Advertisment

Community

3 July, 2024

Slim Dusty still inspiring the next generation of North West talent

Legend has it every First Nations guitarist will first learn to play through a Slim Dusty song.

By North West Weekly

Taking a break from rehearsals in Mount Isa last month were Perry Bell, Cliff Harrigan, Edna Cheetham, Anselm Harrigan, Lucas Montgomery, Jade Montgomery and Michael Goddard (front).
Taking a break from rehearsals in Mount Isa last month were Perry Bell, Cliff Harrigan, Edna Cheetham, Anselm Harrigan, Lucas Montgomery, Jade Montgomery and Michael Goddard (front).

A group of First Nations musicians from the North West will share the stage with some of the nation’s best in a new performance that pays homage to Australia’s King of Country, Slim Dusty.

Looking Forward, Looking Back is a year-long project that began with a series of workshops to nurture First Nations musicians, and will culminate in several performances – including Mount Isa, Cloncurry and at the North Australian Festival of the Arts (NAFA) in Townsville.

The concept was the brainchild of Bulldust Band’s Megan Sarmardin and is based on the enduring connection between Australia’s First Nations people and Slim Dusty.

Legend has it every First Nations guitarist will first learn to play through a Slim Dusty song.

Ms Sarmardin said Slim Dusty’s enduring respect for First Nations people and his recognition of their place in Australia’s history resonates deeply with people right across the country.

“It is his storytelling ability and the way he captures a certain time in history,” she said.

“There’s beautiful songs of his: Trumby about an Indigenous person who worked in a station and couldn’t read or write, so drank some water at a poisoned water hole.

“Another, Grandfather Johnson, is about an old Indigenous guy that everyone knew – he was very popular but died as a pauper.

“There’s lots of things that resonate for Murri people, having a connection to the land and working on stations, Slim spoke about that life as well.”

Through the Looking Forward, Looking Back workshops, participants have had the opportunity to work with high calibre mentors to refine original songs, write new material, and learn more about composition to support them to create material for performance.

“I wouldn’t be in the position that I am without some local heroes who inspired me and very much shaped me and my music,” Ms Sarmardin said.

“This project is a way to give back to the community.

“There’s a lot to be said about the power of music: sharing it, playing it and being involved with it.

“It’s good for your mental health and wellbeing.”

The public performances will include a mix of reimagined Slim Dusty songs and originals, with early career musicians accompanied on stage by popular Indigenous bands Black Image and Bull Dust.

For the NAFA concert the musicians will be joined by big names Jem Cassar-Daley, Emma Donovan, Jungaji and the Briscoe Sisters.

“It’s going to be a big celebration of music and the power of song. Australia’s got a very unique, rich, and sometimes not a very nice history, but that can all be shared in song,” Ms Sarmardin said.

Looking Forward, Looking Back is part of the Creative Heartlands program, a strategic initiative of Topology | RASN North Queensland supported by the state government through Arts Queensland.

Advertisment

Most Popular