THE BUSHWACKERS

The Bushwackers Band, often simply The Bushwackers, is a folk and country music band or bush band founded at La Trobe University in Melbourne in 1971. Originally calling themselves The Original Bushwackers and Bullockies Bush Band the three founding members were guitarist Dave Isom, tea-chest bass player Jan 'Yarn' Wositzky and lagerphonist Bert Kahanoff. They were later joined by various players, including accordionist Mick Slocum, and fiddlers Tony Hunt and Dave Kidd, until 1974 when the band went full-time. Kahanoff was replaced by lagerphone player Dobe Newton. With an ever-changing line-up, and adding tin whistle, harmonica, concertina, 5-string banjo, bodhrán, bones, spoons, electric bass and guitar as well as drums, the band worked throughout Australia and Europe. In 1974 they recorded their first album 'The Shearer's Dream' on Rainbow Records. Signed to the Image label they released their second album 'And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda' with newcomer Peter Howell on double and electric bass. The album was also released in Canada on Boot Records. In 1975 they wrote and recorded the TV theme for Cash and Co.

By 1977 the lineup was Mick Slocum, Dobe Newton, David Kidd, Louis McManus (guitars/fiddle/mandolin), Pete Farndon (bass) and Dave Mattacks (drums) who recorded their third album 'Murrumbidgee'. More lineup changes followed with Kidd, McManus, Farndon (joined English band The Pretenders) and Mattacks departing being replaced by guitarist Steve Groves (ex-Tin Tin), drummer Greg Martin and bassist Fred Kuhnl for the recording of their fourth album 'Bushfire'. This album was also released in Canada. During this time saw the band’s self-promoted Bush Dance Spectaculars attracted 2-3,000 people to Town Halls and major venues throughout Australia.

Bassist Roger Corbett joined the band in 1980 and remains the principal songwriter, producer and manager of the band. The same year they released the 'Dance Album'. The Bushwackers won their first Golden Guitar in Tamworth in 1981 and have been regulars in Country Music Capital and on stages all over Australia ever since. By 1984, the band moved its home from Melbourne to Sydney. The band continued to have lineup changes with some notable musicians passing through the ranks: Pat Drummond (ex- Ol' 55), Michael Harris, Eddy van Roosendael (ex-Mondo Rock), Freddie Strauks (ex-Skyhooks), drummer Pete Drummond later of Dragon, Robby Ross (ex-Goanna) and Freddie Strauks (Skyhooks), guitar legends Tommy Emmanuel, Steve Housden (ex-Little River Band), Tim Gaze (ex-Ariel) and world-renowned Australian guitarist Tommy Emmanuel. 

More albums followed; 'Beneath The Southern Cross' (1981), Faces In The Street' (1981), Down There For Dancing (1982), 'Lively!' (1984), Warrigal Morning (1985) plus many more. Many songs were adaptations of poetry written by Australian bush poets including Henry Lawson and Banjo Paterson. In 2011 Roger Corbett and Dobe Newton re-recorded the popular 1980 'Dance Album' with the 'Official Dance Album' in which they included the Dobe Newton co-written classic Australian song, ''I am Australian'' and won a third Golden Guitar award. The Bushwackers, who celebrated their Golden Jubilee became recipients at the Australasian Country Music Roll of Renown in 2021 for their energetic writing, performing, recording, and celebration of Australian heritage. Michael Harris died in 2020 after a long battle with cancer.

Members

Jan Wositzky (vocals, harmonica, banjo, bass, percussion), Dave Isom (guitar, vocals), Bert Kahanoff (lagerphone), John Spencer (banjo, mandolin), David Kidd (fiddle), Mick Slocum (vocals, accordion, piano), Dobe Newton (vocals, lagerphone, whistle, bones, spoons, bodhran), Pete Howell (bass), Tony Hunt (fiddle), Pete Farndon (bass), Louis McManus (guitar, fiddle, mandolin), Steve Groves (vocals, guitar), Fred Kuhnl (bass, synthesizer, vocals), Gregory Martin (drums, vocals, synthesizer), Michael Harris (fiddle), Roger Corbett (vocals, guitar, bass, harmonica), Freddie Strauks (drums), Tony O’Neill (fiddle, mandolin, banjo), Robby Ross (drums), Tommy Emmanuel (guitar), Steve Housden (guitar), Melanie Williamson (accordion, guitar, vocals), Pete Drummond (drums), Mark Oats (vocals, fiddle), Tim Gaze (guitar), Pamela Drysdale (accordion, guitar, vocals), Justin Duggan (drums), Clare O'Meara (vocals, fiddle, acoustic guitar, accordion), Michael Vidale (bass, double bass), Ben Corbett (guitar)

SINGLES
''When The Rain Tumbles Down In July / When The Rain Tumbles Down In July (Instrumental Version)'' 1973 Warner Bros.
''Stage Struck / Shores Of Botany Bay'' Ambassador

''Theme From "Cash And Co." / Theme From "Ben Hall" 1975 Image 
''Shores Of Botany Bay / South Australia'' 1976 
B1: The Cuckoo's Nest Image 
''Annie / Fanny Bay'' 1979 Image 
''Flying Pieman / The Kangaroo Hop'' 1980 Avenue 
''Les Darcy (Edited Version) / Weevils In The Flour'' 1981 Avenue 
''Marijuana Australiana (#77) / Ned Kelly's Tunes'' 1981 Avenue 
''Waltzing Matilda / Beneath The Southern Cross'' 1982 CBS
''Captain Starlight / The Goanna Drover'' [with Ted Egan] 1982 Faces Of Australia  
''1234 / Coney Island [Medley]'' 1982 CBS

''When Britannia Ruled The Waves / Hanging Rock'' 1983 CBS
''Warrigal Morning / Goanna Stew'' 1983 CBS
''Lime Juice Tub / Marijuana Australiana'' 1984 CBS

''Such Is Life'' [with Ted Egan] 1984 Faces Of Australia
''Shoalhaven Man / The Butterfly'' 1989 True Blue 
"Battler's Ballad" [with Broderick Smith] 
"Leave it in the Ground" 2016 
"Another Trip to Bunnings" 2017 
"Oh How Memories Have Flown" 2018 
"Stroke the Government's Pen" [with James Stewart Keene] 2019
"Marijuana Australiana Rehashed" 2019

EPs
'Bushwacked' 1995 ABC
'April 25' 2006, The Bushwackers

ALBUMS
'The Shearer's Dream' 1974 Rainbow 
'And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda' 1976 Image 
'Murrumbidgee' 1977 Image 
'Bushfire' (#37) 1978 Image 
'Dance Album' (#35) 1980 Image 
'Faces in the Street' (#54) 1981 Avenue 
'Beneath the Southern Cross' (#57) 1981 Telmak
'Down There for Dancing' (#97) 1982 CBS 
'Warrigal Morning' 1983 CBS 
'Billy of Tea' 1994 

'Oz Rock Salutes' 1997 ABC
'No Nuts 'Til Monday' 1998
'Australian Songbook 30th Anniversary Edition' 2001 The Bushwackers
'Ned' 2005 The Bushwackers () -
'Australian Songbook Volume 2' 2009 The Bushwackers 
'The Official Dance Album' 2011 The Bushwackers
'Australian Songbook Volume 3' January 2013 The Bushwackers 
'The Lawson Project' [with Dobe Newton] 2013 Dobe Newton
'The Hungry Mile' March 2017 The Bushwackers
'Dyed the Wool' 2020 The Bushwackers

References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bushwackers_(band)