Bushwackers -

he Bushwackers –50 Years Strong

Triple Golden Guitar Winners and 2021 Roll of Renown Inductees, The Bushwackers, celebrated the major milestone of 50 years of performance in 2021, quite a remarkable achievement by anyone’s standards.Although The Bushwackers are a household name to many,some youngsters may not know entirely what The Bushwackers are renowned for. Their energetic live shows have had thousands of fans dancing in the aisles with legendary performances at the The Port Fairy Folk Festival, The National Folk Festival, Tamworth Country Music Festival, The Gympie Music Muster, Woodford Folk Festival, The Americana Conference (Nashville) The National Celtic Festival and countless other events.Band stalwarts, Dobe Newton and Roger Corbett,bring their combined experience of over 90 years of playing in The Bushwackers,with all the songs, stories and history that kind of a journey entails.“Strangely not all that much has changed over the years” laughs Dobe Newton, who has been a member since 1973. “We still bring that energy and enthusiasm to every gig. Our audience has slowed a little but we’re still going as strong as ever and our band has changed a lot since the 70’s with over 105 musicians able to call themselves Bushwackers alumni.” Roger Corbett, who joined the band in 1980, adds “The Bushwackers have so many songs that our fans have grown up with over the last 50 years and 26 albums that they’ve shared with their families and friends. It makes for a very special relationship. We have generations of fans who come along and bring their families to continue the tradition.”The Bushwackers saw a resurgence in popularity in 2023after Roger and Dobe successfully auditioned for the popular TV series “The Voice” and landed a spot in Jessica Mauboy’s team. Performing the iconic “alternative Australian anthem” I Am Australian, co-written by the band’s own Dobe Newton, the duo captured the hearts of viewers around the nation and reminded fans that they are still very much around. However,it is in full-band mode where they shine, performing an exciting blend of folk and countrymusic featuring the lagerphone and tin whistle of front man Dobe Newton, Roger Corbett on guitarand harmonica,with the addition of fiddle, bass, electric guitar and drums rounding out the sound. The music is all-Australian,with all the stories, humour and sense of history that has helped to forge our national identity.

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