Geoffrey gurrumul yunupingu, an aboriginal australian singer whose soulful voice and prodigious guitar playing took him from the remote island of his birth to concert halls around the world, died. Hes also a 46yearold yolngu man from australias far north, a member of one the countrys most. Mar 27, 2018 the death of dr geoffrey gurrumul yunupingu, the aboriginal singer from elcho island lauded as the greatest voice this continent has ever recorded, at age 46 in july last year shocked the. Geoffrey gurrumul yunupingu was a charting, awardwinning singer, songwriter, and multiinstrumentalist from australia. Stream adfree or purchase cds and mp3s now on amazon. New documentary on the late aboriginal musician gurrumul at the.
Indigenous singing legend dr g yunupingu has died just 46. Gurrumul yunupingu album is first in indigenous language. Iconic aboriginal singersongwriter geoffrey gurrumul yunupingu, whose haunting tenor voice and striking. His albums were praised by music critics and singersongwriters alike, including sting, elton john. As it happened, the week yunupingu died, i had bought a copy of a beautiful new biography of his nephew, geoffrey gurrumul yunupingu, known more commonly as gurrumul. Jul 26, 2017 geoffrey gurrumul yunupingu, an aboriginal australian singer whose soulful voice and prodigious guitar playing took him from the remote island of his birth to concert halls around the world, died. The soulful, high tenor voice of the singer and guitarist dr g yunupingu, who has died aged 46, brought him international celebrity, even though he mostly sang in the australian aboriginal.
The doctor who treats indigenous singer gurrumul says staff at royal darwin hospital wrongly concluded in patient records that the entertainer was unsuitable for a liver transplant, as racial. Recorded at the old power station in new york and 301 in byron bay by aria award nominee producer michael hohnen and engineer anthony ruotolo, this album retains the quality, purity and sound of his first but has this elusive artist delving into other genres and instruments within his own cultural context. It was a sudden flash of inspiration that led michael hohnen, the producerarranger behind the work of the late yolgnu singer gurrumul yunupingu, to contemplate bringing these. I was immediately hooked on his unique gentle songs where he accompanied himself on the guitar, singing in his own language.
The late aboriginal artist gurrumuls final album is coming. Part road trip, part biography, robert hillmans account of gurrumul s life and music offers rare insights into the sources of his inspiration. Gurrumuls life and his music, which author robert hillman found out while penning an biography on the indigenous singer, released by abc. From concert halls to recording studios and into aboriginal heartlands, this is the story of australias geoffrey gurrumul yunupingu. It is performed in a mixture of both yolngu and english. New music from late australian indigenous singer gurrumul. Wiyathul remains one of his most hauntingly beautiful songs. The book includes interviews with family and friends, song lyrics and exclusive photographs. Gurrumul grew up on elcho island, in the community of galiwinku. Geoffrey gurrumul yunupingu, an aboriginal australian singer whose soulful voice and prodigious guitar playing took him from the remote.
He is a blind aboriginal singer with a truly remarkable talent. Geoffrey gurrumul yunupingu simple english wikipedia. Ears, being discussed on all things considered with robert siegel on july 25th 2014. He was born on elcho island, off the coast of arnhem land, northern australia about 350 miles from darwin. Gurrumuls producer, collaborator and friend michael hohnen talks about the aboriginal and blindfrombirth musician who was described by. A blind aboriginal singer is topping the charts in australia. This unique indigenous man is one of the most inspiring music stories of our generation. Another hauntingly beautiful album that can be played over and over and over again. Gurrumul, geoffrey gurrumul yunupingugurrumul shop. Gurrumul, geoffrey gurrumul yunupingugurrumul shop online. His music is a lasting testament to his amazing talent and his worldwide contributions to keeping his culture alive. The 46yearold singer and songwriter made an indelible contribution to australian culture, introducing his indigenous culture to the world and top of the. Geoffrey gurrumul yunupingu 22 january 1971 25 july 2017, also referred to since his death as dr g yunupingu, was an indigenous australian musician. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
Jul 25, 2017 find geoffrey gurrumul yunupingu bio, music, credits. The book from concert halls to recording studios and into aboriginal heartlands, this is the story of australia. Gurrumul, geoffrey gurrumul yunupingu, craig pilkington gurrumul. Reporter peter hadfield brings us this profile on singersongwriter gurrumul.
