Archibald William Roach (8 January 1956 – 30 July 2022) was an Australian (

Gunditjmara The Gunditjmara or Gunditjamara, also known as Dhauwurd Wurrung, are an Aboriginal people of southwestern Victoria in Australia. They are the Traditional Owners of the areas now encompassing Warrnambool, Port Fairy, Woolsthorpe and Portland. ...

and Bundjalung)

singer-songwriter A singer-songwriter is a musician who writes, composes, and performs their own musical material, including lyrics and melodies. In the United States, the category is built on the folk- acoustic tradition with a guitar, although this role has ...

and Aboriginal activist. Often referred to as "Uncle Archie", Roach was a Gunditjmara (Kirrae Whurrong/Djab Wurrung) and Bundjalung elder who campaigned for the rights of

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Indigenous Australians are people with familial heritage from, or recognised membership of, the various ethnic groups living within the territory of contemporary Australia prior to History of Australia (1788–1850), British colonisation. The ...

people. His wife and musical partner was the singer

Ruby Hunter Ruby Charlotte Margaret Hunter (31 October 195517 February 2010), also known as Aunty Ruby, was an Aboriginal Australian singer, songwriter and guitarist, and the life and musical partner of Archie Roach. Early life Ruby Hunter was born on 31 ...

(1955–2010). Roach first became known for the song "

Took the Children Away Took is a variant of the English surname Tooke, originally found predominantly in the East Anglia region of the United Kingdom. The name Took may refer to: People *Barry Took (1928–2002), British comedian and television presenter *Steve Per ...

", which featured on his debut solo album, '' Charcoal Lane'', in 1990. He toured around the globe, headlining and opening shows for

Joan Armatrading Joan Anita Barbara Armatrading (, born 9 December 1950) is an English singer-songwriter and guitarist. Her first major commercial success came with her third and fourth albums, '' Joan Armatrading'' (1976) and '' Show Some Emotion'' (1977), a ...

Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan; born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Described as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture over his nearly 70-year ...

Billy Bragg Stephen William Bragg (born 20 December 1957) is an English singer, songwriter, musician, author and political activist. His music blends elements of folk music, punk rock and protest songs, with lyrics that mostly span political or romantic th ...

Tracy Chapman Tracy Chapman (born March 30, 1964) is an American singer-songwriter, widely known for her hit singles " Fast Car" (1988) and " Give Me One Reason" (1995). She was signed to Elektra Records by Bob Krasnow in 1987. The following year she rel ...

Suzanne Vega Suzanne Nadine Vega ( Peck; born July 11, 1959) is an American singer-songwriter of Folk music, folk-inspired music. Vega's music career spans 40 years. In the mid-1980s and 1990s she released four singles that entered the Top 40 charts in the ...

and

Patti Smith Patricia Lee Smith (born December 30, 1946) is an American singer, songwriter, poet, painter, author, and photographer. Her 1975 debut album '' Horses'' made her an influential member of the New York City-based punk rock movement. Smith has fu ...

. His work has been recognised by numerous nominations and awards, including a

Deadly Award The Deadly Awards, formally titled National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Music, Sport, Arts and Community Awards and commonly known simply as The Deadlys, was an annual celebration of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ac ...

for a "Lifetime Contribution to Healing the

Stolen Generations The Stolen Generations (also known as Stolen Children) were the children of Aboriginal Australians, Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, Torres Strait Islander descent who were removed from their families by the Australian Gover ...

" in 2013. At the

2020 ARIA Music Awards The 2020 ARIA Music Awards are the 34th Annual Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards (generally known as ARIA Music Awards or simply The ARIAs) and consist of a series of awards, including the 2020 ARIA Artisan Awards, ARIA Hal ...

on 25 November 2020, Roach was inducted into their

hall of fame A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or Wiktionary:fame, fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actu ...

. His 2019 memoir and accompanying album were called ''Tell Me Why''.

Early life

Archibald William Roach was born on 8 January 1956 in

Mooroopna Mooroopna is a town located north of Melbourne, Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia. It is on the banks of the Goulburn River (Victoria), Goulburn River opposite the larger town of Shepparton. The Midland Highway (Victoria), Midland Highw ...

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Queen Victoria (1819–1901), Queen of the United Kingdom and Empress of India * Victoria (state), a state of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, a provincial capital * Victoria, Seychelles, the capi ...

. Roach was of Gunditjmara ( Kirrae Whurrong /

Djab Wurrung The Djab Wurrung, also spelt Djabwurrung, Tjapwurrung, Tjap Wurrung, or Djapwarrung, people are Aboriginal Australians whose country is the volcanic plains of central Victoria from the Mount William Range of Gariwerd in the west to the Pyren ...

) and Bundjalung heritage.Archie Roach, His life story told through his music

National Film & Sound Archive The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA), known as ScreenSound Australia from 1999 to 2004, is Australia's audiovisual archive, responsible for developing, preserving, maintaining, promoting, and providing access to a national c ...

In 1956, Roach's family, along with the remaining Aboriginal population at

Cummeragunja Cummeragunja Reserve or Cummeragunja Station, alternatively spelt Coomeroogunja, Coomeragunja, Cumeroogunga and Cummerguja, was a settlement on the New South Wales side of the Murray River, on the Victoria, Australia, Victorian border near Barm ...

