Sunday 29 January 2017

The early Bush Bands October 1954 to March 1955

Click on pictures for full-screen image



Article on 
Minutes of the Bush Music Club, 14th October 1954 to 11th March, 1955

The finding of the minutes changes accepted BMC history - unchanged is the fact that our founders The Bushwhackers (1953-1957) were the first bush band & that the South Coast Bush Band (early 1954 to late 50s-early 60s) was the second band, but Melbourne's Billabong Band wasn't the third band as their foundation was announced in January 1956 in the first issue of our first journal, Singabout. 

There were at least 8 other bands formed between The Bushwhackers & The Billabong Band.

Named bands -
Rouseabouts,
Overlanders (Leichhardt, formed by 28th October)
Ringers (Arncliff)
Spraggers (Lithgow)
Un-named bands -
Lithgow (2nd band, named elsewhere as the Wombat band with a live wombat as mascot),
Junior Eureka League (St George)
North Sydney
Portland (near Lithgow)
Groups hoping to start a band -
Granville
Sutherland (Mirrabooka Youth Group)
Kings Cross
Como


The minutes of 28th October mention Leichhardt's Overlanders, with members playing Banjo, Violin, Button Accordion and Bones. Musicians at Granville were hoping to start a band soon, as were groups at Sutherland (Mirabooka Youth group), St George (Junior Eureka League) and perhaps Kings Cross & Como.

12th November minutes mentions performances by Overlanders & Rousebouts, and minutes of 3rd December note that an Arncliff factory had a group called The Ringers

By 7th January there were 2 bush bands in Lithgow, but only one was named - Spraggers (Made up mainly of miners the name refers to one of the miners occupations. A "spragger" being the man, or boy, who turns the points and guides the skips to the desired place) and a bush band was also under way in Portland.

Article from Tribune Wed 27th October, 1954 (August, 2018),
found by Mark Gregory in TROVE, 2 weeks after the initial meeting of the Bush Music Club.

Minutes of 14th January report the first performance of the Drovers and by January 21st a Bush Band had been formed in the Junior Eureka League.

18th February minutes report a that North Sydney group was being formed & by March 4th they were preforming.

************************************************************************************************* *************************************************************************************************



Tuesday 24 January 2017

Report on BMC & members gigs, Illawarra Folk Festival 2017




















BMC gigs

Australian Tradition Concert

first the rehearsal, where
Kerry timed each item








~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



MC Dale Dengate with Rob Willis





Editor Mike


Doug Richardson, Brian Jonathon, Nancy Nicholls, Eric Eisler, Rick Hull, Dave Moir, John Poleson, Ralph Pride, Chris Poleson










~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tunes Session









Chris Woodland


Dot Newland


Nancy Nicholls, Dot Newland


Kerry Doherty


early members Ann Maher & Rose Pride (1960s)


Wally & Margaret Bolliger


Early members Chris Woodland (1960s) & Frank Maher (1950s) with Kerry Doherty





Kerry Doherty, Frank Maher
(Chris Woodland photo)


Gail Copley, Dave Moir, Moira Cowie, Ralph Pride, Brian Jonathon, Eric Eisler
(Chris Woodland photo)



Frank Maher, Chris Poleson, Doug Richardson, Rick Hull
(Chris Woodland photo)



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Old Bush Songs Singalong


Ralph Pride, Dave Moir, Rick Hull, Moira Cowie,  Chris Poleson, John Poleson, Kerry Doherty, Chris Woodland

Ann & Frank Maher, Chris Woodland


Rick Hull, Dave Moir


Eric Eisler, Bob Foggin, Steve Lockwood, unknown, Doug Richardson


Dot Newland, Sam O'Brien (flute),


Dot Dawson, Beth Cambridge


Chris Maltby, Bob Foggin, Eric Eisler


Moira Cowie




Chris Poleson leading a song





Dale Dengate

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
Saplings Session for musicians & would be musicians 8-16 years


It was a very rainy morning ...







Dave's group


Sam's group


Beck's group


Chris's group


Dave's group





Helen & Tony's group




~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Selection of Member's gigs


Australian Traditions concert  

Alex Hood



Chloe & Jason Roweth



Report on The John & Dale Dengate Mug for Parody


Dale, winner Jane Scott, MC BigRuss




1917:STRIKE, a show developed as a tribute to the late Brian Dunnett.  Christina Mimmocchi & PP Cranney with Jason & Chloe Roweth


Dave de Hugard

Graham Seal, Rob & Olya Willis


Kate Maclurcan & The Loose Ends
(photos - Sandra Nixon, except where indicated)


************************************************************************************************* *************************************************************************************************