“Neil Murray sings from the heart of the country”
– Jim Moginie (Midnight Oil)
One of Australia’s finest songmen, Neil Murray, has announced additional WA, NT and QLD shows on his The Telling Tour, which began last month and which now extends to the end of November. Additionally, he has released a new single from The Telling, the powerful country tune “The Murrumbidgee”.
After three albums with the Warumpi Band and one with Sammy Butcher, The Telling is his 10th original solo album and marks a recording career of four decades since the Warumpi Band released their debut single – “Jailanguru Pakarnu (Out from Jail)” in 1983.
The Telling – recorded in Melbourne by Roger Bergodaz and mixed in Sydney by Ted Howard – contains some of Murray’s strongest songs ever. Murray has never held back from the way he sees it and he’s not about to let up here, with a litany of injustice and loss- both historic and recent – explored on much of the album. The opening tracks “Broken Land”, “No Justice”, “Tears of Wybalenna” present a powerful and moving reckoning. “Rainbow Serpent and a Mine” (co- written with traditional owner Jack Green) brings graphic detail to the devastation wrought by the McArthur River mine near Borrooloola. “The Murrumbidgee” is an affirmation of perseverance and hope – despite environmental setbacks. The troubled affairs of the heart gain clarity in “Heal my Life”, and the honouring of the departed are heard in “For evermore” and “The Manager”. A positive reflection on an indigenous town- “My Yuendumu Song” and a sea shanty – “If the Wind be Kind” round out the album.
The Telling features instrumental contributions from Bill Heckenberg,(drums), Craig Kelly, (bass) Stephen “Stretch” Teakle (keys, accordion, clavietta) Damien Neil (mandolin, guitar) Jack Howard (trumpet), Shane Reilly (pedal steel) with vocal harmonies from Grace Robinson & Damien Neil.
Neil and his band will launch The Telling with the following launch shows and tour dates. More shows to be added. A complete list of Neil’s upcoming shows can be found here: NEIL MURRAY: GIG LIST
NEIL MURRAY THE TELLING TOUR
(Newly announced shows in RED)
Sat June 18 EUDLO HALL, EUDLO QLD
Tickets
Sat June 24 QUEEN STREET COMMUNITY HALL, YEPPOON QLD
Support: Kate Mahood
Tickets
Sat July 1 EMERALD LITTLE THEATRE, EMERALD QLD
Support: Anna Farquhar
Tickets
ALBUM LAUNCH Sat July 8 WHITEGUMS, ALICE SPRINGS NT
Matinee Show – 2PM start
Support: Shilo Monkland
Tickets
Sat July 15 YAJILARRA FESTIVAL, ON BUNUBA COUNTRY, DANGGU GORGE NEAR FITZROY CROSSING WA
Sat July 22 GIMME GIMME CLUB, WITH STEPHEN PIGRAM, BROOME WA
Tickets
Sun July 30 SKI CLUB, DARWIN
Tickets
Sun August 27 CAIRNS FESTIVAL, QLD
Thu Nov 16 LYRIC’s UNDERGROUND, MAYLAND WA
Support: Dave Johnson
Tickets
Thu Nov 23 DUKE OF GEORGE, EAST FREO WA
Support: Phil Walleystack
Tickets
Fri NOV 24 THE RIVER, MARGARET RIVER WA
Tickets
THE TELLING IS OUT NOW ON ISLAND HOME MUSIC, AND AVAILABLE ON CD AND ALL DIGITAL PLATFORMS (DISTRIBUTED BY BELIEVE).
PURCHASE OR STREAM THE TELLING NOW:
https://bfan.link/the-telling
neilmurray.com.au
youtube.com/neilmurraymusic
facebook.com/pages/Neil-Murray/86831692419
NEIL MURRAY BIO
“Neil Murray’s life and work will remain relevant while ever Australians ask the question – what in truth does it mean to call Australia home?” – Martin Flanagan, The Age
Maverick songman Neil Murray originally sprang from Victoria’s western district, but in the late 1970’s with guitar in hand he set course for the Northern Territory. He emerged at Papunya in 1980 as a founding member of the pioneering Warumpi Band, which over three albums (Big Name No Blankets, Go Bush and Too much Humbug) and twenty years of performing thrust contemporary indigenous music into mainstream Australia, yielding such classic songs as My Island Home, Blackfella Whitefella, Fitzroy Crossing, Jailanguru Pakarnu, Stompin Ground, From The Bush and Waru.
“One of the finest songwriters this country has ever produced.” – Rhythms
He has since become one of Australia’s finest singer/songwriters, enjoying a solo career since 1989. He has released a remarkable string of albums – the latest being The Telling, which marks a recording career of four decades.
His song writing is diverse- from the rollicking Good Light in Broome, the prayerful Native Born, and healing Myall Creek, the roots groove of Long Grass Band and Eddie Mabo, the journeyman monologues of Lights of Hay and Where my people go, the contemplation of place in Burrumbeep Hill, Whispering Casuarina and Bring Thunder & Rain and Fine Open Country (with Sammy Butcher) to the current single Broken Land.
Collectively, Neil’s work has done much to deepen Australia’s contemporary music heritage.
In 1995, Neil Murray was awarded the APRA song of the year for My Island Home originally written for the Warumpi Band and re-recorded by Christine Anu. My Island Home featured in the closing ceremony of the Sydney 2000 Olympics and the opening ceremony of the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.
In 2007, Jailanguru Pakarnu (Out From Jail), the Warumpi Band’s debut 1983 single, which was co-written with guitarist Sammy Butcher in the indigenous Luritja language- was honoured by the National Film And Sound Archives– “Sounds Of Australia” series- as a significant recording in Australia’s heritage- (credited as the first commercially released pop rock single in an indigenous language.) In 2016 My Island Home– as recorded by Christine Anu- received the same honour.
In recognition of his influence, Neil Murray was awarded the 2017 Port Fairy Folk Festival Artist of the Year.
“There’s no shortage of substance or integrity in his songs.” – The Australian
Neil Murray’s songs have been recorded by Mary Black, Jimmy Little, Missy Higgins, Liz Stringer, Christine Anu, Peter Denahy, Carus, Adam Brand, Amy Saunders, Powderfinger, The Tiddas, Ursula Yovich, Peter Brandy, Emma Donovan and the Warumpi Band.
Released in April 2023, The Telling is his tenth original solo album of which Broken Land is the current single.
“Stand to be converted” – Australian Musician
