Biography
Bullamakanka, a prominent Australian country ensemble, came together in 1978 on the nation’s Gold Coast through the efforts of Ray Young (b. Vale Ray Young, 3 January 1952, d. 7 March 2004), Dave Ovenden and Rex Radonich (d. 1986). The musicians began as a part-time trio whose extensive road work and singular blend of Australian bush traditions with American bluegrass quickly built a broad audience. Full-time touring commenced in the early 1980s, allowing the group to reach listeners well beyond conventional country circles. Following Radonich’s fatal car accident, Young reduced his touring commitments and Rod McCormack came aboard. Additional contributors across the years, whether for recordings alone or as ongoing members, have included Jeff McCormack, Stewart Watson, Mal Clark and Jimmy Duke-Younge. Crossover appeal arrived with the hit single ‘Home Amongst The Gum Trees’.
Five Golden Guitars and the Australasian Country Music Award for Best Group stand among the band’s honours, the first of these prizes arriving in 1983. That same year Bullamakanka performed in the USA at Fort Worth, Texas, where the International Country & Western Music Association named them Australian Group Entertainer Of The Year. Domestic popularity has remained strongest, with appearances at venues ranging from clubs to festivals, among them the 2001 Gympie Music Muster. Co-founder Young also enjoyed a thriving solo career on the Gold Coast before dying of cancer in 2004 at age 53. The band’s name itself is Australian slang for a fabled site of prosperity situated at the remotest edge of the bush—a kind of Oz Oz.
Five Golden Guitars and the Australasian Country Music Award for Best Group stand among the band’s honours, the first of these prizes arriving in 1983. That same year Bullamakanka performed in the USA at Fort Worth, Texas, where the International Country & Western Music Association named them Australian Group Entertainer Of The Year. Domestic popularity has remained strongest, with appearances at venues ranging from clubs to festivals, among them the 2001 Gympie Music Muster. Co-founder Young also enjoyed a thriving solo career on the Gold Coast before dying of cancer in 2004 at age 53. The band’s name itself is Australian slang for a fabled site of prosperity situated at the remotest edge of the bush—a kind of Oz Oz.
Albums
