# The Bushwackers (band)

The Bushwackers Band, often simply the Bushwackers, are an Australian folk and country music band or bush band founded in 1970. Their cover version of "And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda" (1976) was listed in the APRA Top 30 Australian songs in 2001, alongside its writer Eric Bogle's 1980 rendition. Their top 60 studio albums on the Australian Kent Music Report are Bushfire (1978), Dance Album (1980), Faces in the Street and Beneath the Southern Cross (both 1981).

## History

The Bushwackers Band were formed as the Original Bushwhackers and Bullockies Bush Band in 1970 in Melbourne by Dave Isom on guitar, banjo, vocals and mandolin; Bert Kahanoff on lagerphone and vocals; and Jan Wositzky on vocals, harmonica, banjo and percussion. Isom had started the La Trobe University Folk Club in 1969 and saw a concert by the Wild Colonial Boys at The Assembly Hall, Melbourne, with Kahanoff. Isom was inspired to form his own group, its name derives from a recording, Bullockies, Bushwhackers and Booze (1967) by various artists including Martyn Wyndham-Read, Peter Dickie and Jim Buchanan. Early gigs were in October 1971 by the trio who were later joined by various players, including Mick Slocum on accordion, concertina and vocals; and fiddlers Tony Hunt and Dave Kidd. Their debut album, The Shearers Dream, appeared in 1974 via Picture Records with the line-up of Hunt, Isom, Slocum and Wositsky joined by Dobe Newton on lagerphone, whistle and vocals.
The ensemble shortened their name to the Bushwackers Band and went full-time with their first tour to the United Kingdom. With an ever-changing line-up, and adding tin whistle, harmonica, concertina, 5-string banjo, bodhrán, bones, spoons, electric bass and guitar and drums the band worked throughout Australia and Europe. Their second album, And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda (1976), had Pete Howell on bass guitar joining the line-up of Hunt, Kidd, Newton, Slocum and Wositzky. It featured their cover version of the title song, which was written by Scottish-born Eric Bogle. "And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda" by the Bushwackers Band, alongside Bogle's 1980 rendition, was listed as one of the APRA Top 30 Australian songs in 2001 as part of the celebrations for the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA)'s 75th anniversary.
Their fourth studio album, Bushfire (1978), was produced by John Wood for Image Records and peaked at No. 37 on the Kent Music Report albums chart. By 1979 the line-up was Newton, Slocum and Wositsky joined by Steve Groves on vocals and guitar, Fred Kuhnl on vocals, bass guitar and moog and Gregory Martin on drums and percussion. The Bushwackers' fifth studio album, Dance Album (1980) used the line-up of Martin and Newton with Andy Colville on electric guitar, Roger Corbett on electric bass, Michael Harris on fiddle and viola, Louis McManus on fiddle, mandolin and acoustic guitar and Bill Smith on harmonica, bones, spoons, axes, bodhrán and cross-cut saw. The album peaked at No. 35 – the group's highest placing. Corbett became the group's principal songwriter, record producer and talent manager.
In 1981 they released two top 60 studio albums, Faces in the Street and Beneath the Southern Cross. By the following year the line-up of Corbett, Newton and McManus were joined by Danny Bourke on fiddle and vocals, Tommy Emmanuel on guitar and vocals (ex-the Southern Star Band, Goldrush) and Freddie Strauks on drums (ex-Skyhooks, the Sports). McManus was replaced by Tony O'Neill on mandolin, guitar and vocals and Harris rejoined in 1983 while Strauks was replaced on drums by Robbie Ross (ex-Goanna). In 1984 Newton disbanded the group except for reunion shows. In 1987 he co-wrote "I Am Australian" with Bruce Woodley of the Seekers. In 1993 Newton and Corbet reformed the Bushwackers Band (initially as the Range Rovers) with Pete Drummond (later with Dragon) on drums, Michael Fix on guitar (ex-Hat Trick), Mark Oats on fiddle and Melanie Williamson on piano accordion, guitar and vocals. Fix was soon replaced by Peter Malone on guitar, who was replaced in turn by Brad Johns and then Tim Gaze by 1995. Other members have included David Brannigan (The Colinails), Dave Mattacks, Pat Drummond, Eddy van Roosendael.
In August 2023, Newton and Corbett, performed a rendition of "I Am Australian", in their audition on the twelfth season of The Voice Australia, in which they received a four-chair turn before securing a place on coach Jessica Mauboy's team.