, were rehoused at Rumbalara. The family subsequently moved to

Framlingham Framlingham is a market town and civil parish in Suffolk, England. Of Anglo-Saxon origin, it appears in the 1086 Domesday Book and was part of Loes Hundred. The parish had a population of 3,342 at the 2011 census and an estimated 4,016 in 20 ...

, where his mother had been born.Roach, A. (2002) lyrics to "Move It On" on ''Sensual Being''. At the age of two or three, Roach and his sisters and brothers, along with the other Indigenous Australian children of the

, were forcibly removed from their family by government agencies and placed in an

orphanage An orphanage is a residential institution, total institution or group home, devoted to the care of orphans and children who, for various reasons, cannot be cared by their biological families. The parents may be deceased, absent, or abusi ...

. After two unpleasant placements in

foster care Foster care is a system in which a minor has been placed into a ward, group home ( residential child care community or treatment centre), or private home of a state- certified caregiver, referred to as a "foster parent", or with a family mem ...

, Roach was eventually fostered by Alex and Dulcie Cox, a family of Scottish immigrants in

Melbourne Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...

. Their eldest daughter Mary Cox would sing church hymns and taught Roach the basics of guitar and keyboards. Roach's love of music was further fuelled by Alex's collection of Scottish music. "He was a big influence on me — a good influence. I'll love him to the day I die." At fifteen, Roach was contacted by his natural sister Myrtle, who told him their mother had just died. He spent the next fourteen years on the streets, battling alcoholism. Roach met his future wife,

, at a

Salvation Army The Salvation Army (TSA) is a Protestantism, Protestant Christian church and an international charitable organisation headquartered in London, England. It is aligned with the Wesleyan-Holiness movement. The organisation reports a worldwide m ...

drop-in centre known as the People's Palace in

Adelaide Adelaide ( , ; ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital and most populous city of South Australia, as well as the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. The name "Adelaide" may refer to ei ...

when she was sixteen.

Career

Roach's career spanned three decades, during which he toured extensively, headlining and opening shows for singers such as

and

1989–2000: ''Charcoal Lane'', ''Jamu Dreaming'' and ''Looking for Butter Boy''

In the late 1980s, Roach and Hunter formed a band, the Altogethers, with several other Indigenous Australians and moved to Melbourne. At the urging of Henry "Uncle Banjo" Clark, Roach wrote his first song, "

", which he performed on a community radio station in Melbourne and on an Indigenous current affairs program in 1988. Australian musician Paul Kelly invited Roach to open his concert early in 1989, where he performed "Took the Children Away", a song telling the story of the Stolen Generations and his own experience of being forcibly removed from his family. His performance was met with stunned silence, followed by shattering applause. In 1990, with the encouragement of Kelly, Roach recorded his debut solo album, '' Charcoal Lane'', which was released in May 1990. The album was certified gold and awarded two

ARIA Awards The Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards (commonly known informally as ARIA Music Awards, ARIA Awards, or simply the ARIAs) is an annual series of awards nights celebrating the Australian music industry, put on by the Austr ...

at the 1991 ceremony. The album included "Took the Children Away" which became one of the most important songs in Australia's contemporary history. In 1990, Australia's

Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission The Australian Human Rights Commission is the national human rights institution of the Commonwealth of Australia, established in 1986 as the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) and renamed in 2008. It is a statutory body ...

's awarded the song its first Human Rights Award for songwriting. ''Charcoal Lane'' featured in the top 50 albums for 1992 by ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...

'' magazine. In May 1993, Roach released his second studio album, '' Jamu Dreaming''. The album was recorded with musical assistance from

David Bridie David Ross Hope Bridie is an Australian contemporary musician and songwriter. He was a founding mainstay member of world music band Not Drowning, Waving which released six studio albums to critical acclaim. He also formed a chamber pop group, ...

, Tiddas, Paul Kelly,

Vika and Linda Bull Vika and Linda, also known as Vika and Linda Bull, are an Australian vocal duo consisting of Vika Susan Bull (born 1966) and her younger sister, Linda Rose Bull . They came to prominence after singing backing vocals in Joe Camilleri's band The ...

, Dave Arden and

Joe Geia Joseph Benjamin Geia (born 1959) is an Aboriginal Australian musician of Murri heritage. As a solo artist he has released three albums, ''Yil Lull'' (1988), ''Tribal Journey'' (1996) and ''Nunga, Koori and a Murri Love'' (2005). He has worked w ...

. The album peaked at number 55 on the ARIA Charts. In 1995, Roach toured extensively throughout the US, Canada, the UK and Europe. He returned to Australia to record the title track for ATSIC's Native Title CD, ''Our Home, Our Land'', with Tiddas, Kev Carmody, Bart Willoughby, Shane Howard and Bunna Laurie. In 1996, Roach performed as part of a presentation to the Human Rights Commission's Inquiry into the Stolen Generations, before embarking on a national tour as a guest of

. In October 1997, Roach released his third studio album, '' Looking for Butter Boy'', which was recorded on his traditional land at Port Fairy in south-western Victoria. The album's lead single, " Hold On Tight", won the

ARIA Award for Best Indigenous Release In music, an aria (, ; : , ; ''arias'' in common usage; diminutive form: arietta, ; : ariette; in English simply air) is a self-contained piece for one voice, with or without instrumental or orchestral accompaniment, normally part of a larger ...

in 1997 and the album won the same award and the Best Adult Contemporary Album at the 1998 award ceremony.

