Biography
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Years Active
1971 – present (53 years)
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Members
- Jan Wositzky (1971 – 1984)
The Bushwackers (aka The Bushwackers Band & originally, The Original Bushwackers and Bullockies Bush Band), is a folk / country band, or 'bush band', which began at La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia (1971), with Dave Isom (guitars), Jan 'Yarn' Wositzky (tea-chest bass) & Bert Kahanoff (mendoza).
The founding three were joined by various players, including accordionist Mick Slocum, and fiddlers Tony Hunt and Dave Kidd, until 1974 when the band went full-time, and Kahanoff was replaced by largerphone player, Dobe Newton. With an ever-changing line-up, and adding tin whistle, harmonica, concertina, 5-string banjo, bodhran, bones, spoons, electric bass and guitar as well as drums, the band worked throughout Australia and Europe. By 1984, and no longer with Isom, Wositzky and Slocum in the line-up, the band moved its home from Melbourne to Sydney. Other members over the years include Roger Corbett, Fred Kuhnl, Gregory Martin, Steve Groves, Pete Farndon, Dave Mattacks, Michael Harris, Louis McManus, Eddy van Roosendael, Freddie Strauks (ex Skyhooks) and world renowned Australian guitarist Tommy Emmanuel.
Notable recordings include Faces in the Street, Beneath the Southern Cross, Bushfire, Murrumbidgee and The Shearers Dream – two of which were released through Australian record label Astor Records. The album And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda was released through EMI records in 1976 and is regarded as one of their finest recordings.
Many songs were adaptations of poetry written by Australian bush poets including Henry Lawson and Banjo Paterson.
In the 90's the band has been reformed with Newton and Corbett appearing in the lineup.
Sites: Wikipedia, YouTube & http://theBushwackers.com.Au (official).
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