Men at Work are an Australian rock band formed in Melbourne in 1978 and best known for breakthrough hits such as "Who Can It Be Now?" and "Down Under". Its founding member and frontman is Colin Hay, who performs on lead vocals and guitar. After playing as an acoustic duo with Ron Strykert during 1978–79, Hay formed the group with Strykert playing bass guitar and Jerry Speiser on drums. They were soon joined by Greg Ham on flute, saxophone, and keyboards and John Rees on bass guitar, with Strykert switching back to lead guitar. The group was managed by Russell Depeller, a friend of Hay, whom he met at La Trobe University. This line-up achieved national and international success during the early to mid 1980s. In January 1983, they were the first Australian artists to have a simultaneous No. 1 album and No. 1 single on the United States Billboard charts: Business as Usual and "Down Under" (1981), respectively. With the same works, they achieved the distinction of a simultaneous No. 1 album and No. 1 single on the Australian, New Zealand, and United Kingdom charts. Their second album Cargo was also No. 1 in Australia, No. 2 in New Zealand, No. 3 in the US, and No. 8 in the UK. Their third album Two Hearts reached the top 20 in Australia and top 50 in the US.
Australian country music is a part of the music of Australia. There is a broad range of styles, from bluegrass, to yodeling to folk to the more popular. The genre has been influenced by Celtic and English folk music, the Australian bush ballad tradition, as well as by popular American country music. Themes include: outback life, the lives of stockmen, truckers and outlaws, songs of romance and of political protest; and songs about the "beauty and the terror" of the Australian bush. Early pioneers included Tex Morton, Smoky Dawson, Buddy Williams, Slim Dusty and Johnny Ashcroft all members of the Australian Roll of Renown.
John Robert Williamson AM is an Australian country music and folk music singer-songwriter multi-instrumentalist, television host and conservationist. Williamson usually writes and performs songs that relate to the history and culture of Australia, particularly the outback, in a similar vein to Slim Dusty and Buddy Williams before him. Williamson has released over fifty albums, ten videos, five DVDs, and two lyric books and has sold more than 4,000,000 albums in Australia. His best known hit is "True Blue". On Australia Day in 1992 Williamson was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) with the citation: "for service to Australian country music and in stimulating awareness of conservation issues". He has received twenty-six Golden Guitar trophies at the Country Music Awards of Australia, he has won three ARIA Music Awards for Best Country Album and, in 2010, was inducted into the related Hall of Fame.
"True Blue" is an Australian folk song written and performed by singer-songwriter John Williamson. The lyrical content utilises Australian slang heavily, with the title meaning authentically Australian . The song was released in March 1982 as a single from True Blue - The Best of John Williamson, but failed to chart.
The McClymonts are an Australian country music trio comprising sisters Brooke McClymont, Samantha McClymont and Mollie McClymont, originally from Grafton, New South Wales. They have released one eponymous EP and six studio albums, Chaos and Bright Lights, Wrapped Up Good, Two Worlds Collide, Here's To You & I, Endless and Mayhem to Madness. They have won fifteen Golden Guitars and two ARIA Awards.
Warren Hedley Williams is an Aboriginal singer, musician and songwriter from Hermannsburg in Central Australia. Williams is an Arrernte man who plays country music and works as a broadcaster on CAAMA Radio in Alice Springs He started playing guitar at six with his father Gus Williams.
Adam Harvey is an Australian country music singer. Harvey has sold over half a million records, has been nominated five times for an ARIA Music Award and has won eight golden guitars at the Country Music Awards of Australia.
Mallee Boy is the sixth studio album by Australian country music artist John Williamson. The album was released in November 1986 and peaked at number 9 on the Kent Music Report; becoming Williamson's first top ten album.
Boomerang Café is the seventh studio album by Australian country music artist John Williamson. The album was released in April 1988 and peaked at number 10 on the Kent Music Report.
Warragul is the eighth studio album by Australian country music artist John Williamson. The album was released in September 1989 and peaked at number 1 on the ARIA Charts; becoming Williamson's first number 1 album.
"Raining on the Rock" is a song written and performed by Australian singer-songwriter John Williamson. The title is in reference to Uluru with references in the song to Albert Namatjira and Kata Tjuta. The song was released in January 1987 as the second single from Williamson's sixth studio album Mallee Boy.
JW's Family Album is the ninth studio album by Australian country music artist John Williamson. The album was released in October 1990 and peaked at number 21 on the ARIA Charts and was certified platinum. It included a re-recording of Williamson's debut single "Old Man Emu" with a new "Dingo Verse".
Waratah St is the tenth studio album by Australian country music artist John Williamson. The album was released in September 1991 and peaked at number 14 on the ARIA Charts. The album was certified platinum.
The Way It Is is the fourteenth studio album by Australian country music artist John Williamson. The album was released in July 1999, peaked at number 10 on the ARIA Charts and was certified platinum.
Chandelier of Stars is the sixteenth studio album by Australian country music artist John Williamson. It was released in August 2005 and peaked at number 11 on the ARIA Charts. The album was certified gold in 2005.
Mulga to Mangoes is the eleventh studio album by Australian country music artist John Williamson. The album was released in August 1994 and peaked at number 14 on the ARIA Charts and was certified gold.
Pipe Dream is the thirteenth studio album by Australian country music artist John Williamson. The album was released in August 1997, peaked at number 6 on the ARIA Charts and was certified platinum.
Hillbilly Road is the seventeenth studio album by Australian country music artist John Williamson. It was released in August 2008 and peaked at number 6 on the ARIA Charts. The album was certified gold in July 2009. The album was inspired by Williamson's retreat in the Queensland hinterland and supported with a national tour across late 2008 and into 2009.
The Smell of Gum Leaves is the second solo live album by Australian country music artist John Williamson. The album was released in September 1984 and become Williamsons' first charting album; peaking at number 49 on the Kent Music Report.
