Shirley Thoms was born in 1925, in Toowoomba, Queensland and was raised in a family of seven children. She began her career singing and yodelling songs by Tex Morton and Harry Torrani, and won a Bundaberg talent quest with Torrani's Mockingbird Yodel. In 1941, aged 16, with what is now EMI Records she became the first female solo act to record country music in Australia, as well as the first Queenslander to be featured on disc. This first batch of songs included ""Faithful Old Dog".
She went on to tour Australia and New Zealand, entertaining the troops during World War II and writing songs. Thoms became known by the title of Australia's Yodelling Sweetheart. She later toured with Sole Bros Circus and met her first husband John Sole. The couple had a son, Peter and Thoms stepped away from show business, however John Sole died prematurely. In 1970, Thoms came out of retirement to appear on the Captain Cook Bicentenary Show in the Tamworth Town Hall and briefly revived her career with album releases in 1970 and 1972.
Her most popular and best selling recordings were "The Faithful Old Dog", "Where The Golden Wattle Blooms" and "Yodelling In The Moonlight". She was elevated to the Australasian Country Music Roll of Renown in 1980 (only the fifth artist to be so honoured and the first woman). She was also inducted into the Country Music Hands of Fame in that same year. After suffering from Parkinsons Disease and a heart condition, she died in 1999, at Summerland Point, Lake Macquarie, NSW, aged 74.
Hipslingers formed in late 1983 at the BHP Steelworks in Newcastle, when three metallurgists, John Di Gravio (vocals/guitar/organ), David Brett (bass) and Stuart St Hill (cornet/trumpet) decided to make music with an insurance seller Tom Masi (drums). The first song they ever worked on was Them's "I Can Only Give You Everything", being recorded on a four track. After a few of these recordings they came under the attention of Sydney Decade Record's Chief Peter Montford, who declared they should record a single. By this stage Tom Masi had departed and drummer Frank Rosetti joined the band. The songs chosen were ''Just A State of Mind'' and ''I Want A Schoolgirl'', the old unrecorded Mansons classic. Recorded in the early hours of the new year 1985 in Paradise Studios in Sydney, this single marked a momentous time for the young band. It felt like a shining star was beginning to rise, the feeling captured by a great riff and thundering drums.
Nick Cecire replaced Rosetti before they recorded their second single. "Heavenly Blue" was written in the dark room on the BHP Steelmaking Plant in Newcastle. The magical "Wilderness" on the B side was largely composed by David Brett with some chorus work by John Di Gravio. David Brett left and was replaced by Darren Rowe. Their third single ''Pilgrim'' marked an exit point for the band from their comfortable 60s pop niche into more unfamiliar ground.
The Hipslingers'; magnum opus 'Panromic' was recorded at Kings Lane, Sydney on a small 8 track studio that is no longer extant. Engineered by Brian Hall, this album marked a coming of age for the band. Their third album 'Somnium' was the last release of the Hipslingers. A loss of hope had set in and ate to the very core. A very successful enterprise after Triple J placed "Love will Remain" on high rotation and featured the band on its famous "Live at the Wireless" spot. The Hipslingers played their last show at the Cambridge Hotel in early 1992 after producing a body of work which they could be proud to say pushed all of the boundaries hitherto reached by any band in this country.
Members
John Di Gravio (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Stuart St Hill (trumpet, cornet), David Brett (bass), Tom Masi (drums), Frank Rosetti (drums), Nick Cecire (drums, percussion), Darren Rowe (bass), Michael "Hooly" Thompson (bass), Kyri Frame (bass), Garry Kosky (trombone)
SINGLES ''Just My State Of Mind / I Want A Schoolgirl'' 1984 Decade ''Heavenly Blue / Wilderness'' 1985 Decade ''Pilgrim / Chimes'' 1986 Decade ''What's The Matter / Never The Twain'' 1989 Shoot The Saxophone ''Life Was Meant To Enjoy / Circle (The Moon)'' 1991 Sundown
ALBUMS 'Panoramic' 1987 Shoot The Saxophone 'A Miracle On Bull Street' 1989 Shoot The Saxophone 'Somnium' 1991 Shoot The Saxaphone
Conation formed in 1997 and played venues in Newcastle and other cities for almost a decade. Unusually, their music featured a violin, played by Genna Pyewacket. The band’s sound is a disparate blend of power-violence, grind-core, hardcore, emo and melodic influences. Conation only released one album in 2001 'The Dichotomy Of Earth And The Human Race' but had put out a series of split 7"s with bands like Mugshot. They also released two CD EP's. They broke up in 2005 and have done the odd show since.
