External links
- John Schumann Official Website
- John Schumann In Vietnam ABC Radio
- Redgum Lyrics Archive Online collection of Redgum and John Schumann lyrics
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
John Schumann AM | |
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| Birth name | John Lewis Schumann |
| Born | 18 May 1953 North Adelaide, South Australia, Australia |
| Genres | Rock, Australian folk |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1975–current |
| Labels | ABC Music Larrikin CBS Epic Columbia Sony |
| Website | schumann |
John Lewis Schumann [1] AM (born 18 May 1953) [2] is an Australian singer-songwriter and guitarist from Adelaide. [3] 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 song exploring the psychological and medical side-effects of serving in the Australian forces during the Vietnam War. The song's sales assisted Vietnam Veterans during the 1983 Royal Commission into the effects of Agent Orange and other chemical defoliants employed during the war. [3] Schumann was an Australian Democrats candidate in the 1998 federal election, narrowly failing to unseat Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer for the Division of Mayo. [4]
Since 2005 he has been performing as part of John Schumann and the Vagabond Crew, including fellow ex-Redgum member Hugh McDonald. [5]
Schumann was born on 18 May 1953 [2] and attended Rostrevor College, [6] and then Flinders University studying philosophy, English and drama for his Bachelor of Arts. [7] In 1975 he contributed to a radical politics in art project, convened by Professor Brian Medlin with fellow students Michael Atkinson and Verity Truman. The three students went on to form political folk band Redgum and began performing in local pubs and campuses. An 'underground recording' of their music was made at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) studios in Adelaide by Darc Cassidy – the tapes went on to become popular on campuses across Australia and on independent radio. Chris Timms (also from Flinders University) joined the group in 1976 and they toured to Melbourne as a part-time group. Schumann was by then teaching English and Drama at Marion High School and performing on weekends and school holidays. By December 1980, they decided to become a full-time band. Schumann wrote their biggest hits including "Long Run", "The Last Frontier", "I Was Only Nineteen" (March 1983) and "I've Been to Bali Too" (1984). [1] In 1985 Redgum toured overseas performing at major festivals across England and Europe including the Edinburgh Festival and in war torn Belfast in Northern Ireland. The band had a strong following in Scandinavia. He has now written a picture book with the lyrics of "I was only Nineteen" [ citation needed ]. And has got a book coming out about police mental health [ citation needed ].
Schumann left Redgum (late 1985) due to continual pressure to tour and to spend more time with his young family in the Adelaide Hills returned to teaching at Reynella East Primary School. [8] He embarked upon a solo career with CBS, where he released several records, including Etched in Blue (1987), and a children's record, Looby Loo (1989). [9] The 1987 single "Borrowed Ground" from Etched in Blue was given the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) Most Performed Australasian Country Work Award in 1988. [10] In 1992 he recorded a single for Sony titled "Eyes on Fire", this was followed by an album for Columbia Records in 1993, True Believers . [9]
Schumann used his public profile and became involved in social justice issues: rallying against Queensland's Premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen; the 'Save The Franklin River' campaign including as a member of Gordon Franklin & the Wilderness Ensemble (contained members of Goanna and Redgum) to record a single "Let the Franklin Flow" in 1983 [9] and seeking justice and compensation for Vietnam Veterans in the 1980s and 1990s.
In 1998 Schumann accepted an appointment as the chief of staff for the then leader of the Australian Democrats, Meg Lees. He stood against Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer for the Division of Mayo in Adelaide, winning 22.4% of the primary vote to Downer's 45.6%, taking the vote to preferences. After the distribution of preferences, Downer held the seat 51.7% to Schumann's 48.3%. Despite coming close to winning the seat, Schumann decided not to contest the seat in the 2001 election, citing a number of reasons including family commitments and the Democrats' decision to remove Lees as party leader in favour of Natasha Stott Despoja in April 2001. [4]
Schumann is a co-director of Schumann & Associates – a communications, public relations and consultancy company. He speaks on issues of social justice and Australian identity to universities and companies. In 2008 Flinders University recognised him as a distinguished alumnus for his contribution to Australian music and social justice. He is not affiliated with any political party.
In 2005 Schumann invited a number of musicians (including ex-Redgum members Hugh McDonald and Michael Atkinson) to play and sing on an album, Lawson , which comprises songs Schumann wrote based on poems by Australian poet Henry Lawson. Lawson was credited to John Schumann and the Vagabond Crew and released by ABC Music.
