Collage of Slide Show I was honoured to be a guest presenter at our local historical society last month. This is what we covered. Aussie brands (German made), Champions, Newsboy Jack Church, Northcote State School, Down the Mines, Lady Gibson Carmichael, Competitions, Mary Hardy, Hill Billy Concert, How to Compliment a Banjo Player, Stan Sleeth, … Continue reading Hasson’s Gold
Home is where sweet water fallsAnd kneeling down to take a little drink is like sipping wineHome is where the little woman lies waiting keeping it warm I got to make it back by the summer town.Give me a drink of sweet waterGive me the taste of a wineGive me the feel of my woman’s … Continue reading Sweet Water
Well Hungry Town people got nothin to eatThey're scratching the dirt trying to plant the seedWhen night time comes it's time for bedWell now I gotta fight just to lay my head Hungry Town, the unique hit single by BIG PIG was drenched in harmonica. Rising to 18th position on the National Charts in December … Continue reading Hungry Hungry Hog
Look out highwayHear me and my baby comeRight on back to you, where the blues came fromOh blues, don’t you call my nameJust stop by here take away my pain “I didn’t pick ‘Look Out Highway’….it picked me when I wrote it. Many years ago I was walking by a church in Memphis and I … Continue reading Memphis Highway
SKURRAY FLURRY Bruce Walter Skurray (1922 - 2008) Bruce Walter Skurray was born in Jamestown, South Australia on the 26 July, 1922. He was the son of Joseph Clement Skurray the local Bootmaker and renowned vocalist. When six years old Santa placed a Boomerang mouth organ in Bruce’s stocking. At nine years of age he … Continue reading Skurray Flurry, Pop Harp & Hot Air.
Rushing in, in the early morning and you're wondering.Got a minute for another cup of coffee before you run.And the silver bird is gone,And you wonder where you belong.(First verse) Burton Cummings, I would think is the culprit blowing the ‘pocket piano’ for this distinctive riff on Silver Bird. There is no harmonica credited on … Continue reading Guess Who?
Bess Shep’s vessel and Harley’s harp Just a month or so ago I penned a blawg relating to the Bess O’ Th’ Barn mouth organ tin I had unearthed from the Lakes district in Gippsland. In the article I related the intrigue into why ‘Besses’ was shortened to ‘Bess’ on the branding of the mouth … Continue reading Little Besses, Dick & Percy (also Les & Harry)
What an honour and privilege to blow a bit of harp on Lachlan and Astrid’s recessional song performed by Jon Collins at their wedding reception last month. Initially Lachlan (my son) had enquired if I’d like to play some Aussie classics with Jon, which I was really chuffed to be offered. However, I was more … Continue reading All Your’n (Media Naranja)
James Donnelly 1865 - 1937 Left: NSW Mouth Organ Champion - Mr. F. Donnelly (Sydney Sun, December 28, 1913) Middle: Thomas & Co Newtown Right: James Donnelly as The Grocer in ‘Horseshoes’ (1923) - Starred Oliver Hardy On the 18th December 1913 at the West’s Glaciarium (a skating rink and picture theatre), the Cobber New … Continue reading Cobber Champ
CAPTAIN MATCHBOX WHOOPEE BAND Jim Conway, along with his brother Mic, formed the entertaining, eclectic Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band just before the onset of the seventies. They had enormous success with their second album, ‘Wangaratta Wahine’, which went double gold and peaked at number four on the Australian charts. This was primarily on the back … Continue reading Jim’s Moonshine Breakdown
Harmonica Riff Raff 