Fitzroy Xpress

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Fitzroy Xpress is an indigenous Aboriginal country rock band [1] from the remote Kimberley town of Fitzroy Crossing, Western Australia. [2] [3]

Contents

Beginnings

Members formed as a school band in 1982. [4]

Career

They performed at the Stompen Ground festival in 1992, 1996 and 1998, the Fremantle Arts Festival in 1997 and the "Don’t Dam the River" concert in Broome in 1999. They have also recorded songs in Bunaban, the traditional language of the Kimberley region. [5]

Fitzroy Xpress continues to operate independently, under its own management.

Awards

At the Derby Country Music Festival in 1996 they were winners in the Professional Section, Band Section and Songwriting Section and in 2005, the band won a Deadly Award for Album Release of the Year for Home Sweet Home, beating Australian Idol winner Casey Donovan for the award. [4] [6] [7]

Documentary

Fitzroy Xpress were the subjects of the 2005 documentary Home Sweet Home [8] and an episode of SBS's Blaktrax. [9]

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References

  1. Craven, Jessica (20 March 2008), "Fitzroy Valley flows", The Echo
  2. The Age In from the outback
  3. Mackenzie, Kate (18 September 2004), "What makes Fitzroy rock", The Australian
  4. 1 2 Deadly Vibe Issue 104, October 2005 Archived 8 August 2008 at the Wayback Machine Xpress Delivery
  5. Blaktrax
  6. ARTS: Local Legends take on Australian Idol
  7. Smith, Britt (25 March 2008), "Musos ready to Xpress talent", Geelong Advertiser
  8. ABC Radio Regional Production Fund
  9. Idato, Michael (11 September 2004). "Blaktrax". Sydney Morning Herald .