BULLAMAKANKA

A leading Australian country band, Bullamakanka was formed in 1978 on the country’s Gold Coast by Ray Young, Dave Ovenden (ex-The Richard Wright Group) and Rex Radonich. Starting out as a part-time trio, the band toured extensively and their distinctive melding of Australian bush music with American bluegrass gained them a large following. By the early 80s the band was touring full time and extending their audience across musical boundaries. Signed to Mercury they recorded their self titled album in 1982 with the lineup of Rex Radonich (banjo / dobro), Mal Clark (vocals / bass), Jimmy Duke-Yonge (drums), Ray Young (vocals / guitar), Dave Ovenden (harmonica / lagerphone / mandolin / vocals), Stuart Watson (violin). The band’s hit single, ''Home Amongst The Gum Trees'', brought them a considerable measure of crossover success. Their second album 'In Search Of' came out in the following year. In 1983 Bullamakanka appeared in the USA, playing at Fort Worth, Texas, where the International Country & Western Music Association named them as 'Australian Group Entertainer Of The Year'.

Rex Radonich died in a car accident in 1986. This resulted in Ray Young to opt out of touring being replaced by Rod McCormack. Jeff McCormack and Russell Hinton (ex-Elliot Gordon Union, Moonstone) would join the band for their third album.  During Bullamakanka’s career it received five Golden Guitars, the Australasian Country Music Award as Best Group. The group remained most popular in Australia, playing countless venues from clubs to festivals, the latter including 2001’s Gympie Music Muster. Co-founder Young had a successful Gold Coast career as a solo act, dying of cancer in 2004 at the age of 53. The band’s name is Australian slang for a mythical place of good fortune located at the farthermost point in the bush, a sort of Oz Oz. Jim Duke-Yonge died in 2019. Dave Ovenden died in 2020.

Members

Ray Young (guitar, vocals), Mal Clarke (bass, vocals), Jim Duke-Yonge (drums, vocals), Stuart Watson (violin), Dave Ovenden (mandolin, harmonica, lagerphone, vocals),Rex Radonich (banjo, Dobro), Rod McCormack (guitar vocals), Jeff McCormack (guitar vocals), Russell Hinton (guitar, vocals)

SINGLES
''Murwillumbah Bank Job / Bullamakanka Bluegrass Bloose'' 1979
''Waratah And Wattle / Housework'' 1982 Mercury 
''Home Among The Gumtrees (#88) / Blowflies, Guitars And Ten Gallon Hats'' 1982 Mercury 
''Election Day / The Ballad Of Moondyne Joe'' 1983 RCA
''Gaylene / Dingo Hang Dog Blues'' 1983 RCA
''Dr. Who / Harlequin'' 1983 RCA
''G-Day / Ridge Runner'' 1984 EMI
''Goodbye Blinky Bill'' [with John Williamson] 1986 Gum Leaf
''From The Heart / Bullabounce'' 1988 True Blue

''Lose A Little Bit / Lady In My Mind'' 1988 True Blue 
''Ride These Roads / Nuts And Raisins'' 1988 True Blue 
''Heaven's The Place'' 1989 True Blue 

ALBUMS
'Bullamakanka' (#97) 1982 Mercury 
'In Search Of' (#88) 1983 RCA
'From The Heart' 1988 True Blue