Members
Jamie Hay (guitar, vocals), Dale Townsend (bass, vocals), Murray Ruse (drums), Genna Pyewacket (violin, vocals), Heath Rowley (guitar, vocals), Nick Fletcher (guitar), Ryan MacDonald (guitar)
EPs 1997 Paranoise Records (split with Fuck All the Human Filth) 1999 Paranoise Records (split with Mugshot) 'Troubled Waters And Fortresses' 2003 Deplorable Recordings 'The Clouds Are Gathering' 2009 Poison City Records
ALBUMS 'The Dichotomy Of Earth And The Human Race' 2001 Deplorable Recordings
The Sensitive New Age Cowpersons was formed in 1994, out of an opportunity to play at the National Folk Festival in Canberra. The outcome was that a band was born, out of the storm created at that festival and a momentum developed that has not ceased since. The original line-up of Jim Fisher on guitar and mandolin, John Reed on cittern (a stringed instrument dating from the Renaissance), Fred Kuhnl on double bass and Martin Randall on banjo, went on to be invited to every major Folk festival in Australia. Within two years they had also played at the major Country Music festivals as well as the Melbourne Comedy Festival.
1995 saw the production and release of their debut album 'This CD Will Change Your Life' and they continued to work extensively throughout Australia. In 1996 Martin Randall left the band and was replaced by pedal steel and banjo player Ian Simpson, another Fremantle musician, who had returned to Perth after working successfully in the east for a number of years. In the same year the band undertook its first international tour, playing at festivals in the United Kingdom with great success, leading them to be invited back the next year for more shows including the prestigious Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
1997 saw the release of their much-acclaimed second album 'Strange On The Range' featuring the "New Australian National Anthem". The band continued to tour nationally and also perform internationally at festivals in both Hong Kong and Malaysia. The band worked through the beginning of 1998 until March when founding member Jim Fisher collapsed and was hospitalized. Jim had been working under great duress with declining health due to a blood borne liver disease he had acquired in the 1970’s. Jim underwent a successful liver transplant in December 1998, survived harrowing complications and re-emerged a year later with a new enthusiasm.
The band did some performing in 2000 – returning to the UK for a third tour, but soon after Jim said that he would stop playing indefinitely, having survived such a traumatic experience, he recognised that he needed more time to recuperate and to consolidate. Paradoxically, even in the band’s enforced rest and recuperation phase, they were still in demand and the remaining members were called on to perform their famous "New Australian National Anthem" at the closing concert of the People Scope event from Parliament House, Canberra.
As 2002 clicked over the band dusted themselves off and returned to the studio to record their third album, 'Fly Like A Chicken'. The SNACS were officially re-launched and played to a sell-out audience at the Fly By Night Club in Fremantle, before heading east to the Gympie Muster and later to the Woodford and Tamworth Festivals. March 2003 saw the farewell to long time member John Reed (aka Texas.T.Tex ) and the introduction of Adam Gare (aka Doc Adams) on mandolin, fiddle and vocals. Members of the band recorded with Paul Kelly for his second bluegrass influenced album as well as responding to interest for the band to perform overseas in Canada and the USA. As of 2007 they have released five albums.
Members
Jim Fisher, (guitar/vocals), John Reed, (cittern/vocals), Fred Kuhnl, (bass/vocals)
Martin Randall, (banjo/vocals), Ian Simpson (banjo/vocals), Adam Gare (mandolin/fiddle/vocals)
ALBUMS 'This CD Will Change Your Life' 1995 'Strange On The Range' 1998 Hoodlum 'Fly Like A Chicken' 2002 'Meanwhile, Back At The Ranch' 2004 'Other People's Greatest Hits' 2006
Shorty Ranger (Edwin Haberfield) was born on 9 October 1925, in Kempsey, New South Wales, He grew up on the adjoining farm at Nulla Nulla Creek to that occupied by the family of Slim Dusty. After first meeting at school, they became firm friends with a mutual love of music. Especially attracted to the songs and yodels that they heard on the recordings of artists such as Wilf Carter and Tex Morton, they aimed at a singing career. They learned to play guitar and, performing as a duo, at one time briefly as Buddy Bluebird and Buddy Blackbird, they entertained in their local area. During the 40s, they toured further afield, including Adelaide and Sydney, without lasting success. Although their careers separated in 1951, their friendship continued throughout the years. Shorty gained recognition and a recording contract with Rodeo Records that year, by virtue of his appearance on a national talent show organized by Tim McNamara, and Slim went on to international stardom.