2001–2009: ''Sensual Being'' and ''Journey''

In July 2002, Roach released his fourth studio album, ''

Sensual Being ''Sensual Being'' is the fourth studio album by Australian singer songwriter Archie Roach. The album was released in July 2002 and peaked at number 59 on the ARIA Charts. At the ARIA Music Awards of 2002, the album was nominated for ARIA Award f ...

'', which peaked at number 59 on the ARIA charts. In 2002, he worked on the

Rolf de Heer Rolf de Heer (born 4 May 1951) is a Dutch Australian film director. De Heer was born in Heemskerk in the Netherlands but migrated to Sydney when he was eight years old.

film '' The Tracker''. In 2004, Roach and Hunter collaborated with the

Australian Art Orchestra The Australian Art Orchestra (AAO) is one of Australia's leading contemporary ensembles. Founded by pianist Paul Grabowsky in 1994, it has been led by composer/trumpeter/sound artist Peter Knight since 2013 and led by pianist/composer/producer ...

(AAO) and

Paul Grabowsky Paul Atherstone Grabowsky , born 27 September 1958, is an Australian pianist and composer, founder of the Australian Art Orchestra. Biography Born in Lae, Papua New Guinea, Grabowsky is a pianist and composer of music for film, theatre and o ...

to create a concert titled '' Ruby's Story''. ''Ruby'' tells the story of Ruby Hunter through music and the spoken word, from her birth near a

billabong In Australian English, a billabong ( ) is a small body of water, usually permanent. It is usually an oxbow lake caused by a change in course of a river or creek, but other types of small lakes, ponds or waterholes are also called billabongs ...

on the banks of the Murray River, through the Stolen Generations, search for identity and the discovery of hope through love. The production debuted at the

Message Sticks Festival Message Sticks Festival, also known for some time as Message Sticks Indigenous Film Festival, was an arts festival celebrating the culture of Aboriginal Australians, based at the Sydney Opera House, between 1999 and 2013. It focused on film for ...

at the

Sydney Opera House The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue Performing arts center, performing arts centre in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Located on the foreshore of Sydney Harbour, it is widely regarded as one of the world's most famous and distinctive b ...

in June 2004, to good reviews. In 2004, the soundtrack, ''Ruby'', won the Deadly Award for Excellence in Film & Theatrical Score, and the show went on to tour nationally and internationally until 2009. The soundtrack was released as an album on CD and as a

digital download Digital download may refer to: *Downloading, the processing of copying data to a computer from an external source *Digital distribution, a method of downloading software or audio-visual media as opposed to buying it at a traditional point of sale * ...

in 2005. In October 2004 a new concert, once again a collaboration with Hunter, Grabowsky and the AAO, entitled ''Kura Tungar – Songs from the River'', premiered at the

Melbourne International Arts Festival Melbourne International Arts Festival, formerly Spoleto Festival Melbourne – Festival of the Three Worlds, then Melbourne International Festival of the Arts, becoming commonly known as Melbourne Festival, was a major international arts festi ...

, which was directed by

Robyn Archer Robyn Archer, AO, CdOAL (born 1948) is an Australian singer, writer, stage director, artistic director, and public advocate of the arts, in Australia and internationally. Biography Archer was born Robyn Smith in Prospect, South Australi ...

that year. The concert, which was directed by Patrick Nolan, told stories from the two performers' lives, and featured songs about the Murray River and Ngarrindjeri Country, Ruby's home. The music used Roach and Hunter's lyrics and chords combined with Grabowsky and the AAO's contemporary jazz orchestration. It played to full houses which gave

standing ovation A standing ovation is a form of applause where members of a seated audience stand up while applauding, often after extraordinary performances of particularly high acclaim. Standing ovations are considered to be a special honor. Often they are ...

s and was later performed at the

and

Adelaide Festival Centre Adelaide Festival Centre, Australia's first capital city multi-purpose arts centre and the home of South Australia's performing arts, was built in the early 1970s and designed by Hassell (architecture firm), Hassell Architects. The Festival The ...

. In 2005 ''Kura Tungar'' won the

Helpmann Award The Helpmann Awards are accolades for live entertainment and performing arts in Australia, presented by industry group Live Performance Australia (LPA) since 2001. The annual awards recognise achievements in the disciplines of musical theatre ...

for the Best Contemporary Australian Concert at the

5th Helpmann Awards The 5th Annual Helpmann Awards for live performance in Australia were held on 8 August 2005 at the Lyric Theatre in Sydney. '' The Sapphires'' by Tony Briggs, produced by Melbourne Theatre Company, was named Best Play and Best New Australian W ...

