with a full band experience at Club Sapphire on March 23, supported by fellow local singer songwriter Erin McMahon. See Corey Legge's website for the full tour dates.