Geoffrey gurrumul yunupingu listen and stream free music, albums, new releases, photos, videos. Apr 17, 2018 a sensitive documentary reinforces gurrumul s attachment to his home on elcho island and his bonds with his family and his key collaborators. Late musician gurrumul yunupingu will be identified by his full name and his image can be shown, says his family in order to preserve his music and memory. Central to gurrumul s career was michael hohnen, a musician and producer who established skinnyfish records and was the first to encourage the shy singer to step out from the saltwater band to. Mandawuy djarrtjuntjun yunupingu formerly tom djambayang bakamana yunupingu, skin name gudjuk, ac 17 september 1956 2 june 20, was an aboriginal australian musician and educator. The criticallyacclaimed documentary gurrumul, provides insight into. Geoffrey gurrumul yunupingus final album djarimirri child of the rainbow, released posthumously last week, becomes the first in an australian indigenous language to. Geoffrey gurrumul yunupingu simple english wikipedia, the. Geoffrey gurrumul yunupingu biography, albums, streaming. Theres plenty to learn about gurrumul s life and his music, which author robert hillman found out while penning an biography on the indigenous singer, released by abc books. Gurrumul and indigenous languages offer windows into. Dr geoffrey gurrumul yunupingu, blind aboriginal singer and his music was introduced to me about 5 years ago with the release of his first major recording, gurrumul. Geoffrey gurrumul yunupingu listen and stream free music.
Gurrumul is a closeup of the celebrated indigenous australian singer and multiinstrumentalist, blind since birth, who died just three days after signing off on this film. It follows in the footsteps of the multi aria award winning double platinum debut album released in february 2008 and which has gone on to sell half a million copies worldwide. Check out geoffrey gurrumul yunupingu on amazon music. Why gurrumul is australias most important documentary nitv. Published july 2nd 20 by abc books first published april 23rd 20. Geoffrey gurrumul yunupingu 22 january 1971 25 july 2017, often known simply as gurrumul, was an indigenous australian musician.
Family of gurrumul yunupingu allows use of name and image. Gurrumul interview on npr for all things considered youtube. A gifted aboriginal singer who was born blind and brought up in poverty has taken australia by storm, topping the mainstream music charts and earning plaudits for his sublime voice. Jul 25, 2017 geoffrey gurrumul yunupingu was a charting, awardwinning singer, songwriter, and multiinstrumentalist from australia. Blind from birth, geoffrey gurrumul yunupingu is a powerhouse of musical creativity. He became the highestselling aboriginal artist in history, selling more than half a million copies of his albums, singing in yolngu and some english. Our new desktop experience was built to be your music destination. Singing in his native yolngu tongue, gurrumul yunupingu uses his selftitled debut he had previously been part of the massively successful yothu yindi to showcase a vocal talent rarely heard in any culture, but especially surprising against the backdrop of the usually repetitive, frenetic australian aboriginal forms.
In order to navigate out of this carousel please use your heading shortcut key to navigate to the next or previous heading. Paul williams mustsee documentary about the late, great musician does justice to. Gurrumul bio highlights impact of aboriginal musicians. Gurrumul, geoffrey gurrumul yunupingu rrakala amazon.
Mr marika, who played with gurrumul in yothu yindis early years, reflected upon the singer s life as a naturalborn musician who bridged the gap. Jan 05, 2019 geoffrey gurrumul yunupingu is the lead singer of the saltwater band and the former keyboard player and guitarist of yothu yindi. His solo excursions highlight his amazing talent as a singer songwriter musician and his beautiful voice singing the songs of his gumatj country. Geoffrey gurrumul yunupingus profile including the latest music, albums, songs, music videos and more updates. May 21, 20 theres plenty to learn about gurrumuls life and his music, which author robert hillman found out while penning an biography on the indigenous singer, released by abc books. Gurrumul hospital row highlights indigenous health obstacles. Geoffery gurrumul yunupingu is the blind indigenous singer best known in australia for his unique voice, aria nominations, two number three.