. A documentary film of the preparation for the performance, including interviews and parts of the performance, directed by Philippa Bateman and called ''

Wash My Soul in the Rivers Flow Wash or the Wash may refer to: Industry and sanitation * WASH or WaSH, "water, sanitation and hygiene", three related public health issues * Wash (distilling), the liquid produced by the fermentation step in the production of distilled beverages ...

'', was released in 2021. In October 2007, Roach released '' Journey'', an album of songs as a companion piece to a documentary film called ''Liyarn Ngarn'', made with Roach,

Patrick Dodson Patrick Lionel Djargun Dodson (born 29 January 1948) is an Australian Indigenous rights activist and former politician. He is often referred to as the "father of reconciliation" owing to his commitment to reconciliation in Australia. He was a ...

and

Pete Postlethwaite Peter William Postlethwaite (7 February 1946 – 2 January 2011) was an English character actor. After various stage and minor television appearances, Postlethwaite's first major success arose through the film '' Distant Voices, Still Lives'' ...

. In October 2009 at the

, Roach performed in the world premiere of the

musical theatre Musical theatre is a form of theatre, theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through words, music, ...

production of ''

Dirtsong Black Arm Band is an Aboriginal Australian and Torres Strait Islander music theatre organisation. History The organisation was founded in late 2005 by Steven Richardson and has produced seven large-scale productions since its debut performance a ...

'', created by Black Arm Band theatre company. The songs were written by

Alexis Wright Alexis Wright (born 25 November 1950) is an Aboriginal Australian writer. She is best known for winning the Miles Franklin Award for her 2006 novel '' Carpentaria''. She was the first writer to win the Stella Prize twice, in 2018 for her "colle ...

, with some sung in

Indigenous languages An indigenous language, or autochthonous language, is a language that is native to a region and spoken by its indigenous peoples. Indigenous languages are not necessarily national languages but they can be; for example, Aymara is both an indigeno ...

. The show was reprised as the closing show at the 2014

Adelaide Festival The Adelaide Festival of Arts, also known as the Adelaide Festival, an arts festival, takes place in the South Australian capital of Adelaide in March each year. Started in 1960, it is a major celebration of the arts and a significant cultural ...

. Other performers included

Trevor Jamieson Trevor Jamieson (born 7 March 1975) is an Aboriginal Australian stage and film actor, playwright, dancer, singer and didgeridoo player. Early life Trevor Jamieson was born on 7 March 1975 in Subiaco, Western Australia (WA). He grew up in th ...

(2014 only),

Lou Bennett Lou Bennett (May 18, 1926, Philadelphia – February 10, 1997, Paris) was an American jazz organist. Bennett first played bebop on piano, but started playing organ in 1956 after hearing Jimmy Smith. Bennett toured the U.S. with an organ trio bet ...

Emma Donovan Emma Donovan (born 1981) is an Aboriginal Australian singer and songwriter. She is a member of the renowned musical Donovan family. She started her singing career at age seven with her uncle's band, the The Donovans, Donovans. In 2000, she became ...

, and

Paul Dempsey Paul Anthony Dempsey (born 25 May 1976) is an Australian musician. He is best known as the lead singer, guitarist and principal lyricist of rock group Something for Kate. Dempsey released his debut solo album, '' Everything Is True'', on 20 A ...

. In November 2009, ABC Music released previously unreleased Roach recordings from 1988 under the album title ''

1988 1988 was a crucial year in the early history of the Internet—it was the year of the first well-known computer virus, the Morris worm, 1988 Internet worm. The first permanent intercontinental Internet link was made between the United State ...

''.

2010–2016: ''Into the Bloodstream'' and ''Let Love Rule''

In October 2012, Roach released ''

Into the Bloodstream ''Into the Bloodstream'' is the sixth studio album by Australian singer-songwriter Archie Roach. The album was released on 19 October 2012 and peaked at number 49 on the ARIA Charts in December 2012. The album deals with Roach losing his life pa ...

'', an album he described as being built on pain following the death of his wife in February 2010. In 2013 he won a

for Album of the Year for this album, as well as a "Lifetime Contribution to Healing the

". In October 2013, Roach released ''

Creation Creation or The Creation or Creations, may refer to: Arts and entertainment Film * ''Creation'' (1922 film), a British silent drama * ''Creation'' (unfinished film), 1931 * ''Creation'' (2009 film), about Charles Darwin Literature * ''Creation ...

'', a 4-CD box set of his first four studio albums. The album was released to coincide with the premiere of Roach's new live show, also entitled Creation, which debuted at the inaugural Boomerang Festival in Byron Bay from 4 to 6 October 2013. At the

APRA Music Awards of 2015 The Australasian Performing Right Association Awards of 2015 (generally known as APRA Awards) are a series of related awards which include the APRA Music Awards, Art Music Awards, and Screen Music Awards. The APRA Music Awards of 2015 was the 3 ...

2015, Roach (and

Shane Howard Shane Michael Howard (born 26 January 1955) is an Australian singer-songwriter and guitarist, he was the mainstay of folk rock group Goanna (1977–85, 1998) which had hit singles with " Solid Rock" (September 1982, No. 3) and " Let the ...

