2005: Indigenous Music Awards (original) (raw)

MELINDA JAMES:
The talents of indigenous musicians were showcased at the second Indigenous Music Awards last weekend.

The awards recognise the achievements of artists and aim to help new talent break into the mainstream music industry.

As Lindy Kerin reports, this year's awards honored a group of territory musicians who were inducted into the hall of fame.

LINDY KERIN:
Auriel Andrew burst onto the Australian music scene more than three decades ago.

A groundbreaking indigenous performer, she featured in the documentary "Buried Country" about aboriginal country music.

The Arrente woman from Alice Springs was the first indigenous woman to perform on Australian television.

She became a regular guest on channel nine's Reg Lindsay Show and the Ernie Sigley Show.

She performed for the pope when he visited Australia in the 1980s, and was an actor on several Australian television series.

AURIEL ANDREW:
I honestly wonder how I did it, because I never had anyone to train me, really no support, I had to go out there myself and do it

LINDY KERIN:
The youngest of seven children, Auriel Andrew started singing when she was four.

AURIEL ANDREW:
Mum would stand me on the table, and say sing Charlie, that was my nickname, sing Charlie, so I'd sing and she'd say louder Charlie, that's how come I've got a big voice now, from mummy telling me to sing louder, louder, Charlie.

LINDY KERIN:
At 21 Auriel Andrew left Alice Springs and moved to Adelaide to pursue her musical dreams.

AURIEL ANDREW:
It was really heart breaking, because I'd only been to Mt Isa, Cloncurry and Alice Springs.

So to leave Alice Springs and go to a place that I'd never been to before, and that it was scary, and it was lonely, I'd sit and cry

LINDY KERIN:
Now in her sixties, Auriel Andrew has finally been recognised for her trailblazing contribution to Australian music.

In Darwin on the weekend she was inducted into the music hall of fame along with fellow Central Australians Gus Williams and Herbie Laughton.

AURIEL ANDREW:
We were that happy to get up there and all sing together, I was nearly crying.

To be recognised, for all those years everyone was coming up and saying it's wonderful to see you after all these years, and I was thinking gee this is exciting

LINDY KERIN:
The second indigenous music awards were held before a crowd of more than a thousand people.

The Arnhem Land group Nabarlek was named band of the year

The group has been together since 1985 and has toured extensively throughout Australia and played at music festivals around the world.

Former Midnight Oil front man turned Federal Labor politician Peter Garrett joined Top End performed George Rrurrumbu on stage to present several awards.

PETER GARRETT:
It's fantastic to be here on stage with one of my dear friends.

GEORGE RRURRUMBU:
Yeah you my best friend.

LINDY KERIN:
Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu was named best male musician.

The former Yothu Yindi band member plays guitar with a unique style, effectively upside down.

Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu is now a member of the highly acclaimed Saltwater Band

For the second year in a row, Darwin singer-songwriter Shellie Morris was named best female musician.

She's been called the Janis Joplin of Jingili.

Her powerful performances have been captivating audiences for years. But she still finds time to help young people and inspire budding musicians around the Territory.

The indigenous music awards were set up two years ago under the Territory Government's Indigenous Art Strategy to help stimulate the industry.

TESSA ROSE:
It's just going in leaps and bounds.

LINDY KERIN:
Tessa Rose is the co-coordinator of the Indigenous Music Awards.

She says the event is important and helps highlight the diversity and talent in the Territory.

TESSA ROSE:
You say, to anybody, white, black or what have you, do you know of an indigenous band and they'll say Yothu Yindi, and that's the only name of an indigenous musician, we�ve got for example the Northern Territory alone, we have 70-percent of our musicians are indigenous.

It can only go forward, and get bigger and better and hopefully, the song writers, the performers, forge out a career in the music industry, and hopefully mainstream radio stations will start taking notice, start playing the music.

LINDY KERIN:
For Auriel Andrew, her return to Darwin for the weekend award ceremony has been a sentimental journey

AURIEL ANDREW:
It was lovely to come back and meet so many people; it gives your heart such a wonderful feeling.