John Warner (photo - Judy Pinder)
John is renowned all over the world for his well-crafted songs - as accolades from Gordon Bok and Danny Spooner affirm. Many people have recorded Anderson's Coast, and Bring out the Banners is sung by Trade Union choirs all over Australia, and also in the UK and Canada.
He is an accomplished musician on the 6 and 12 string guitars and also on bouzouki. John has a strong voice, often sings unaccompanied, and is an inventive and sensitive harmony singer. When he has a free hand he plays harmonica, whistle, and bodhran. John also performs solo as a children's entertainer and can hold his own in any collection of poets and yarnspinners.
We haven’t had a chance to hear John in Sydney since he moved to Murrumbateman 4 or 5 years ago. John has been writing songs for over 40 years and has recently been writing in celebration of renewable energy in response to the cynical negativity of the government. John looks at wind turbines, solar, railways (OK! there's a song called Wind Driven Trains). John aims to look at all these inventions from an artistic, poetic angle as elements of beauty and functionality in the landscape and also puts them into their historical context.
There’s also a couple of new horse songs. And of course, he will be singing lots of his classic songs.
John is a fine folk historian and songwriter with a solid track record of poignant, accurate, moving songs about Australian life and the history of 'the folk' (eg his CD Pithead in the Fern). He also has a heart for justice and a sensitivity to all sides of a story. These, plus his attention to details and his canny awareness of drama and irony make a brilliant marriage with his word-smithing skills and truly singable melodies. – Fay White
John & Margaret will be presenting Pithead in the Fern at Hornsby Folk Club in November
Door opens 7.30 for 8pm start.
Concert & supper 8-10, Singing Session 10.00-11.30pm
BYO songs
Cost - $10
Bring something to drink & a plate for supper
Enquiries - Sandra 9358 4886
Tritton Hall, Hut 44
Addison Road Centre,
142 Addison Rd, Marrickville
Duke's place, named after our honoured early member Harold 'Duke' Tritton (1886-1965), is the place to go once a month for a great night of Australian songs in concert and session. Duke was a powerful singer who supplied BMC with many songs he had learnt in his younger days while working as a shearer and at other bush jobs. He was also a songwriter and poet giving us songs that have entered the tradition such as Sandy Hollow Line and Shearing in the Bar.
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