Tourism Australia boosts career of Dewayne Everettsmith
Wednesday, 27 June 2012 05:45
With the unveiling of a $250 million marketing blitz, Tourism Australia today not only relaunched “brand Australia”, but has also provided a boost to the career of Tasmanian singer/songwriter Dewayne Everettsmith.
The campaign “There’s Nothing Like Australia” was launched in China by tourism minister Hon. Martin Ferguson and features the song “It’s Like Love”, written by Everettsmith in collaboration with American viola player Jasmine Beams. The pair teamed up as part of Tourism Australia’s “Making Tracks” campaign which put musicians from different genres and countries together to create, using Australia’s unique beauty as their inspiration.
“Naturally, I'm really excited, and proud, to be a part of this marketing campaign. The ads are beautiful, with very high- quality production, and to have co-written and be singing the soundtrack is awesome," said Everettsmith.
Dewayne Everettsmith began singing as a child in his own Tasmanian Aboriginal community and since signing with Darwin label Skinnyfish Music, has already notched up career highlights that others only dream of including performing a private show for Oprah’s friend Gayle King, supporting acts like Gurrumul, Archie Roach, John Farnham and Guy Sebastian, touring through Europe and the US and being appointed the national ambassador for the official Save the Tasmanian Devil appeal.
The Tourism Australia campaign tops off a busy two years of career-building for Everettsmith—and all this before completing his first album.
"What's really special for me is the idea that here am I - a guy from just about the bottom of the planet, still to get my first album out - and my voice has just gone out there, around the world, singing to people about my country. I like that!"
Dewayne Everettsmith will head into the studio later this year to complete his album and record a new version of “It’s Like Love”.
VIEW THE FULL TOURISM AUSTRALIA COMMERCIAL HERE:
VIEW THE “MAKING TRACKS” DOCUMENTARY ON THE SONG’S CREATION HERE:
Yugul Mangi Festival, Ngukurr
Monday, 21 May 2012 14:06
Yugul Mangi and Skinnyfish Music present the 2012 Festival in Ngukurr
Ngukurr is a musical hub in the Northern Territory. Musicians have gravitated towards this South East Arnhem community for decades, with its links to Katherine to the West and Groote to the East. For many years it has produced festivals of status which continues to profile high level performance aspects of contemporary, collaborative and traditional music, independently of outside influence.
This year’s festival is a Yugul Mangi Aboriginal Corporation initiative in collaboration with Skinnyfish Music who have had a long history of recording and mentoring bands of the Roper region. These bands include Lonely Boys, Yugul Band, Broken English, Tribal Vision, T-Lynx, Bad T-Boyz and more. All of these bands together with other local and regional musicians from neighbouring communities as Numbulwar, Groote (including Mamabalyye and Miliyakburra bands) will be performing live at the Yugul Mangi Festival. The bands will be onstage from 7pm until midnight on both Friday 15th and Sat 16th.
Throughout the day on Saturday there will be activities galore including jumping castles and water slides, a girl’s basketball competition, and a local football carnival run by AFL NT and the Sport & Recreation team. Sunday will be filled with more activities for the whole family including a mini gymkhana & horse rides hosted by the Ngukurr school, and a Ngukurr Bulldogs home game.
The Ngukurr Arts Centre will ensure the incredible artistic talents of the area are on show with something for all ages to participate in – painting demonstrations, art & weaving workshops, mural painting, and the carving of a traditional canoe during the festival by Donald Blitner Senior. The Art Centre will be open all weekend with free tea and coffee for visitors.
Friday and Saturday evenings will commence with cultural activities including traditional dance, leading into the music program. The weekend of festivities will conclude on Sunday evening with a church service followed by a presentation of films and locally made short clips.
This festival is an fantastic opportunity to experience the incredible and diverse talents hiding out near the Roper Bar!
When: Fri 15 Jun – Sun 17 June (from 4pm Friday, activities all day Saturday and Sunday) Where: Ngukurr Community Oval Cost: Free Camping: Limited camping at Ngukurr. Camp sites & accommodation at Roper Bar (28 kms from Ngukurr community) Getting there: 331 kms South East of Katherine along the Roper Hwy (partly unsealed road & low river crossing) Permits: Not required Contact: Yugul Mangi 8977 4203 or Skinnyfish Music 8941 8066
Gurrumul To Appear At Queen's Jubilee Concert
Monday, 21 May 2012 12:54
Skinnyfish Music are proud to announce that Gurrumul Yunupingu will be joining a host of stars to perform at the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Concert on June 4th 2012.