) won Best Original Song Composed for the Screen "The Secret River" from ''

The Secret River ''The Secret River'' is a 2005 historical novel by Kate Grenville about an early 19th-century Englishman transported to Australia for theft. The story explores what might have happened when Europeans colonised land already inhabited by Aborigi ...

''. In November 2015, Roach celebrated the 25th anniversary of '' Charcoal Lane'' with a deluxe remastered edition. The new edition included a second disc featuring previously unreleased ''Triple J –

Live At The Wireless ''Live at the Wireless'' is a radio show, and now a long-standing tradition, of Triple J, an Australian radio station. Live music is one of the central philosophies of the station. The live broadcasts take a number of forms. Some broadcasts are fr ...

'' recordings and new interpretations of classic ''Charcoal Lane'' material by various artists. In November and December 2015, Roach undertook a national tour to celebrate the album's 25th anniversary. In November 2016, Roach released his seventh studio album, '' Let Love Rule'', which peaked at number 24 on the ARIA Charts, becoming his highest charting album to date.

2017–2022: ''The Concert Collection 2012–2018'' and ''Tell Me Why''

At the

APRA Music Awards of 2017 The Australasian Performing Right Association Awards of 2017 (generally known as APRA Awards) are a series of related awards which include the APRA Music Awards, Art Music Awards, and Screen Music Awards. The APRA Music Awards of 2017 was the 3 ...

in March 2017, Roach won the Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to Australian Music. In April 2018, Roach performed at the Commonwealth Games closing ceremony on the Gold Coast with

Amy Shark Amy Louise Billings (born 14 May 1986), known professionally as Amy Shark, is an Australian indie pop singer-songwriter-guitarist and producer from the Gold Coast, Queensland. During 2008 to 2012, her early solo material was released and perfo ...

. In May 2019, Roach released ''

The Concert Collection 2012–2018 ''The Concert Collection 2012–2018'' is a three-disc live album by Australian singer-songwriter Archie Roach. The album features live recordings from Roach's three most recent studio albums. The album was released in May 2019. In July 2019, Roa ...

'' and in July 2019, was nominated for two awards at the 2019

National Indigenous Music Awards The National Indigenous Music Awards (NIMA), also known as the NT Indigenous Music Awards from 2004 to 2008, are music awards presented to recognise excellence, innovation and leadership among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander musicians in ...

. On 1 November 2019, Roach published a memoir entitled ''Tell Me Why: The Story of My Life and My Music'', and released a companion album, '' Tell Me Why'', on the same day. His book was shortlisted for the 2020

Victorian Premier's Prize for Nonfiction The Victorian Premier's Prize for Nonfiction, formerly known as the Nettie Palmer Prize for Non-Fiction, is a prize category in the annual Victorian Premier's Literary Award. As of 2011 it has a remuneration of 25,000. The winner of this category ...

and won the 2020 Indie Book Non-Fiction Award. It also won the Audiobook of the Year at the 2021

Australian Book Industry Awards The Australian Book Industry Awards (ABIA) are publishers' and literary awards held by the Australian Publishers Association (APA) annually in Australia since 2001. The awards celebrate "the achievements of authors and publishers in bringing Au ...

. The album's lead single "Open Up Your Eyes" is the first song Roach ever wrote, dating back to the late 1970s, but had not before been recorded. ''Tell Me Why'' became Roach's first top-ten album on the ARIA Charts. '' Wash My Soul in the River's Flow'' (2021), written and directed by Philippa Bateman and produced by Bateman, Kate Hodges and Roach, is a feature-length

documentary film A documentary film (often described simply as a documentary) is a nonfiction Film, motion picture intended to "document reality, primarily for instruction, education or maintaining a Recorded history, historical record". The American author and ...

based on the 2004 concert ''Kura Tungar-Songs from the River'', featuring Roach, Hunter, Paul Grabowsky and the Australian Art Orchestra, in which Hunter and Roach sing about the Murray River and Ngarrindjeri lands. The film also tells of the love story between Hunter and Roach, and is interspersed with vision of

The Coorong Coorong National Park is a protected area located in South Australia about south-east of Adelaide, that predominantly covers a coastal lagoon ecosystem officially known as The Coorong and the Younghusband Peninsula on the Coorong's southern ...

. The film had its

world premiere A premiere, also spelled première, (from , ) is the debut (first public presentation) of a work, i.e. play, film, dance, musical composition, or even a performer in that work. History Raymond F. Betts attributes the introduction of the film ...

at the

Brisbane International Film Festival The Brisbane International Film Festival (BIFF) is an annual film festival held in Brisbane, Australia. Organised by the Screen Culture unit at Screen Queensland, the festival has taken place since 1992, with the program including features, doc ...

in October 2021 and was an official selection for the

Sydney Film Festival The Sydney Film Festival is an annual competitive film festival held in Sydney, Australia, usually over 12 days in June. A number of awards are given, the top one being the Sydney Film Prize. , the festival's director is Nashen Moodley. Histo ...

and the

Melbourne International Film Festival The Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) is an annual film festival held over three weeks in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It was founded in 1952 and is one of the oldest film festivals in the world following the founding of the Venic ...

in December 2021. In March 2022, Roach released his career-spanning anthology, titled '' My Songs: 1989–2021'', which was subsequently nominated as the Album of the Year for the 2022 National Indigenous Music Awards two weeks before his death. At the

2022 ARIA Music Awards The 2022 ARIA Music Awards were the 36th Annual Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards (generally known as ARIA Music Awards or simply The ARIAs) and consist of a series of awards, including the 2022 ARIA Artisan Awards, ARIA Fi ...

a special tribute in his honour will have

Budjerah Budjerah Julum Slabb ( ; born 17 March 2002), known mononymously as Budjerah, is an Australian singer from Fingal Head, New South Wales. He is a Coodjinburra man from the Bundjalung nation. His debut single "Missing You" was released in Oc ...

