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Neil Murray
Neil Murray was born and raised in Lake Bolac in Western Victoria. His family settled there as part of the soldier settlement scheme although many of his ancestors had worked in the district since 1850. Fortunate he says, to be born before the introduction of television, Neil was always part of sing-alongs that occurred frequently at many family members' houses in the district. One of Neil's earliest memories is of his grandfather showing him some "blackfella stones" on the farm and telling him that the owners of the stones were long gone. This memory stayed with him and set him wondering about the fate of the traditional owners of that land. Travelling to the Northern Territory in 1978, Neil began a journey of discovery that led him to Papunya, where he worked for many years. Neil returned to Lake Bolac to discover more about the Aboriginal people of his area and met up with Banjo Clarke and Tina Saunders, Bernice Clarke, Lenny Clarke, Archie Roach, Shane Howard and Amy Saunders. Neil Murray is one of Australia's most respected singer/songwriters and has contributed to contemporary Australian music for 2 decades. He is a founding member of the legendary Warumpi Band and since launching his solo career in 1989, has released three albums - Calm and Crystal Clear, These Hands and Dust. In 1995, Neil's songwriting was acknowledged by his peers with the APRA Song of the Year Award for My Island Home - originally written for and recorded by the Warumpi Band and later to become a hit for Christine Anu. Neil's novel Sing For Me Countryman gives a penetrating insight into black/white relations and is described as a cult classic for outback travellers. His play, King For This Place, was staged recently by Deckchair Theatre Company in Western Australia and received positive reviews throughout the season. Neil has been the subject of the ABC's television series "Australian Story" and has featured in many other documentaries on Australian music. He is one of very few Australian solo artists to have been twice invited to perform at the Edinburgh Festival in Scotland - as songwriter in 1997 and in 1998 as songwriter, author and poet during the Edinburgh Book Festival. Neil works with all ages in song writing workshops. The National Youth Reconciliation Forum collaboration resulted in We'll Build A Nation - the theme of this year's National Reconciliation Week. It will also feature on the Reconciliation CD, Stories of the Heart and Sounds of the Rock. Neil performs at festivals and special events and often incorporates spoken word into his performances. Works to be released in 1999 include his fourth solo album and a collection of poetry, One Man Tribe, to be published through the Northern Territory University Press.
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KutjungkaGunditjmaraAndy Alberts |
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Dust
