Graham Rodger - Bio
Born and raised in the rural town of Gympie in south-east Queensland. Graham is fiercely passionate about his country and his music. Graham is one of the highest award winning country music writers. He began to write songs professionally in 1991. In 1992 he received a phone call from the late Slim Dusty. Slim asked permission to record a song that Graham had written, and the song “You Can’t Take Australia From Me” was subsequently recorded and released on the album “Ringer From The Top End”. Slim recorded a number of Graham’s songs. Other country music recording artists who have chosen Graham’s songs include Brian Letton, Glenn Jones, Dean Perrett, Tom Maxwell, Jeff Brown, Bob Easter, Melissa Bajric, Nathan Charlton, Bad Blanck and Dave McCallum.
July 1998, Graham released his first album, “Steering Wheel Drovers”. The album contained his own composition: and achieved considerable success around the country. The single “The Drysdale River”, reached Top 10 on the Top 30 Country Tracks chart. From this album came a string of award nominations, which set Graham firmly on a new path as a professional entertainer, appearing at major country music festivals around Australia.
The year 2002 saw the release of yet another album of self penned songs, “The Colours of Australia”. This album capitalised on the success of the first, and set the wheels in motions for a number of finals nominations and major awards at the 2003 and 2004 Tamworth Country music Festivals.
In 2004 Graham released his third album “A Gypsy’s Life” under the Austrak Music label. The album eclipsed the success of the previous albums and contained traditional ballads as well as comedy, love and human interest songs. It also achieved a finalist nomination in The Album of the Year 2005. Tracks from the album “The Matilda Highway” won the TSA Songwriter’s Salute Award 2005 and “Let’s Keep Australia Australia” won the Tasmanian & New Zealand Songwriting Contest of Australia.
Graham also received a finalist nomination in the 2006 CMAA Golden Guitar Awards Best Bush Ballad with his song “Where The Cooper Flows”, taken from his album “This Old Guitar Of Mine”. This album is the highest award winning album to date. Graham is the first to achieve three Tamworth Songwriters Awards in one year.
His new album “Muster on The Great Divide” was released January 2006, and instantly garnered rave reviews. This album has different production and there is a lovely duo with Julie Rodgers, as well as great harmonies. Graham has included a song in tribute to our modern ANZACs with the song “The Battle Of Long Tan”. It is a very graphic account of this battle 40 years ago when our young men overcame such unbelievable odds to gain victory. Aother standout track is “Down At The Pub on a Friday Night” – a song that will rival “Have A Beer With Duncan”, and Graham hasn’t met anyone yet, who has heard it, who cannot relate to its sentiments. Other tracks of interest include “woolshed Ball”, and “The Bushman”, a song that will bring tears to your eyes.
Graham has branched into film, with the release of his debut DVD “True Blue Country” – produced by a Swiss filmmaker, with Graham performing ten of his popular songs to footage collected from across Australia. It includes exciting scenes of a rodeo and exquisite shots of nature and out beautiful countryside which intensify the mood of the songs. You will find yourself transported off to places and events of each ballad story.
The first single to radio “Battle of Long Tan” charted on the Top 100 Country Hits Chart, and the filmclip “True Blue Country” made the Top 50 CMC video hits chart.
Summery of Award Wins
Qld Gold Medallion Award for Songwriter of the Year – 2006
TSA National Songwriting Contest of Australia – 2006 / 2004 / 2003 / 2000
TSA Songwriters Salute Award - Best Bush Ballad & Best Country Ballad – 2006
ACMLA’s People’s Choice Award – Best Bush Ballad 2006 / Best Heritage Song 2002
Tas & NZ Songwriting Contest - 2005
TSA Songwriter’s Salute Award – 2005
TIARA Award for Bush Ballad Of The Year – 2004 / 2003
Australian Bush Ballad Writer of the Year – 2002
www.grahamrodger.com.au
The Battle of Long Tan
In nineteen sixty six the Australians were new
To their Nui Dat base and their numbers were few.
The V.C. decided they’d be easy to beat
They’d humble the Aussies with a crushing defeat.
For the eighteenth of august they planned their attack
With three thousand troops to wipe out Nui Dat.
But one hundred and eight soldiers from ‘D’ Company 6 R.A.R.
Were patrolling that day and stood in their path.
Four o eight in the evening the battle began
In that rubber plantation known as Long Tan.
Our blokes were out numbered by thirty to one
But nearly five hundred would fall to their guns.
The fighting was fierce as the V.C. pushed in
But the Aussies held on never giving an inch
With the angel of death ever close by their side
They fought for our country with honour and pride.
Our choppers flew in just above the tree tops
And in the heat of the battle fresh ammo was dropped
Then the artillary boys tore the jungle apart
And the enemy fled under cover of dark.
In that rain sodden jungle they counted our loss
Twenty four wounded and eighteen men lost
We paid a high price to receive victory’s hand
So here’s to the soldiers who fought at Long Tan.
Chorus 1
So here’s to the soldiers who fought at Long Tan
And all other battles in South Vietnam
You were fighting for those who would dare to be free
Your deeds will live on in our memories.
Chorus 2
So here’s to the soldiers who fought at Long Tan
And all other battles in South Vietnam
You were fighting for those who would dare to be free
Your deeds will live on in our memories. |