Gurrumul will be joining artists from across the Commonwealth to perform 'Sing', the Diamond Jubilee Song which is written by Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber and Take That's Gary Barlow. Barlow travelled around the Commonwealth working with artists including Gurrumul to produce the track, with its successful debut airing this week on BBC Radio 2.
The concert will be broadcast live on BBC One, BBC One HD and on BBC Radio 2 in the UK and to millions around the world and will feature performances from the likes of Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Tom Jones, Sir Elton John and Sir Cliff Richard.
Gurrumul's performance at the Diamond Jubilee concert is the latest in a long line of honours for this shy man from the remote Elcho Island, with the University of Sydney recently bestowing an honorary doctorate for outstanding contribution to music.
Having received awards and global acclaim for both his debut album 'Gurrumul' and his second album 'Rrakala', he has also recently performed for Barack Obama, Crown Prince Frederick and Princess Mark of Denmark.
Gurrumul will returning to Europe in July for a run of rare festival appearances including Roskilde.
We have just released the first Skinnyfish Music hunting bags.
They are very multi-purpose; great for wild yam, mud-crab, long-boms, green plum and for dropping by your corner store.
37.5mm x 37.5mm storage capacity.
Click here to buy them or drop by the office to pick one up.
(Thanks to the lovely Janet for modeling for us)
Gurrumul Book Deal
Wednesday, 28 March 2012 00:36
Skinnyfish Music are pleased to announce a book deal with ABC Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers Australia, to publish the behind-the-scenes story of one of Australia’s most inspiring music stories - Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu.
“The publication of a book about Gurrumul, the person and musician, is a significant moment for us, and for Gurrumul. This book presents us with the opportunity to reflect on a remarkable 25 years in the music industry and to celebrate the cultural and social significance of Gurrumul’s music for Australians. We feel privileged to be working with him”, said Mark Grose, Managing Director, Skinnyfish Music.
Helen Littleton, Associate Publisher at ABC Books, acquired world rights for a book, e-book and app with ABC Commercial from Skinnyfish Music. National Biography award-winning writer Robert Hillman, represented by the Mary Cunnane Agency, has been appointed official biographer. “I am delighted to have the opportunity to bring Gurrumul’s extraordinary story in all its warmth and intimacy to a broader public”,he said.
Thebook will offer a rare insight into the creative world of Gurrumul and his music.Work on Gurrumul’s book has already begun. Michael Hohnen, Creative Director, Skinnyfish Musicsays “Gurrumul is as excited about the book as we are and understands that it will complement his music and be an important addition to bringing two cultures closer together."
Gurrumul’s book is scheduled for publication in May 2013. Liz White, Manager of Publishing, ABC Commercial said “We are delighted that Skinnyfish Music and Gurrumul have chosen ABC Books as their publishing partner for this project. We look forward to working with Gurrumul, Robert and all the team at Skinnyfish”. “The chance to share the story of one of our most important contemporary musicians is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for any publisher. This book will be eagerly anticipated by Gurrumul’s many fans and admirers all over the world”, said Shona Martyn, Publishing Director, HarperCollins Australia.
ABOUT ABC BOOKS ABC Books is part of ABC Commercial and publishes in partnership with HarperCollins Publishers Australia. Committed to fostering and developing Australia’s best storytellers, ABC Books publishes more than 100 new titles annually across ABC programming, ABC journalists and the stories that matter to us as Australians.
ABOUT SKINNYFISH MUSIC Skinnyfish Music is a Darwin-based record label committed to presenting music from Indigenous Australia. Through the generation of creative and economic opportunities for talented artists who hail from the country’s most remote communities - from Timor to Tasmania - Skinnyfish Music strives to maximize the positive impact that music can have on people’s lives, while providing a window to the world that highlights the richness of Australian culture.
With the unveiling of a $250 million marketing blitz, Tourism Australia today not only relaunched “brand Australia”, but has also provided a boost to the career of Tasmanian singer/songwriter Dewayne Everettsmith.
We have just released the first Skinnyfish Music hunting bags.