Shorty married in 1952 and the following year, when the first of four sons and two daughters arrived, he decided to concentrate on his family. From the mid-50s through to the early 70s, limiting his personal appearances, he made some recordings but mainly concentrated on his songwriting. In 1969, the legendary Australian singer Buddy Williams, who recorded almost 50 of Shorty’s songs, released a tribute album called Buddy And Shorty. After 1973, with his family grown, he became more active both as a performer and recording artist. He released six albums on Hadley and later a series of 12 on his own Wildwood label. During the late 80s, he suffered a stroke and also a period of ill health as a result of poisoning from pest control chemicals. He survived and in 1989, he won the Songmaker Of The Year award at the prestigious Tamworth Country Music Awards. In 1992, he celebrated 50 years of country by appearing on stage with old friend Slim Dusty. His health caused concern again in August 1994, which led to a brief hospital stay. In October, he was involved in a serious road accident, but by December, he was working on his first CD release.
Since 1942, Shorty Ranger wrote over 360 other songs, many of which have been recorded by other artists. ‘Winter Winds’, written in 1943, is undoubtedly the best known, owing to its use as his signature tune and to Slim Dusty’s 1957 recording of it. The song, now rated as an Australian country classic, won Shorty a gold award in 1992. Over the years, he received many other awards including a Golden Guitar. He was honoured several times as a Pioneer Of Country Music in Australia and in 1993, he was elected to the Australian Country Music Roll of Renown. He died in 2007.
SINGLES
''Ballad Of Port Macquarie / Pretty Port Macquarie By The Sea'' 1977 Hadley ''Big Cow Blues / Heart Of The Sunshine Coast'' 1978 Hadley ''When The Pub Got The Beer / Tamblin' Guitar'' 1986 Wildwood ''Little Red Bonnet / Buddy's Song'' 1987 Wildwood
''The Cradle Of Country Music / Winter Winds'' 1993 Wildwood
ALBUMS 'The Man From Nulla Nulla' 1976 Hadley
'Sugarloaf Mountain Country' 1978 Hadley
'From Bullock Teams To Diesel' 1980 Hadley
'A Tribute To Wilf Carter' 1982 Hadley
'38 Years Of Country Music' 1983 Hadley
'The Land Where Time Stands Still' 1985 Wildwood
'I'm In Love With The Country' 1987 Wildwood
'Driftin' Along With A Song' 1988 Wildwood
'True Country Style' 1990 Wildwood
'Wildwood Country Gospel' 1991 Wildwood 'The Men From Nulla Nulla - Reunited And Revisited 1991 EMI 'Ridin' The Trail To My Home' 1992 Wildwood
'Take Me Back To The Country' 1993 Wildwood
'My Kinda Country Music' 1993 Wildwood
'My Wildwood Country Songs' 1996 Wildwood
'Shorty and Friends' 1996 Hadley
'My Sugarloaf Mountain Home' 1998 Wildwood
'True Country Style' 1999 Wildwood
'Singing On The Mountain' 2000 Wildwood ' Hand Me Down My Old Guitar' 2001 Wildwood ' 50 Years Of True Country Music' 2005 Wildwood 'Heaven Country Style' date unknown Wildwood ' Hillbilly Memories' date unknown Wildwood 'The Bush Balladeer' date unknown Wildwood
Leonard "Len" George Thiele AO (26 September 1922 – 14 May 1994), professionally Leonard Teale was a well-known Australian actor of radio, television and film known for his resonant baritone voice. He is best remembered for his role as David "Mac" Mackay in the long running Australian police drama Homicide. Teale narrated for Australian Broadcasting Corporation audio recordings, including the Banjo Paterson poem ''The Man from Snowy River''. His reading of Dorothea Mackellar's patriotic poem which includes the line "I love a sunburnt country, a land of sweeping plains" became so popular in the 1970s that it was frequently used to parody him. Leonard Teale died of a heart attack in 1994.