Nov, 2009 gurrumul, the 39yearold awardwinning aboriginal singer praised for his voice of an angel, won a standing ovation at a paris concert on wednesday night, the penultimate stop on a maiden. Jul 28, 2017 d r g yunupingu, who has died aged 46, was an australian aboriginal singer who was born blind and brought up in poverty. Apr 14, 2016 g eoffrey gurrumul yunupingu is a multiaward winning singer who has toured the world. Jul 27, 2017 new music from worldrenowned australian aboriginal singer gurrumul will be released next month, his record label said, with one album already completed as part of a documentary. Geoffrey gurrumul yunupingu, an aboriginal australian singer whose soulful voice and prodigious guitar playing took him from the remote island of his birth to concert halls around the world, died on tuesday in darwin, australia. Jul 25, 2017 the soulful, high tenor voice of the singer and guitarist dr g yunupingu, who has died aged 46, brought him international celebrity, even though he mostly sang in the australian aboriginal. Gurrumul s close friend and manager michael hohnen. Aboriginal singer beats poverty and prejudice to top. It reached number three on the aria charts, won aria awards for best world music album and best independent release and won a deadly for album of the year. He is from the gumatj clan of the yolngu and his mother from the galpu nation. Apr 23, 20 part road trip, part biography, robert hillman. Gurrumul hospital row highlights indigenous health. His solo excursions highlight his amazing talent as a singer songwritermusician and his beautiful voice singing the songs of his gumatj country. Gurrumul, an unlikely international star, reaches u.
And as for the solo success of the year, it was, without question, geoffrey gurrumul yunupingu, a blind aboriginal singer who comes from the remote territory of northeast arnhem land in australia, and sings mostly in the dialects of the gumatj clan. Gurrumul bio highlights impact of aboriginal musicians green left. Celebrated by audiences at home and abroad, indigenous artist geoffrey gurrumul yunupingu was one of the most important and acclaimed voices to ever. Gurrumul, an aboriginal singersongwriter, sang about tradition and relationships in a concert at subculture in the east village. T he first new studio album in nearly four years from the massively successful, blind australian aboriginal singer songwriter gurrumul shows that he. Dr g yunupingu, australian aboriginal singer obituary. Gurrumul became the highest selling aboriginal musician in australian history and sang in britain, europe and the us, including a soldout concert at new yorks carnegie hall. In 1989, he became assistant principal of the yirrkala community school his former school. Gurrumul hospital records wrongly say singer unsuitable for. All tracks are sung in gurrumul s native aboriginal dialect, but an accompanying booklet provides an english translation. Geoffrey gurrumul yunupingu gurrumul 2009, digipack with. In recent years there has been much media focus on the poor conditions in aboriginal communities, but there is something to be said for aboriginals peoples approach to what the rest of us think of as disability. Singing in his native yolngu tongue, gurrumul yunupingu uses his selftitled debut he had previously been part of the massively successful yothu yindi to showcase a vocal talent rarely heard in any culture, but especially surprising against the backdrop of the usually repetitive, frenetic australian aboriginal. Jul 26, 2017 geoffrey gurrumul yunupingu, a blind aboriginal musician renowned for singing in his native yolngu language with a heartrending voice, died july 25 in darwin, australia.
Mar 28, 2009 geoffrey gurrumul yunupingu born 1970 is an indigenous australian musician, who sings in the yolngu language. Aboriginal rock contemporary singer songwriter singer songwriter. From concert halls to recording studios and into aboriginal heartlands, thi. Geoffrey gurrumul yunupingu is the lead singer of the saltwater band and the former keyboard player and guitarist of yothu yindi. Geoffrey gurrumul yunupingu, worldrenowned aboriginal. Best sellers todays deals new releases customer service gift ideas books gift cards electronics home. May 01, 2015 theres something preternaturally soothing about the voice of gurrumul, an australian aboriginal singer and songwriter who made his united states debut on wednesday night at subculture. Aboriginal and torres strait islander viewers are advised that this content contains images of people who have died. Geoffrey gurrumul yunupingu, a blind aboriginal musician renowned for singing in his native yolngu language with a heartrending voice, died july 25 in darwin, australia. Many australians have probably never heard some of these australian languages before yothu yindi, gurrumul, shellie morris and others brought them to broader ears. Gurrumul, the astonishingly talented blind australian aboriginal singer, has sadly passed away at the very young age of 46 years. Theres something preternaturally soothing about the voice of gurrumul, an australian aboriginal singer and songwriter who made his united states debut on wednesday night at. At the time of his passing he was the bestknown aboriginal musician in australias history, with multiplatinum album success as proof.
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