Jessica Mauboy Jessica Hilda Mauboy (; born 4 August 1989) is an Australian singer. Born and raised in Darwin, Northern Territory, she rose to fame in 2006 on the Australian Idol (season 4), fourth season of ''Australian Idol'', where she was runner-up and s ...

and

Thelma Plum Thelma Amelina Plumbe (born 21 December 1994), known professionally as Thelma Plum, is an Aboriginal Australian ( Gamilaraay) singer, songwriter, guitarist and musician from Delungra, New South Wales. Her debut album, '' Better in Blak'', was ...

performing " One Song" from that album. In 2023, the Roach and Hunter authored book ''Songs from the Kitchen Table'' was released, including lyrics, stories, photographs.

Activism

In 2013, shortly after receiving his Lifetime Deadly Award, Roach called on the recently elected prime minister,

Tony Abbott Anthony John Abbott (; born 4 November 1957) is an Australian former politician who served as the 28th prime minister of Australia from 2013 to 2015. He held office as the leader of the Liberal Party of Australia and was the member of parli ...

, for an end to the Northern Territory Intervention.

Discography

* '' Charcoal Lane'' (1990) * '' Jamu Dreaming'' (1993) * '' Looking for Butter Boy'' (1997) * ''

'' (2002) * '' Journey'' (2007) * ''

'' (2012) * '' Let Love Rule'' (2016) * ''

Dancing with My Spirit ''Dancing with My Spirit'' is the eighth studio album by Australian singer songwriter Archie Roach. The album was recorded in the 1990s and for a variety of reasons, remained ‘unreleased’ until 2018, where it was released in April 2018 and w ...

'' (2018) * '' Tell Me Why'' (2019) * '' The Songs of Charcoal Lane'' (2020)

Personal life

Roach was married to the singer

(died 2010) who was also his musical partner. They had two sons, Amos and Eban. They also had three foster children, Kriss, Terrence and Arthur. On 14 October 2010, Roach suffered a

stroke Stroke is a medical condition in which poor cerebral circulation, blood flow to a part of the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: brain ischemia, ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and intracranial hemorrhage, hemor ...

while working in the

Kimberley Kimberly or Kimberley may refer to: Places and historical events Australia Queensland * Kimberley, Queensland, a coastal locality in the Shire of Douglas South Australia * County of Kimberley, a cadastral unit in South Australia Ta ...

region. After recuperating, he returned to live performance in April 2011. He also survived

lung cancer Lung cancer, also known as lung carcinoma, is a malignant tumor that begins in the lung. Lung cancer is caused by genetic damage to the DNA of cells in the airways, often caused by cigarette smoking or inhaling damaging chemicals. Damaged ...

, due to early diagnosis in 2011 and major surgery.

Death and legacy

Roach died on 30 July 2022 at Warrnambool Base Hospital. His sons, Amos and Eban, have given permission for his name and image to be posthumously used freely "so that his legacy will continue to inspire". This permission is limited to news. Tributes were paid to his memory by prominent names in arts, politics and sport including Australian prime minister

Anthony Albanese Anthony Norman Albanese ( or ; born 2 March 1963) is an Australian politician serving as the 31st and current prime minister of Australia since 2022. He has been the Leaders of the Australian Labor Party#Leader, leader of the Labor Party si ...

, Victorian premier

Daniel Andrews Daniel Michael Andrews (born 6 July 1972) is an Australian former politician who served as the 48th premier of Victoria from 2014 to 2023. He held office as the leader of the Victorian branch of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) from 2010 and ...

and musicians including

, Briggs,

John Schumann John Lewis Schumann (born 18 May 1953) is an Australian singer-songwriter and guitarist from Adelaide. He is best known as the lead singer for the folk group Redgum, with their chart-topping hit " I Was Only 19 (A Walk in the Light Green)", a so ...

, Alice Skye, Emily Wurramara, Paul Kelly,

, Mark Seymour, Midnight Oil and

. In 2022, two side-by-side pillar-shaped monuments were erected on the shores of Lake Bonney Riverland, Lake Bonney at Barmera, in homage to Roach and Hunter. A glass mosaic artwork on the front side of each monument depict Roach's totem, the eagle, and Hunter's Ngarrindjeri totem, the pelican (). In 2024, a statue of Roach and Hunter was erected at Atherton Gardens in Fitzroy, Victoria, Fitzroy. Roach was regarded as giving a voice to the stories of many Aboriginal people and offering comfort and healing in his words and music. Euahlayi scholar Bhiamie Williamson, who wrote his PhD thesis on "Indigenous Men and Masculinities", describes the concept of the "Emu Man", based on the male emu, which is devoted to his family and chicks and sits on the eggs. Roach was considered a role model who represented an image shown too rarely in public discourse. Williamson writes:

Archie Roach Foundation

The Archie Roach Foundation was established in 2014 to nurture talent in young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and to offer them opportunities in the arts, to provide connection to culture and healing. , the board of directors included Roach, Uncle Jack Charles and four other people, with Charles and Rhoda Roberts as ambassadors of the foundation. The foundation has supported hundreds and inspired thousands more young people. His work in youth detention centres continues to affect those who listened to him.

