Neil Murray

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
‘One of the finest songwriters this country has ever produced’ – Rhythms
‘Neil Murray sings from the heart of the country’ – Jim Moginie (Midnight Oil)
‘There’s no shortage of substance or integrity in his songs’ – The Australian
‘Stand to be converted’ – Australian Musician

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, From The Bush and
Waru.
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, Bring Thunder & Rain and Fine Open Country
(with Sammy Butcher) to the current single Broken Land.
Collectively, his 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
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,
Liam Gerner and the Warumpi Band.
Released in April 2023, The Telling is his tenth original solo album of which
Broken Land is the current single.