This is a look at Australian country music, from bush ballads and yodeling oldies to country-rock and outlaw twang, and even some more modern Top Forty artists. This includes artists from both Australian and New Zealand, though there's a separate Kiwi Country section which has a lot of overlap. There's a ton of twang Down Under, and I'm pretty sure I'm only scratching the surface, so I welcome any recommendations, additions or corrections.
This page covers the letter "G."
Goldrush "Live At Last" (OZ Records, 1983) (LP)
(Produced by Keith Walker)
A sometimes-bluegrass-y country-rock band from Sydney, Goldrush featured several high-powered musicians, including in its earlier incarnations the Emmanuel Brothers and banjo whiz Mark Collins. The band was founded in 1977, the group broke up in '84, with this album being kind of their capstone, a brisk set including Mark Collins on banjo, guitar and mandolin, Chris Haigh (bass), David Mare (guitar and vocals), and Phil and Tommy Emmanuel on guitar and drums... Though the title makes it sound like a concert album, this seems to have been recorded in a studio environment. It features their signature song, "Sweet Elise," as well as covers of "Duelling Banjos" and "Sweet Home Alabama."
Dave Graney & The White Buffaloes "My Life On The Plains" (Fire Records, 1989) (LP)
(Produced by Keith Walker)
An odd intermixture of emotive '80s alt-rock (ala the Waterboys and the Chills, perhaps?) and more brazen cowpunk, with plenty of spasmodic nerdy vocals... The way the pedal steel (Martin Lubran) is mixed in is intriguingly subtle, though I have to confess the album itself didn't do much for me. My college rock days are long past me, I suppose. This band was one of many incarnations taken by singer Dave Graney, a former punk rocker originally from Adelaide, perhaps best known for his stint in the post-punk band The Moodists. This was recorded in Melbourne.
Johnny Greenwood "Tibrogargan" (RCA-Australia, 1971) (LP)
(Produced by Ron Wills)
Johnny Greenwood "The Goondiwindi Grey" (RCA-Australia, 1973) (LP)
(Produced by Ron Wills & Rocky Thomas)
Johnny Greenwood "The Singing Transport Man" (RCA-Australia, 1976) (LP)
Johnny Greenwood "Johnny Greenwood" (Astor Records, 1977) (LP)
(Produced by Garry McDonald & Laurie Stone)
Johnny Greenwood "Big Rigs And Truck Stops" (Colonial Records, 1980) (LP)
(Produced by Lindsay Butler & Ken Cameron)