Honours

* In 2011, Roach was one of the first people inducted to the Victorian Aboriginal Honour Roll. * In 2015, Roach was honoured in the 2015 Queen's Birthday Honours (Australia), Queen's Birthday Honours list as a Order of Australia, Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for services to music as a singer-songwriter, guitarist and a prominent supporter of social justice. * In 2020, Roach was named the 2020 Victoria Australian of the Year. *In 2023, Roach was posthumously promoted to Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) for "eminent service to the performing arts as a songwriter and musician, to Indigenous rights and reconciliation, and through support for emerging First Nations artists".

Recognition and awards

" was added to the National Film and Sound Archive's Sounds of Australia registry in 2013.

AIR Awards

The Australian Independent Record Awards (commonly known informally as AIR Awards) is an annual awards night to recognise, promote and celebrate the success of Australia's Independent Music sector. , - , AIR Awards of 2017, 2017 , ''Let Love Rule'' , Best Independent Blues and Roots Album , , -

APRA Awards

The APRA Awards (Australia), APRA Awards are held in Australia and New Zealand by the Australasian Performing Right Association to recognise songwriting skills, sales and airplay performance by its members annually. They commenced in 1982. ! , - , rowspan="2", APRA Music Awards of 2017, 2017 , Archie Roach , Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to Australian Music , , , - , "It's Not Too late" , Song of the Year , , , - , APRA Music Awards of 2020, 2020 , "Open Up Your Eyes" , Song of the Year , , , - , APRA Music Awards of 2021, 2021 , "Tell Me Why" (with Sally Dastey) , Song of the Year , , , - , APRA Music Awards of 2023, 2023 , "One Song" , Song of the Year , , , -

ARIA Awards

Roach has received ten ARIA Music Awards from twenty-three nominations. , - , rowspan="4", ARIA Music Awards of 1991, 1991 , , rowspan="3", '' Charcoal Lane'' , , ARIA Award for Best New Talent, Best New Talent , , , - , ARIA Award for Best Indigenous Release, Best Indigenous Release , , , - , ARIA Award for Breakthrough Artist – Album, Breakthrough Artist – Album , , , - , "

" , , Breakthrough Artist – Single , , , - , ARIA Music Awards of 1992, 1992 , , "Down City Streets" , , Best Indigenous Release , , , - , ARIA Music Awards of 1994, 1994 , , '' Jamu Dreaming'' , , Best Indigenous Release , , , - , ARIA Music Awards of 1997, 1997 , , " Hold On Tight" , , Best Indigenous Release , , , - , rowspan="2", ARIA Music Awards of 1998, 1998 , , rowspan="2", '' Looking for Butter Boy'' , , Best Indigenous Release , , , - , Best Adult Contemporary Album , , , - , rowspan="3", ARIA Music Awards of 2002, 2002 , , ''

'' , , Best Adult Contemporary Album , , , - , Richard Pleasance & Paul Kelly for ''Sensual Being'' , , Producer of the Year , , , - , ''The Tracker (2002 film)#Soundtrack, The Tracker'' , , ARIA Award for Best Original Soundtrack, Cast or Show Album, Best Original Soundtrack Album , , , - , ARIA Music Awards of 2008, 2008 , , '' Journey'' , , ARIA Award for Best World Music Album, Best World Music Album , , , - , ARIA Music Awards of 2010, 2010 , , ''

'' , , Best World Music Album , , , - , ARIA Music Awards of 2013, 2013 , , ''

'' , , ARIA Award for Best Blues and Roots Album, Best Blues & Roots Album , , , - , ARIA Music Awards of 2017, 2017 , , '' Let Love Rule'' , , Best Blues & Roots Album , , , - , rowspan="4", ARIA Music Awards of 2020, 2020 , , rowspan="3", '' Tell Me Why'' , , Best Male Artist , , , - , Best Adult Contemporary Album , , , - , Best Independent Release , , , - , Archie Roach , , ARIA Hall of Fame, Hall of Fame , , , - , rowspan="2", 2021 ARIA Music Awards, 2021 , , rowspan="2", ''The Songs of Charcoal Lane'' , , Best Blues & Roots Album , , , - , Best Independent Release , , , - , 2022 ARIA Music Awards, 2022 , , "One Song" , , Best Independent Release , , , -

Australia Council for the Arts

The Australia Council for the Arts is an arts funding and advisory body for the Government of Australia. Since 1993 it has awarded a Red Ochre Award. It is presented to an outstanding Indigenous Australian (Aboriginal Australian or Torres Strait Islander) artist for lifetime achievement. , - , Red Ochre Award, 2011 , himself , Red Ochre Award , , -

