Warren H. Williams - Looking Out album cover

Singer/Songwriter Warren H Williams has become one of the most loved indigenous identities on the Australian music scene. This new album release, the first release through ABC Music’s new “Heartland” label, follows his CMAA Awards “Golden Guitar” win with John Williamson and Amos Morris in January 2009.

Warren’s songs on Looking Out touch on core Australian and family values. It’s traditional country with a touch of soul and is produced by Steve Newton (John Williamson).

Hear Warren H. Williams now:

Warren H Williams first started playing guitar with his father, the legendary Kumantye Williams, at the age of six. He was brought up on country music but also pursued the pleasures of rock and roll.

Country music was in his blood however and Warren soon went back to country as a songwriter and recording artist and talented multi-instrumentalist.

Born at the remote community of Hermannsburg about 120kms west of Alice Springs, Warren H Williams is now one of the biggest indigenous names on the music scene in Australia.

Warren’s last album, Be Like Home, included the very popular ‘Learn My Song’ plus a favourite cover song of She Don’t Like Diamonds.

The last few years have been extremely rewarding for Warren. He was NAIDOC artist of the year 2006. He has also won Most Popular Song in 2005 for ‘Dreamtime Baby’ and Male Artist of the Year in 2004 at the inaugural Northern Territory Indigenous Music Awards.

Warren recently won his first Golden Guitar with John Williamson & Amos Morris for ‘Australia Is Just Another Word For Free’ at the 2009 CMAA Country Music Awards of Australia. Warren joins an elite group of territory artists to have won this coveted award.

Warren signed a record deal with ABC Music in early 2009 and his new album Looking Out is the first to be released through their newly established “Heartland” label. The label was established to support and release music which touches on uniquely Australian values, tradition and culture from uniquely Australian artists. Warren H Williams unquestionably falls into this category of artist.

Warren is and is a proud Arrente Man, Territorian and Australian.

Warren H Williams’ says that the highlight of his career to date was receiving a standing ovation when performing at the Tamworth Country Music Festival in 1998 with John Williamson. More recently, he was announced in 2008 as an inductee into the Hands Of Fame in Tamworth.

Warren has toured all over Australia, New Zealand and the US, including regular appearances at Tamworth & other major music festivals including Corrobboree 2000 in Sydney, the Yeperenye Federation Festival in

Alice Springs and the Royal Melbourne Show. The Magic Coolamon debut in 2007 was an exciting venture and more recently Warren was involved in the setup of Pmarra Country.

Warren H Williams is a regular broadcaster on CAAMA Radio where he plays all his favourite country tunes and supports many of the newer artists of all musical genres in the area.

He is in high demand for his guitar skills and can often be seen helping out on stage, in recording studios or penning songs for his many friends and talented family in the music industry in the Northern Territory.

Band Nomadic was first formed back in the 1980’s and since then, they have developed a strong following of fans that enjoy their music. They are popular all over the Barkly region and have many live performances under their belts. Brian Murphy who is the lead singer of Nomadic is the driving force behind the bands success. As the songwriter for the band, Brian’s lyrics put over stories and important messages to the people who listen to their music. The song “Drink Driving” on the bands last Album puts over a strong and clear message, not to drink while driving. There are also other songs like “Four Tribes” that tells the story of how four tribes used to live in a place called Ali-Currung based in the Northern Territory, Australia and how they shared the land as one big community.

This is just a couple of examples of how strong the bands songs are and how much they mean to the people of the Barkly Region. Brian also holds production skills and has an ear for good music. When writing the songs for the band, he knows exactly what the outcome should sound like and what instruments to include. The bands inspirations come from a number of different sources. There songs educate people about life experiences, culture, the land, and much more. Band Nomadic have a very unique Country Rock style, which makes them stand out from the crowd. They are very skilled with there instruments and play them with a sense of feeling.

Hear Band Nomadic now:

The band has recently had radio airplay back in October 2006 when ABC Radio National played the well-known track “Four Tribes”. This was heard all over Australia and the Asia Pacific region. There were estimates that 3 to 4 million people heard the track. For more information on this band see www.barklyarts.com.au or www.winanjjikari.podomatic.com you can also email the Winanjjikari Music Centre to get in contact with the band. winanjjikari@hotmail.com

Garrangali Album cover

This album ‘Garrangali’ (Crocodile Nest) is a unique and innovative enterprise development opportunity from the youth and community of Yilpara, and is an exciting celebration of dedication, initiative and hard work.  Music crosses all borders and boundaries, seeking to infuse, unite and engage.

The lyrics and Manikays of this album embraces the deep connection and relationship between the ancestral land and sea and the visions of the old people, strengthened by strong community spirit and cultural integrity.  The album package features a DVD that includes music videos of two featured songs, ‘Mungurru’ and ‘Muthi Muthi’.

