The Australian Music Vault at Arts Centre Melbourne has unveiled a new display honouring Warumpi Band founder Sammy Butcher, this year’s recipient of the prestigious National Indigenous Music Awards (NIMA) Hall of Fame Award.
Featuring historical photos and album covers, the display showcases Butcher’s extraordinary career and his enduring influence on the Australian music industry throughout his illustrious 40-year career. The new display serves as a testament to his remarkable talent and significant contribution to the Australian musical landscape as a founding member of the Warumpi Band, and through his commitment to inspiring younger generations to tell their stories through music.
This year marked the 20-year anniversary of the National Indigenous Music Awards (NIMAs), a significant milestone in acknowledging and celebrating Indigenous music. As the 2024 Hall of Fame inductee, Butcher joins an incredible line-up of artists including Archie Roach, Jimmy Little, Kutcha Edwards, Vic Simms and Roger Knox.
ABOUT SAMMY BUTCHER
Born Sammy Tjapanangka Butcher in Papunya, Northern Territory, Butcher is a proud Pitjantjatjara/Luritja/Warlpiri man. He co-founded the iconic Warumpi Band in the late 1970s alongside George Rrurrambu, Neil Murray and his brothers Gordon and Brian Butcher. Initially starting as a cover band, they soon transitioned to writing their own songs, including the groundbreaking ‘Jailanguru Pakarnu (Out From Jail)’ in 1983, which became the first rock song in an Aboriginal language.
The Warumpi Band released three albums, including the critically acclaimed Big Name, No Blankets (1985), Go Bush! (1987), and Too Much Humbug (1996). Their hit songs, such as ‘Blackfella/Whitefella and My Island Home’, resonated with audiences across the nation and beyond. The band’s influence extended far beyond their music, inspiring a new generation of First Nations performers, including Yothu Yindi and Dan Sultan.
From 2000 Sammy’s family responsibilities led him to settle back into life in Papunya where his focus shifted to the intergenerational transmission of music across the desert region. He began teaching the local children how to play guitar and helped establish several bands for young people, including The Little Orphan Band. Sammy went on to shape the musical journeys of many successful musicians and has dedicated his life to inspiring younger generations to tell their own stories through music.
Sammy Butcher’s remarkable journey and his role in shaping the Australian music scene are explored in the documentary Out of the Shadows (2004). Additionally, his solo album Desert Surf Guitar (2003) pays homage to the breathtaking landscapes surrounding Papunya.
Recently, the Warumpi Band’s legacy has been celebrated in the powerful theatre production Big Name, No Blankets by Ilbijerri Theatre Company. Written in collaboration with Sammy and co-directed by his daughter Anyupa Butcher, Big Name, No Blankets tells the story of the Warumpi Band, and how music can influence change and bring hope.
Australian Music Vault presents
Sammy Butcher – NIMA Hall of Fame display FREE, Daily
For more information visit australianmusicvault.com.au
Mick created TAGG - The Alternative Gig Guide in 1979 with Helmut Katterl, the world's first real Street Magazine. He had been involved with his fathers publishing business, Toorak Times and associated publications since 1972.
Mick was also involved in Melbourne's music scene for a number of years opening venues, discovering and managing bands and providing information and support for the industry.
Mick has also created a number of local festivals and is involved in not for profit and supporting local charities.
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