Deadly Awards

The Deadly Awards (commonly known simply as The Deadlys) was an annual celebration of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander achievement in music, sport, entertainment and community. They ran from 1996 to 2013. , - , Deadly Awards 1997, 1997 , "himself" , Male Artist of the Year , , - , Deadly Awards 1998, 1998 , "himself" , Male Artist of the Year , , - , rowspan="2", Deadly Awards 2002, 2002 , "himself" , Male Artist of the Year , , - , ''Sensual Being'' , Album of the Year , , - , Deadly Awards 2003, 2003 , "himself" , Outstanding Contribution to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Music , , - , Deadly Awards 2004, 2004 , ''Ruby'' , Excellence in Film & Theatrical Score , , - , Deadly Awards 2010, 2010 , ''1988'' , Album of the Year , , - , rowspan="2", Deadly Awards 2013, 2013 , ''Into the Bloodstream'' , Album of the Year , , - , "himself" , The Lifetime Contribution Award For Healing The Stolen Generations , , -

Don Banks Music Award

The Don Banks Music Award was established in 1984 to publicly honour a senior artist of high distinction who has made an outstanding and sustained contribution to music in Australia. It was founded by the Australia Council for the Arts, Australia Council in honour of Don Banks, Australian composer, performer and the first chair of its music board. , - , 2015 , Archie Roach , Don Banks Music Award , , -

Helpmann Awards

The Helpmann Awards is an awards show, celebrating live entertainment and performing arts in Australia, presented by industry group ''Live Performance Australia'' (LPA) since 2001. In 2018, Roach received the JC Williamson Award, the LPA's highest honour, for their life's work in live performance. , - , 5th Helpmann Awards, 2005 , , ''Kura Tungar: Songs from the River'' (with Ruby Hunter) , , Best Australian Contemporary Concert , , , - , 13th Helpmann Awards, 2013 , , ''Into the Bloodstream'' , , Best Australian Contemporary Concert , , , - , 18th Helpmann Awards, 2018 , , Himself , , JC Williamson Award , , , -

J Awards

The J Awards are an annual series of Australian music awards that were established by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's youth-focused radio station Triple J. They commenced in 2005. , - , J Awards of 2020, 2020 , Archie Roach , Double J Artist of the Year , , -

Mo Awards

The Australian Entertainment Mo Awards (commonly known informally as the Mo Awards) were annual Australian entertainment industry awards. They recognised achievements in live entertainment in Australia from 1975 to 2016. Archie Roach won two awards in that time. (wins only) , - , 1991 , Archie Roach , Folk Performer of the Year , , - , 1992 , Archie Roach , Folk Performer of the Year , , -

Music Victoria Awards

The Music Victoria Awards are an annual awards night celebrating Victorian music. , - , rowspan="3", Music Victoria Awards of 2013, 2013 , himself , Best Indigenous Act , , - , himself , Best Male Artist , , - , ''Into the Bloodstream'' , Best Folk Roots Album , , - , Music Victoria Awards of 2015, 2015 , himself , Hall of Fame , , - , Music Victoria Awards of 2017, 2017 , himself , Best Indigenous Act , , - Sources:

National Dreamtime Awards

The National Dreamtime Awards are an annual celebration of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander achievement in sport, arts, academia and community. They commenced in 2017. , - , National Dreamtime Awards 2018, 2018 , himself , Achievement award , , -

National Indigenous Music Awards

The

(NIMA) recognise excellence, dedication, innovation and outstanding contribution in the Northern Territory music industry. They commenced in 2004. , - , rowspan="5", National Indigenous Music Awards 2013, 2013 , "himself" , Hall of Fame Inductee , , - , rowspan="2", ''Into the Bloodstream'' , Album of the Year , , - , Cover Art of the Year , , - , rowspan="2", "Song to Sing" , Film Clip of the Year , , - , Song of the Year , , - , National Indigenous Music Awards 2018, 2018 , himself , Artist of the Year , , - , rowspan="2", National Indigenous Music Awards 2019, 2019 , "himself" , Artist of the Year , , - , ''The Concert Collection 2012–2018'' , Album of the Year , , - , rowspan="2", National Indigenous Music Awards 2020, 2020 , "himself" , Artist of the Year , , - , ''Tell Me Why'' , Album of the Year , , - , National Indigenous Music Awards 2022, 2022 , ''My Songs: 1989–2021'' , Album of the Year , , -

Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards

The Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards commenced in 1984 and recognise outstanding achievements in dance, drama, comedy, music, opera, circus and puppetry. , - , 2009 , , Archie Roach (with Ruby Hunter) , , Individual Award , , , -

References

External links

*
Archie Roach: His life story told through his music
at the National Film and Sound Archive *[ Archie Roach at allmusic.com] * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Roach, Archie 1956 births 2022 deaths Companions of the Order of Australia APRA Award winners ARIA Award winners Australian guitarists Australian male singers Australian male songwriters Indigenous Australian musicians Members of the Stolen Generations Storytellers People from Mooroopna Mushroom Records artists Australian male guitarists Australian autobiographers ARIA Hall of Fame inductees