SINGLES
''Bound For Hobart Town / Ballad Of The Northern Run [with Andy Sundstrom] 1965 CBS
EPs
'Songs Of The Sundowners' [with Andy Sundstrom] 1965 CBS
'The First Born And Other Poems By Jack Davis' 1975 no label
'Didgeridoo' 1963 CBS
ALBUMS
'The Man From Snowy River' 1956 CBS 'When Your Pants Begin To Go' 1957 Festival 'Seven Cities Suite' [with Jim Gussey and Bruce Finlay] 1960 HMV 'Travelling Down the Castlereagh' [with Andy Sundstrom] 1964 CBS 'Henry Lawson - His Life Story In His Own Verse' 1965 CBS 'The Australiana Collection - Australian Verse' 1980 CBS 'My Country Traditional Australian Verse' 1988 CBS 'Henry Lawson's Australia' 1988 CBS
Karma County began in 1995 when the Australian music scene was still in the grip of the Seattle grunge sound. Eyebrows were raised when they first walked on stage at indie pop strongholds like the Sando and Annandale hotels in Sydney with an acoustic guitar, a double bass, not much more than a snare drum, a box of percussion and a voice. Ever since, they have waltzed their way into the hearts and minds of music fans around the world. From the initial acoustic strum of ''Postcard'' to the funky twang of "The Men Who Ran Away From The Circus" they traverse an eclectic music terrain to conjure their own sonic landscape - lush, melodious, intelligent, emotive songs and sounds.
They're proud of their artistic independence and have maintained their singular edge through raw talent and a hands-on approach to the music business. Drummer Stuart Eadie creates and co-ordinates the band's visual imagery (album sleeves, t-shirts, web design, adverts), singer/guitarist Brendan Gallagher produces the music whilst bassist Michael Galeazzi a.k.a. Mr Enthusiasm, rings them all up, and anybody else who will listen, and tells them what legends they are. In early 1999 the band signed a deal with Melody Management and Universal publishing. In the same year their third album, 'Into The Land Of Promise' was released on license through Warner Music. To great acclaim this album yielded two singles "Secret Country" and "The Men Who Ran Away From The Circus", both gained across the board airplay on Triple J and other ABC radio stations nationally.
'Into The Land Of Promise' took out the Year 2000 ARIA Award for Best Adult Contemporary Album making it two in a row for Brendan Gallagher who produced the 1999 winner, Jimmy Little's 'Messenger' album. Karma County toured all over this vast land from Cairns to Albany and beyond before embarking on a seven-week tour of Europe, UK and North America in July 2000. Tour highlights included performances at WOMAD festivals in Hanover, Reading and Seattle, opening the Australian Film Festival in Rome and guesting with Jimmy Little at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in London.
In 2001 the Band re-ignited their strong fan base with a four-state tour showcasing new material including "Where Could I Go But Home" the first single released from their new album. Then shortly after on the 'Happy Birthday Dear Customer' album tour. Karma County, with guests Lindsay Page on piano and Cameron Bruce on keys were the backing band for a Carole King Tribute show, Tapestry, featuring the vocal talents of Jenny Morris, Vika and Linda Bull and Jodi Phillis. With Michael Galeazzi (bassist) as musical director, the show played packed concert Halls in Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Perth during Early September 2001, receiving rave reviews.
Karma County have always toured with an associate member. Originally there was Bruce Reid on lap steel and guitar, followed by Lachlan Doley on keys and then Cameron Bruce on keys, vocals and smart - arsed cheek. Now days the boys are reveling in the simplicity and freshness of keeping it as a trio. With drummer Stu Eadie relocating to northern NSW in mid 2003 the bands live schedule slowed down a little. In May 2004 the band played every Wednesday night at Newtown for a residency entitled. Karma County vs The Rest. Different special guests faced and performed together with the trio.