Schumann and Redgum were bought back to public attention in 2006 when Australian hip-hop group The Herd covered "I Was Only 19" with Schumann supplying some vocals. On 18 August 2006, John Schumann and the Vagabond Crew performed in Vũng Tàu, Vietnam, to mark the 40th anniversary of the Battle of Long Tân. [3] The concert was broadcast nationally by ABC radio. [11]
In 2007 John Schumann and The Vagabond Crew provided the music for a stage play, Lawson, starring Max Cullen as Henry Lawson. After refusing to appear live on the 1980s ABC music-TV show, Countdown , Schumann appeared in the Countdown Spectacular 2 concert series in Australia in August and September 2007. He sang the Redgum hit "I Was Only 19" only. From late 2007, John Schumann and the Vagabond Crew have appeared at major music festivals around Australia. Schumann signed a new multi-album deal with ABC Music and Behind the Lines , an album of songs related to Australians at war, was released in August 2008.
Schumann has performed for Australian forces overseas several times. In December 2009 he visited East Timor to play for Australian and New Zealand troops stationed there, [12] in September–October 2011 he played for Australian troops in Afghanistan [13] and in July 2013 he played for Australian troops and Australian Federal Police in the Solomon Islands. [14]
In 2011 Schumann worked with the Defence department on "Dents in the Soul", a project designed to help soldiers deal with post traumatic stress disorder. [15]
In 2015, Schumann recorded "Kokoda – Only The Brave Ones", a duet with Lee Kernaghan for his album Spirit of the Anzacs . [16]
In 2015 he was commission by the Australian Army to write "Every Anzac Day", a song about aboriginal soldiers who served in the Australian military. It was released in April 2015 ahead of the 100th anniversary of the Gallipoli landings. [17] It was released with "Anzac Biscuits" as a B-side. [18]
Schumann met Denise 'Denny' Storen in 1981 and they later married. She is the sister of Vietnam veteran Mick Storen, whose recollections inspired "I Was Only Nineteen". [19] The couple have a son and a daughter.
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| AUS [20] [21] | ||
| Etched in Blue | 63 | |
| John Schumann Goes Looby-Loo: A Collection of Songs for Little Kids |
| 116 |
| True Believers |
| — |
| Lawson (as John Schumann and the Vagabond Crew) |
| — |
| Behind the Lines (as John Schumann and the Vagabond Crew) |
| — |
| Ghosts and Memories (as John Schumann and the Vagabond Crew) |
| — |
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Portrait: The Very Best of John Schumann |
|
| Gelignite Jack – The John Schumann Collection |
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| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| AUS [20] [21] | |||
| "Borrowed Ground" | 1987 | 91 | Etched in Blue |
| "Eyes on Fire"" | 1992 | 123 | True Believers |
In 2014, Schumann was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the 2014 Australia Day Honours for "service to music, and to the veteran community". [22] In 2022, Schumann was appointed Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the 2022 Australia Day Honours for "significant service to the veteran community, to music, and to the community". [23]
| Year | Nominated works | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | John Schumann Goes Looby-Loo | Best Children's Album | Nominated |
The Country Music Awards of Australia (CMAA) (also known as the Golden Guitar Awards) is an annual awards night held in January during the Tamworth Country Music Festival, celebrating recording excellence in the Australian country music industry. They have been held annually since 1973. [24]
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | "I Was Only 19" (written by John Schumann) performed by Redgum | Top Selling Song of the Year | Won |
| APRA Song of the Year | Won |
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Redgum were an Australian folk and political music group formed in Adelaide in 1975 by singer-songwriters John Schumann and Michael Atkinson on guitars/vocals, and Verity Truman on flute/vocals; they were later joined by Hugh McDonald on fiddle and Chris Timms on violin. All four had been students at Flinders University and together developed a strong political voice. They are best known for their protest song exploring the impact of war in the 1980s "I Was Only 19", which peaked at No. 1 on the National singles charts. The song is in the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) list of Top 30 of All Time Best Australian Songs created in 2001.
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John Schumann and the Vagabond Crew are an Australian folk group formed in Adelaide in 2005. The band's name is taken from a line in Henry Lawson's poem "Knocking Around". Since it was founded a number of Australian musicians have been involved. The formation of the group marked the return of John Schumann, former Redgum frontman to regular performances and recording.
Lawson is the first album by John Schumann and the Vagabond Crew. It was Schumann's first album of new material since 1993's True Believers.
Hugh McDonald was an Australian musician. Active from the 1970s to 2016, he performed and recorded with the Bushwackers, the Sundowners, Banshee, Redgum, Des "Animal" McKenna, Moving Cloud and the Colonials.
Michael Atkinson is an Australian musician and composer, known for being a member of the band Redgum.
Etched in Blue is the first solo album by John Schumann, released in November 1987, the year after he left the folk rock band, Redgum. It was reissued on CD in 2009. At the APRA Music Awards of 1989, Schumann won Most Performed Australasian Country Work for the lead track, "Borrowed Ground".
Brian Herbert Medlin (1927–2004) was Foundation Professor of Philosophy at Flinders University in Adelaide, South Australia, from 1967 to 1988. He pioneered radical philosophy in Australian universities and played an active role in the campaign against the Vietnam War.
