Iconic Australian singer/songwriter Eric Bogle heads the long list of Australian and international artists who will perform at the Cobargo Folk Festival being held from 2-4 March, 2018
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Bogle, famous around the world for such songs as The Band Played Waltzing Matilda and the Green Fields of France, last appeared at the Cobargo Festival over 20 years ago and will be making a very welcome return.
He is among the group of five acts announced Thursday by festival artistic director Dave Crowden.
Others announced are from the US, Peter Rowan’s Bluegrass Band, Irish Traditional band, the Alan Kelly Gang, Manx singer Christine Collister who is accompanied by Australian Guitar supremo, Michael Fix, Neil Murray, another of Australia’s leading singer/songwriters and returning after last years’ huge success at Cobargo – the Northern Folk, a dynamic big band from Albury.
The Northern Folk have been taking part in a pre-festival tour of local schools this week and also perform in Bega on Thursday night.
“In Eric Bogle and Neil Murray, we are showcasing two of Australia’s greatest singer songwriters, still at the height of their musical powers,” said Crowden.
With over 20 studio and live albums to his credit, the Scottish-born singer’s work has been recorded by dozens of artists around the world, including the Dubliners, the Pogues, the Clancy Brothers and Billy Bragg.
Neil Murray, also making a welcome return to Cobargo, first appeared in the early 80s as a founding member of the Warumpi Band – best remembered for a string of hit songs, including My Island Home and Blackfella-Whitefella.
A prolific songwriter and performer, his songs have been covered by the likes of Christine Anu, Jimmy Little and Mary Black.
A frequent visitor to Australia, Pete Rowan hails from Boston and formed a rockabilly band in his school after hearing Elvis Presley for the first time.
He became interested in folk and blues and then discovered bluegrass music. In the mid-60s he moved to Nashville to become guitarist and lead vocalist with the founder of Bluegrass, Bill Monroe and his Bluegrass Boys. It’s hard to find an important US independent musician that he hasn’t played with at some time and that includes David Grisman, Jerry Garcia and Emmylou Harris.
The Alan Kelly Gang found its name some ten years ago after playing at the opening of the Ned Kelly Exhibition at the National Gallery of Australia.
A frequent visitor to Australia with his band and also with Scottish songstress Eddi Reader, Alan will bring a four piece band of top level traditional musicians here, including his partner, the US-born flute player and singer, Steph Geremia.
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Christine Collister and Michael Fix are returning to Cobargo after a successful Yuin Folk Club Concert earlier this year. Renowned for her powerful voice and emotional renditions of folk and popular songs, she found the perfect accompanist in Brisbane-based guitar virtuoso Michael Fix.
“These are just the early announcements in what I believe will be – artistically – our best festival yet,” Dave Crowden said.
“We took the decision to move our festival from the end of February to first week in March, to – among other things- bring us closer to other bigger festivals that attract high-level international and local acts,” he said.
“As we make more announcements in the coming months, our supporters will see that this decision is paying big dividends.
‘We were close to our capacity last year so the simple message is, get your tickets early for next year,” he said.