Read more about the CD launch here.

Check out the photos Music NT’s Micah Wenitong took of Garrangali Band at their CD launch March 24.

Song of the Year Nominations:

Sea Rights

Garrangali (title track)

Video/Film Clip of the Year nominations:

Mungurru

Muthimuthi

Album of the Year — Listen to the whole Garrangali album now:

Garrangali is also nominated for Emerging Act of the Year.

Artwork/Design of the Year nominee:

Ali Arjibuk Mills is a self confessed obsessive multi-tribal, multicultural and multifaceted entertainer who loves to use the stage to send humanity, peace and “say hello to yourself” messages using any kind of sound and movement that attracts the spirit.

 Ali first appeared on stage at the age of 8 at the Gardens Amphitheatre, Hoadleys Battle of the Sounds talent quest in Darwin, singing her idol Elvis Presley’s song, Wooden Heart. Ali won her section.

Album of the Year and Song of the Year nominee — Hear Ali Mills’ Waltjim Bat Matilda now:

Ali Arjibuk is one of 8 artistic children born from two local and famous artists in their own right, David and Kathy mills. Her mother Kathy Mills is the 1986 NAIDOC national and Northern Territory Aborigine of the Year winner – an icon famous for her lyrics and community and cultural development work around Australia. This lady is also famously and fondly known as “Aunty Kathy” to many, including high profile politicians. Her father David Mills is famous for his entertainment in his younger days throughout the Northern Territory and still today is referred to as a legend. 

Ali has performed for roughly 30 years now and says she gets better with age, just like a very special and precious moment in time. Her performances number in the thousands and include presentations for government bodies, diverse organisations, festivals, Telstra events, schools, charities, churches, sports tournaments, government house events, parliamentarians and many diverse arts organisations and special events. Ali has also starred in the film Yolngu Boy as a grieving grandmother.

Waltjim Bat Matilda – Ali Mills

Ali Mills Australia | MySpace Music Videos

MY LEGACY, MY DREAMING, MY TIME CAPSULE
They gave me tbe best gifts my spirit could ever need.

The best things I could ever have in my time capsule.

They gave me songs I could use to tell others of my wonderful heritage, my identity and my past that is my future.

I could not find a better way for me to archive, relay and transfer what is important to me.

Now my stories and my heirlooms will be preserved to travel through time eternally.

These stories and songs are their legacy, my legacy, my dreaming, my childrens and the next in line.

Ali mills – Song Custodian

The songs that most people associate Ali with are Arafura Pearl, a song by her mother Kathy Mills, voted as one of the 2005 NT Social and Cultural Heritage Icons –Another song, the Kriol version of Waltzing Matilda which she learned from her great uncle Valentine McGinness and sings in her Gurindji/Kungarakan language has also received many accolades. These two songs that are on her soon to be released first music CD.

As a member of Darwin’s own The Mills Sisters, Ali has been the support act for Tina Turner, Charlie Pride, Bullamakanka, The Bushwhackers, Sir Harry Sercombe, and Sweet Honey in the Rock over the years. The group were also especially requested to perform at the 1986 papal visit in Alice Springs. Among many awards and accolades, The Mills Sisters also won the 1989 “Tamworth Buskers Championship – Golden Swaggie Award”. The Darwin Mills Sisters were also smash hits at the 2002 National Folk Festival in Canberra, performing main stage at the Budawang (twice) and several other festival and other venues around Canberra, as well as their main gig as part of the String Bands and Shake Hands – Days of Old Darwin Town themed presentation hosted by Jeff Corfield. This widely acclaimed presentation became the central theme for the 2002 Festival of Darwin in August 2002 in a comprehensive community based inter-cultural program largely organised by Ali.

Ex NT Administrator Mr. Ted Egan, refers to Ali as the “earth goddess” after seeing her perform at one of the Arafura Games Opening Ceremonies. Ali is also a favourite for the Invitational and Aboriginal All Stars Matches held in Darwin. Her last main event was as the “Larrakia Country – Darwin City Tribal Welcome Host/Entertainer” for the Sir Elton John Concert in Darwin in 2008. In 2008 and again in 2009, Ali Mills is the choice of Master of Ceremonies for the Northern Territory Indigenous Music Awards.

At long last, Ali Mills has released her debut, solo and self-titled CD which features a range of songs from her family musical heritage and other sources. The highlight of the album has to be her version of Waltzing Matilda… Waltjim Bat Matilda which she sings in Kriol. Ali will launch her album at the 2010 National Folk Festival in Canberra, alongside the launch of Jeff Corfield’s book on the life and music of Valentine McGinness, Ali’s uncle and Kriol Mentor.

Ali Mills special on ABC Darwin, Stateline

Ali Mills Australia | MySpace Music Videos