## Members

* Dave Isom – guitar, banjo, vocals, mandolin (1970-1976)
* Bert Kahanoff – lagerphone (1970-1976)
* Jan Wositzky a.k.a. Bill Smith – vocals, harmonica, banjo, percussion, bodhrán, spoons, bush bass, bones, axes, cross-cut saw (1970-1980)
* Tony Hunt – fiddle, viola, banjo (fl. 1973–1976)
* Dobe Newton – lagerphone, whistle, vocals, side-drum, cross-cut saw (1973–present)
* Dave Kidd – fiddle (fl. 1973–1976)
* Mick Slocum – accordion, concertina, vocals (fl. 1973–1979)
* Peter Howell – bass guitar (fl. 1976)
* Louis McManus – fiddle, guitar, mandolin, acoustic guitar (fl. 1978–1982)
* Pete Farndon – bass guitar (fl. 1978, died 1983)
* Chris Duffy – guitar (fl. 1979)
* Steve Groves – vocals, guitar (fl. 1979)
* Fred Kuhnl – vocals, bass guitar, moog (fl. 1979)
* Gregory Martin – drums, percussion (fl. 1979–1980)
* Andy Colville – electric guitar (fl. 1980)
* Roger Corbett – electric bass, vocals (1980–present)
* Michael Harrise – fiddle, viola (fl. 1980, 1983)
* Danny Bourke – fiddle, vocals (fl. 1982)
* Tommy Emmanuel – guitar and vocals (fl. 1982)
* Freddie Strauks – drums (fl. 1982)
* Tony O'Neill – mandolin, guitar, vocals (fl. 1983)
* Robbie Ross – drums (fl. 1983)
* Pete Drummond – drums (fl. 1993)
* Michael Fix – guitar (fl. 1993)
* Mark Oats – fiddle (fl. 1993)
* Melanie Williamson – piano accordion, guitar, vocals (fl. 1993)
* Peter Malone – guitar (fl. 1993)
* Brad Johns – guitar (fl. 1994)
* Tim Gaze – guitar (fl. 1995)

## Discography
### Studio albums

List of albums, with selected chart positions :
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions |
| Title | Album details | AUS |
| The Shearer's Dream | Released: 1974 Format: LP Label: Rainbow Records (PRF 1007) | - |
| And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda | Released: 1976 Format: LP Label: Image Records (ILP 753) | - |
| Murrumbidgee | Released: 1977 Format: LP Label: Image Records (ILP 776) | - |
| Bushfire | Released: 1978 Format: LP Label: Image Records (ILP 806) | 37 |
| Dance Album | Released: May 1980 Format: LP Label: Image Records (ILP 815) | 35 |
| Faces in the Street | Released: April 1981 Format: LP Label: Avenue Records (L 37585) | 54 |
| Beneath the Southern Cross | Released: October 1981 Format: LP, Cass Label: Telmak (TMAK 043) | 57 |
| Down There for Dancing | Released: November 1982 Format: LP, Cass Label: CBS (SBP 237825) | 97 |
| Warrigal Morning | Released: 1983 Format: LP, Cass Label: CBS (SBP 237975) Note: Music for the film Bush Christmas | - |
| Billy of Tea | Released: 1994 Format: CD Label: | - |
| Oz Rock Salutes | Released: 1997 Format: CD Label: ABC Music (742382106326) | - |
| No Nuts 'Til Monday | Released: 1998 Format: CD Label: | - |
| Australian Songbook 30th Anniversary Edition | Released: 2001 Format: CD Label: The Bushwackers (BW002) New Recordings | - |
| Ned | Released: January 2005 Format: CD, DD Label: The Bushwackers | - |
| Australian Songbook Volume 2 | Released: 2009 Format: CD, DD Label: The Bushwackers (BW006) | - |
| The Official Dance Album | Released: 2011 Format: 2x CD Label: The Bushwackers (BW009) | - |
| Australian Songbook Volume 3 | Released: 18 January 2013 Format: CD, DD Label: The Bushwackers | - |
| The Lawson Project (with Dobe Newton) | Released: 4 March 2013 Format: 2x CD, DD, streaming Label: Dobe Newton | - |
| The Hungry Mile | Released: 24 March 2017 Format: CD, DD, streaming Label: The Bushwackers (BW011) | - |
| Dyed the Wool | Released: 10 January 2020 Format: CD, DD, streaming Label: The Bushwackers (BW012) | - |

### Live albums

List of albums, with selected chart positions :
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions |
| Title | Album details | AUS |
| Lively! | Released: 1984 Format: LP, Cass Label: CBS (SBP 238004) | 94 |
| Jubilee 25th Anniversary Concert | Released: 1996 Format: CD Label: EMI Music Group (4892832) | - |

