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, and they are still going strong.
For many years, their energetic live shows had thousands of fans dancing in the aisles with legendary performances at The Port Fairy Folk Festival, The National Folk Festival, Tamworth Country Music Festival, The Gympie Music Muster, Woodford Folk Festival, AmericanaFest (Nashville), The National Celtic Festival and countless other events. In full-band mode, The Bushwackers really shine, performing an exciting blend of folk and country music featuring the lagerphone and tin whistle of front man Dobe Newton, Roger Corbett on guitar and 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.
Despite their longevity, The Bushwackers saw a resurgence in popularity in 2023, fresh off their sensational run on The Voice, Australia, where they wowed audiences with their iconic anthem, I Am Australian, co-written by the band’s own Dobe Newton. “The Voice experience was a whirlwind of excitement”, says Roger, reminiscing about the rush of four chair turns, reconnecting with Jessica Mauboy, and the thunderous applause from fans across the country. That moment captured the hearts of viewers around the nation and reminded fans that the pair are still very much around.
“Strangely not all that much has changed over the years” laughs Dobe, who has been a band member since 1973. “We still bring big 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.”
But the journey doesn’t end there for The Bushwackers. Their recent sold-out shows in Tamworth are just a taste of what’s to come as they gear up for the release of their upcoming album, The Great Australian Lap, set to drop digitally this July.
So, whether you’re a die-hard fan or a newcomer to the world of Aussie folk-rock, one thing’s for sure; with The Bushwackers leading the charge, the music never stops, and the good times keep on rolling, keeping the history, the stories and Australian music alive.