In late 2004 KC released their fifth studio album 'Pacifico' featuring a song and video with Aussie film icon Bryan Brown - the instant classic Dexter & Sinistra. The boys went out on the road for two months playing all Australian capital cities and some regional centres. The album re-united the band with recording engineer Tim Whitten and mixer Jeremy Allom. Over the next few years, the band played the occasional festival and corporate show while recording some new material and re-visiting their back catalogue. A special two-disc retrospective 'Headland' was released in late 2008 accompanied by a brief east coast Australian tour. The album featured two new tracks, re-mixed and re-mastered tracks from their five studio albums, live tracks and some rarities.
Karma County still play the occasional gig while the three original members pursue their solo ventures - Michael with The Java Quartet and music education, Stu with his graphics business, drum duties with various bands in the music hot spot of Byron Bay, not to mention his Uke Night and Brendan with his solo career and music production.
Members
Stuart Eadie (drums) Brendan Gallagher (vocals guitar) Michael Galeazzi (bass)
SINGLES ''Postcard'' 1997 TWA Records ''East Meets South'' 1997 TWA Records ''Good Things Come To Me Now'' 1998 TWA Records ''Told You So'' 1998 TWA Records ''Secret Country'' 1999 WEA
"The Men Who Ran Away From The Circus" 1999 WEA
"Where Could I Go But Home" 2001 ''New Emperor Of Sad'' 2003
ALBUMS 'Last Stop Heavenly Heights' 1996 TWA Records 'Olana' 1998 TWA Records 'Into The Land Of Promise' 1999 WEA 'Happy Birthday Dear Customer' 2001 Shock 'Pacifico' 2004 Vitamin
Steve Lucas is the last surviving founding member of infamous punk band X. He is also a producer singer/songwriter and has fronted various other bands of note. Steve has played as far afield as Kathmandu, toured the West Coast of the USA and all round Australia. The sentimental punk, known as the 'guy who never sold out' has become an integral part of Melbourne's live music scene, still recording, still gigging and keeping it real. Steve Lucas has founded and fronted bands such as: X, Bigger Than Jesus, Groody Frenzy, Double Cross, A.R.M, Neon & Venom, The Feel, The Empty Horses, Los Trios Derros, and Strawberry Teardrop. He has recorded numerous LP's and singles. Steve has been lucky enough to play main support for acts such as Iggy Pop, The Cramps, The Damned, The Stranglers, Dr Feel Good,Sonic Youth, Henry Rollins, The Anti Nowhere League, Rob Lowe.
SINGLES ''City Song / Mr. Anfengers Putrid Fish'' 1987 Rampant ''Count Yourself Lucky (Single Mix) / (You Give Me A) Headache'' 1990 Mighty Boy ''Living And Loving In The U.S.A. / All That I Want (Is You)'' 2014 SLX Press ''So Much Better / You're Too Young To Know'' 2018 SLX Press
EPs
'Baby Let You Hair Down' 2023
ALBUMS 'Double Cross' 1986 Rampant 'Bought And Sold' 1987 Rampant ''All Too Human' 1990 Mighty Boy 'Bread And Water' 2004 Siliconpulp Productions 'Cross That Line 2021 Aztec Records
Love Positions were Nic Dalton and Robyn St.Clare. They released an album (vinyl only) called 'Billiepeebup' and a 7 inch single "Light Of Day", which were both released in October 1990. All songs were recorded on a Tascam 244 four track onto cassettes (mostly old TDK compilation tapes taped over!) in various houses in Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney between 1985 and 1989. At the time of its release Robyn was playing in the Hummingbirds and Nic in the Plunderers. Love Positions played in Sydney about four times.
The album 'Billiepeebup' was the first full-lengther released by Half A Cow but Half A Cow had the test-pressing of it for close to a year as they didn't have any money to press the record (John Needham of Citadel Records ended up putting the manufacturing on his account when Nic told him their predicament!) and the "Light Of Day" single was the first seven inch released by Half A Cow. Each copy of the single was touched off by Musk oil scent and the old Hac store smelt of musk for a few weeks. The band were very surprised when both album and single went in at #2 first week in on the ARIA Alternative Charts in October 1990. The name Love Positions comes from a cheap paperback title about sexual positions for young couples!
