page_title: The Bushwhackers (band)
section_title: Demise of the group
hierarchical_section_title: The Bushwhackers (band) / Demise of the group
caption_attribution_description: English: Chris Kempster, Australian singer, explains the genesis of his setting of "Reedy River" in 1992: still frame from publicly available video by Rob Willis (copy at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnpMaiCKmU0)
context_page_description: Australia's first bush band The Bushwhackers, initially named "The Heathcote Bushwhackers", were arguably the catalyst for Australia's folk revival of the 1950s. They performed from 1952 to 1957, when founder John Meredith disbanded the group and its members dispersed into other activities. Over its relatively brief existence, the group evolved from an initial novelty act to one with a more serious mission of presenting and promoting to Australia its neglected bush song heritage, and laid the foundation for similar groups to follow through the 1960s and to the present. Its members also operated⁠—at least initially⁠—from a Marxist / Australian Communist Party ideology, attempting to embody the struggle of the working class against the ruling classes, although this may have been less than obvious to their audiences under the guise of popular entertainment.
context_section_description: With very little notice to the group members, in 1957 Meredith abruptly decided to disband the group (minus Grivas, who had departed in 1955 due to a change in location), citing in his personal notes musical and personal differences between the older and younger members of the band: for example Kempster and Hood aspired to harmony singing, occasional solo vocals and more variety in the arrangements, Meredith's conception only involved solo singing in the verses, unison singing in the choruses, plus all the instruments playing all of the time. (By contrast, group member Alan Scott stated that in his opinion, the constant touring and rehearsing had simply got too much for Meredith, who "could not cope with all his other activities and be a Bushwhacker too".)  Various of its members continued to perform in bush bands: Kempster, Hood and Kay initially as "The Three Bushwhackers" and then continuing as "The Rambleers"; Grivas with his brothers Roland and Milton as "The Galahs", already formed post his 1955 departure from the Bushwhackers; while Meredith continued to collect field recordings of Australian traditional and folk music, as well as performing with "The Shearers" and the Bush Music Club's "Concert Party".
caption: Chris Kempster in 1992
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