### Compilation albums

List of albums, with selected chart positions :
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions |
| Title | Album details | AUS |
| The Bushwackers Collection | Released: 1982 Format: LP, Cass Label: Avenue Records (L 37821) | - |
| Waltzing Matilda | Released: 1984 Format: LP, Cass Label: J&B Records (JB 195) | 43 |
| Celebration | Released: 1988 Format: 2xLP Label: CBS (460860 1) | - |
| The Very Best of Redgum & The Bushwackers Band (with Redgum) | Released: July 1990 Format: CD, Cass Label: J&B Records (JB415) | 61 |
| So Far... 1974-1994 | Released: 1994 Format: 2xCD Label: EMI (4797782) | - |
| The Great Bushwackers Band | Released: 2002 Format: 3xCD Label: Rajon (R0011) | - |
| The Very Best of the Bushwackers | Released: 2008 Format: 2xCD Label: MasterSong (580822) | - |
| Australian Songbook Collection | Released: January 2013 Format: 3xCD, DD Label: The Bushwackers (BW0010) Features Australian Songbook Collection volumes 1,2&3 | - |

### Extended plays

List of EP, with selected chart positions :
| Title | Details |
| Original T.V. Themes (with Brian May and The ABC Showband) | Released: 1975 Format: LP Label: Image (IEP-3) |
| Shores of Botany Bay | Released: 1976 Format: LP Label: Image (IEP-5) |
| Bushwacked | Released: 1995 Format: CD Label: ABC |
| April 25 | Released: 2006 Format: CD, DD Label: The Bushwackers (BW004) |

### Singles

List of singles, with selected chart positions :
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Album |
| Year | Title | AUS | Album |
| 1973 | "When the Rain Tumbles Down in July"/"instrumental | - | |
| 1979 | "Annie"/"Fanny Bay" | - | Bushfire |
| 1980 | "Flying Pieman"/"The Kangaroo Hop" | - | The Dance Album |
| 1980 | "Waves of Bondi"/"Flying Pieman" | - | The Dance Album |
| 1981 | "Les Darcy"/"Weevils in the Flour" | - | Faces in the Street |
| 1981 | "Marijuana Australia"/"Ned Kelly's Tunes" | 77 | Faces in the Street |
| 1982 | "Waltzing Matilda"/"Beneath the Southern Cross" | - | Beneath The Southern Cross |
| 1982 | "1234"/"Coney Island" | - | Down There for Dancing |
| 1983 | "Warrigal Morning" (Theme from Bush Christmas)/"Goanna Stew" | - | Warrigal Morning |
| 1983 | "When Britannia Ruled the Waves"/"Hanging Rock" | - | Lively! |
| 1984 | "Lime Juice Tub"/"Marijunana Australia" | - | Lively! |
| 1989 | "Shoalhaven Man"/"The Butterfly" | - | non-album single |
| 1996 | "Battler's Ballad" (with Broderick Smith) | - | non-album single |
| 2016 | "Leave it in the Ground" | - | The Hungry Mile |
| 2017 | "Another Trip to Bunnings" | - | The Hungry Mile |
| 2018 | "Oh How Memories Have Flown" | - | non-album single |
| 2019 | "Stroke the Government's Pen" (with James Stewart Keene) | - | non-album single |
| 2019 | "Marijuana Australiana Rehashed" | - | Dyed the Wool |

## Awards and nominations
### Country Music Awards of Australia

The Country Music Awards of Australia (also known as the Golden Guitar Awards and originally named Australasian Country Music Awards) is an annual awards night held in January during the Tamworth Country Music Festival, in Tamworth, New South Wales, celebrating recording excellence in the Australian country music industry. The Bushwackers have won three awards (wins only).
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
| 1981 | "Flying Pieman" | Instrumental of the Year | Won |
| 2010 | "The Road to Thargomindah" (written by Colin Buchanan) | Bush Ballad of the Year | Won |
| 2012 | "I Am Australian" | Heritage Track of the Year | Won |
| 2022 | The Bushwackers | Australian Roll of Renown | inducted |

### Mo Awards

The Australian Entertainment Mo Awards (commonly known informally as the Mo Awards), were annual Australian entertainment industry awards. They recognise achievements in live entertainment in Australia from 1975 to 2016. The Bushwackers have won three awards (wins only).
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
| 1983 | Themselves | Best Country Group | Won |
| 1986 | Themselves | Best Country Group | Won |
| 1988 | Themselves | Best Country Group | Won |