Members
Nic Dalton (vocals/guitar) Robyn St.Clare (vocals/guitar)
SINGLES ''Light Of Day / Underworn / Kiss'' 1990 Half A Cow
The Largest Living Things were formed in 1997 by former Crowded House drummer Paul Hester and guitarist Kevin Garant. The band performed throughout Australia and had their own television series on the ABC Hessie’s Shed which broadcast in Australia, New Zealand, the UK and on MTV in Europe. Largest Living Things released a couple of EPs. The band also featured on Mick Molloy's controversial 1999 TV show The Mick Molloy Show. On 26 March 2005, aged 46, Paul Hester died by suicide.
Members
Paul Hester (vocals guitar drums), Kevin Garant (guitar), Barry Stockley (bass), George Servanis (drums), Andy McIver (guitar), Dan Warner (guitar)
EPs 'Largest Living Things' 1997 A Lodge Production 'Largest Living Things II' 1998 A Lodge Production
Hugh McDonald born 17 July 1954 was an Australian musician. Active from the 1970s to 2016, he performed and recorded with the Bushwackers, the Sundowners, Banshee, Redgum, Des "Animal" McKenna, Moving Cloud and the Colonials. McDonald became better known when he joined the folk-rock group Redgum in 1981. He wrote a number of the group's songs, including "The Diamantina Drover". After lead singer John Schumann left the band in 1986, he took over as lead singer until the group disbanded in 1990. After Redgum, McDonald continued playing and recording music, and also taught music, including working with the Geelong Music College Orchestra. In addition, he had his own recording studios in Melbourne.
McDonald also lent his musical and recording expertise to the production of the Poowong Consolidated Primary School's annual music CD and more recently DVD. He worked alongside the students and music teacher Phil Beggs to compose, write, record and produce the CD. From 2005 McDonald worked with Schumann again as part of the Vagabond Crew, touring and performing on the albums 'Lawson' and 'Behind the Lines'. The latter album was recorded at McDonald's studios. In 2014 McDonald released his fourth post-Redgum solo album, titled 'The Land', which included his more recent originals "If It All Goes South", a tender heartfelt song which he wrote for his wife, Rebecca Harris Mason, and "Shrodinger's Cat", a contemplative song about accepting the uncertainties of life.
McDonald performed for Australian forces overseas several times. In December 2009 he visited East Timor to play for Australian and New Zealand troops stationed there, in September–October 2011 he played for Australian troops in Afghanistan and in July 2013 he played for Australian troops and Australian Federal Police in the Solomon Islands. In 2014 he played for the Royal Australian Navy troops in Tanzania, Africa, and in March 2016 he returned to Afghanistan to play for Australian troops. Hugh McDonald died on 18 November 2016 from complications of prostate cancer. His last album 'Bush Shenanigans' was posthumous release
ALBUMS 'The Lawson Album' 1993 ABC 'Spirit of the Land' 2004 Hugh McDonald 'The Land' 2014 Hugh McDonald 'Bush Shenanigans' 2017 Hugh McDonald
Professor Ratbaggy is a sometime four-piece band based in Melbourne, Australia. Sometimes thought of as a side-project of iconic Australian singer-songwriter Paul Kelly, the band is in fact its own entity: Kelly is one of the four members (song writing generally shared). The band's name is derived from the 1960s Australian TV character "Professor Ratbaggy", who was a bumbling but kind-hearted scientist, a comical character, performed by Ernie Carroll on GTV-9 on Melbourne television. Steve Hadley (ex-Black Sorrows), Bruce Haymes (ex-Avalanche, Richard Clapton Band) and Peter Luscombe (ex-Black Sorrows) would frequently play as The Casuals, as well as being members of Kelly's regular band.
Professor Ratbaggy's songs are often instrumental and purely groove-based with reggae, dub and funk influences. Professor Ratbaggy members and Shane O'Mara provided the original music for Lantana (2001) and are featured on the EMI soundtrack of the same name. The band's song, "Love Letter" (from their self-titled 1999 album) was used on ABC-TV series Fireflies (2004) together with songs by Paul Kelly (alone and with other bands) and by other artists. With Kelly often busy with his solo career and work in film and TV composition, Professor Ratbaggy's live shows have all but ceased and their recorded output remains low; this is not to say that the concept has died and there remains a strong possibility of further playing and/or recording.
Members
Steve Hadley (bass), Bruce Haymes (keyboards, organ), Paul Kelly (guitar, vocals), Peter Luscombe (drums)
