Award tribute to Archie’s legacy
ARCHIE Roach’s powerful voice and the indelible beauty and pain of his songs continue to strike at Australia’s heart as the late songwriter and elder leads the roll of 1047 people recognised in the 2023 Australia Day honours.
The revered musician, whose signature song Took The Children Away educated wider Australia about the heartbreaking plight and enduring trauma suffered by the Stolen Generation, was made a Companion of the Order (AC) in this year’s list, one of the highest honours.
The artist’s friend, manager and CEO of his foundation Jill Shelton said the honour was “bittersweet” in the wake of Roach’s passing but he would have humbly received it.
She said the “deep thinker” had carefully considered accepting his AM in 2015.
“Archie would be humbled (but) it is a complex award. When he was nominated for the Order of Australia many years ago, he gave it a lot of thought and agreed to accept the award back then as an acknowledgment of his work … and on behalf of his people,” she said.
“Archie was an extraordinary Australian, with an incredible story for this country, which he sang with integrity and dignity; it wasn’t always easy but his resilience shone through.
“Music saved him, and his legacy via the foundation will help young First Nations artists be the best they can be.”
Another celebrated storyteller, actor Claudia Karvan, said being awarded the OAM reflects the integral role our film and television industry play in preserving the Australian identity.
“We are very lucky as an industry to have government support. This has come in many different forms over the decades and waxed and waned, but the government understands that telling our unique stories is important and integral to our society,” Karvan said.
“Creative fulfilment for me comes in many forms – being in the position to be able to empower other talented professionals, working with writers, working collaboratively.
“I am fully cognisant of how fortunate I am to have a vital, unpredictable job which continually shapeshifts and keeps me on my toes.”
A handful of her peers were among the Australia Day honours roll including actor David Wenham, comedian and writer Jean Kittson, filmmaker Phillip Noyce, who made Newsfront and Rabbit Proof Fence, and Bruna Papandrea, the Australian producer powerhouse behind the hit series Big Little Lies, Nine Perfect Strangers and The Undoing.
The risk-takers who have put everything on the line to stage stadium pop extravaganzas or the biggest musicals in the world also loomed large among this year’s recipients.
After more than two years of struggling to keep the Australian live entertainment industry afloat during the pandemic shutdowns, promoters including Paul Dainty and Michael Cassel were awarded in recognition of their dogged determination to get the show back on the road.
As Cassel juggled the season openings of Hamilton in Brisbane and Mary Poppins in Melbourne next week, Dainty was gearing up for the return of Darren Hayes to Australian stages and celebrating the success of the Guns N’ Roses stadium tour in late 2022.
Dainty said, like his fellow producers, he is a workaholic who relished being able to get back to staging big gigs after the long pandemic pause.
“It has been exhilarating to get back to work and you do feel like you are making a contribution by bringing these live experiences to people,” Dainty said.
Another respected music industry luminary on this year’s list is Terry Blamey, the manager who was instrumental in taking Kylie Minogue from Neighbours to command the pop charts.
The pair moved to London – Blamey was based there for 30 years – to capitalise on the momentum of her popularity in the UK courtesy of the Australian soap.
“A lot of people don’t realise that first album also went gold in America,” the proud music man said.
“Her success in music was so instantaneous, despite how hard it can be for pop artists because pop music is seen as fleeting, and our goal was to make sure she had a long career on her terms and that was hard work.”
They started as partners in her first restaurant Billy Kwong more than two decades ago so there was a note of serendipity struck by Australian chefs and television personalities Kylie Kwong and Bill Granger, both figuring in the 2023 honours.
Among the other high-profile recipients of Australia Day honours are ABC health commentator Dr Norman Swan, musical theatre star and intimacy coach Chloe Dallimore and television and radio legend Steve Liebmann.