He seamlessly transcends into any character and his stage presence has developed flawlessly over two decades.

But he was not always the composed man you see on stage.

Coggan moved to Wagga when he was six years old with red hair, freckles, a broken arm and no desire to leave Glen Innes.

His parents took him to music lessons to distract him from the loneliness he felt at primary school and he claims it was the best decision they ever made.

“I didn’t have any trouble making friends after that,” he said.

He attended Kooringal High School and met people that still influence his music career today, including drama teacher Ken McBeath.

“I really warmed to Ken and he took me under his wing,” he said.

Coggan graduated from the Talent Development Project after high school and credits his parents and sister, who was also a student at the academy, with having the patience to drive to Sydney once a month for two years from Wagga.

“My parents and sister have been an amazing force in getting me where I am,” he said.

It was when he declared that he was quitting his stable job as a cameraman for Prime television in Wagga to pursue a music career that he truly tested their support levels.

The decision was made after Coggan won the Star Maker talent quest at the Tamworth Country Music Festival in 1996.

“That was an incredible launch pad for me,” he said.

Coggan released his debut album, Home Town, in 1997 and was nominated for five Golden Guitar awards.

But when he failed to secure any wins, his record label had doubts and dropped him.

“The attitude of all the movers and shakers just dropped overnight,” he said.

“I’d really felt we’d made so much ground.

“I crawled back home to Wagga for a bit … I was completely shell-shocked.”

Coggan married his sweetheart, Danielle, and kick-started his career again with numerous opportunities emerging from the country music sector.

In 1999, it was suggested he audition for Happy Days - The Arena Mega Musical because of his striking resemblance to Richie Cunningham.

Craig McLaughlan, Jo Beth Taylor and Rebecca Gibney had already signed on and Hugh Jackman and Todd McKenney were being considered for the part of Richie.

But Coggan was offered the part on his birthday and the role afforded him the chance to meet the original Fonz, Henry Winkler.

“The show opened my eyes to a whole other world of the entertainment industry I’d never thought I was capable of doing,” he said.

Coggan had starring roles as Col Joye in Shout – The Musical of the Wild One in 2003 and as Vince Fontaine and John Farnham’s understudy as Teen Angel in Grease – The Arena Spectacular. 

He recorded independent albums Balancing Act, which garnered him the Independent Male Vocalist of the Year award and War Stories, which he describes as his most personal album and for which he won a Golden Guitar.

Coggan dabbled in television with guest appearances on All Saints in 2001, 2004 and 2005 and is currently a presenter on Sydney Weekender.

His career hit a turning point when he started 2010 by performing Peace Train – The Cat Stevens Story to a sold-out Sydney Opera House.

The show was launched in Wagga and has travelled the country extensively and graced the stage of some of Australia’s most prestigious theatres, including nine shows at the Opera House.

Coggan was also privileged enough to meet the real Cat Stevens in London.

“Peace Train, for me, has been such an amazing part of my life,” he said.

“It’s still a big part of my life, it still seems to find a really strong audience.”

Coggan is known as a seasoned entertainer but first and foremost, he is a family man.

His sister, Naomi Hocker (nee Coggan), has joined him on stage on numerous occasions.

His wife, Danielle, has been a constant driving force behind all of his ideas and his children, Gabe, 14, and Olivia, 11, have helped to sell CDs after shows.

Coggan started performing Peace Train when his children were in preschool and said his daughter requested to sing Moonshadow instead of nursery rhymes at school.

Her passion for singing has continued and she has even joined him on stage at Tamworth.

His son is shaping up to be an accomplished musician but encourages Coggan to learn songs “from this century.”

And while he knows he still has a lot more left in him, he thinks this is as good as time as any to reflect.

Coggan has developed The Bidgee to the Big Smoke, a chronicle of songs and anecdotes from his entire career.

“It’s been 20 years since I left Prime television with Star Maker and The Bidgee to the Big Smoke tells that story,” he said.

“I've done far more than I thought I'd be capable of.

“I'm not trying to live in the past. 

“I've still got lots I want to achieve. 

“But this is a nice opportunity for me to mark time and reflect on those 20 years.

Coggan, for now, is only taking the show to Wagga, the Central Coast, Wollongong and Queanbeyan.

He cites those regions as being the most supportive of him in the past 10 years.

While most performers shy away from revealing personal information, Coggan believes it is the best way to connect with the audience.

His father has been transferring VHS tapes to a hard drive and randomly sending Coggan images or snippets from the past.

It is these forgotten memories that will form a basis for his upcoming show.

“You have to open yourself up and be honest with people,” he said.

“The best stories are true stories and all these stories are true.

“I want people to take something more away.

“I can’t just sing the songs.”

Coggan has come full circle and is now tutoring at the Talent Development Program.

He spends his time there passing on knowledge to upcoming performers in the hopes of saving them some of the heartache he endured.

As for the next 20 years, Coggan has his sights set on new projects and developing old ones.

He wants to take Peace Train to an international audience and do more television presenting.

His ultimate goal is to keep writing songs and develop an album that “keeps kicking along.”

“There’s still a few boxes left to tick,” he said.

The Bidgee to the Big Smoke will be at the Civic Theatre on September 10 and tickets are available from 6926 9688.