History of the Horton River Band 1980 -
THE HORTON RIVER BAND
DORRIGO Folk and Bluegrass Fesitval 2006.
Current line-up L-R Dallas Muirhead, Mark Rummery, Chris Sullivan, Lionel O'Keefe, Julie Metcalfe (front)
THE HORTON RIVER BAND, KIAMA, 1997.
Dave Game, Mark Rummery, Chris Sullivan, Lionel O'Keefe
Photo: Bob Bolton
ORIGINS
The band developed out of the field collecting undertaken by Chris Sullivan (1979–)
It specialises in the presentation of Australian traditional, 'folk', music. The first
band appearances were at five events in1983/4, performing with 87 year-old fiddler,
Charlie Batchelor (1897-1984). The band name derives from the locality of the north-west slopes and plains where Charlie mainly learnt his music.
Three appearances in 1981/2 by Chris Sullivan,and later also Jacko Kevans, with 89 year
old concertina player, Albert"Dooley" Chapman (1892-1982) were a precursor to the band. At fourteen events,representing fifty separate concert, dance and recording performances, The Horton River Band has appeared with and alongside
older traditional musicians.
Jim French, Canberra, 1987.
(L) THE HRB with Carlie Batchelor, National Folk Festival, 1984 Photo: Kevin Bradley
The original concept was for an inclusive band combining the talents of the main
performers of the Australian tradition. On occasions more than a dozen musicians
appeared on stage, famously at the Sydney Bush Music Club festival of 1983, and
the 1984 National Folk Festival, Canberra. The twocore members are Chris Sullivan and Mark Rummery, reflecting the importance oftheir collaborative fieldwork during 1982-84. Including the present line-up,there have been five main phases of the band, each with a slightly distinctive repertoire and sound.
The present line up: Chris Sullivan, Mark Rummery, Lionel O'Keefe (Mulga Bill's
Bicycle Band, The Larrikins, The Wayfarers, The Border Band), JulieMetcalfe
(Heartland, The Hottentots, The Romaniacs), Dallas Muirhead.
Julie Metcalfe, Jacko Kevans, Chris Sullivan. Glen Innes,1989.
Canberra 1987
Cathy Ovenden, Mark Rummery, Jim French, Tom Rummery, Chris Sullivan
THE MUSIC
The Band specialises in Australian folk instrumental music – Australian Old Time dance music.It does this primarily by exploring the fruits of the band members own fieldcollection. The seminal work of Chris Sullivan, with Mark Rummery, with John Meredith and others, provides the core repertoire. In the early 1990s, the band specialised in the music collected by Barry McDonald from New England, NSW. Recordings made by Mark
Rummery and Cathy Ovenden, Jeff Lawrie, Tom Rummery,and Lionel O'Keefe are also an important contribution. Other music comes from the
earlier 1950s and 1960s field collections of John Meredith and others; singer-songwriters; band compositions, and anything else we might care to play.
(Below) Chris Sullivan, Barry McDonald, Charlie Batchelor, Mark Rummery. Glen Innes, 1983.
SEMINAL INFLUENCE
The second revival of collected Australian music (1980–) could not have come about without the profound influence of the Horton River Band and its members. The band was first to unearth, record and perform the core repertoire of Australian traditional music.
Among many others, the following seminal traditional musicians were first collected from by band members:Charlie Batchelor, Joe Yates, Frank Collins, Stan Treacy, Colin and Jack Charlton, Orley Benson, Leo Benson, Rita Croker and Ivy Fernando, Jim French, Albert "Dooley"
Chapman, Jim Lowe, Dick Ferris, the Archibald family, the Duncan family, the Dawsons, Mick McGarry, Paddy Godden, Joe Delaney, Bill Cooper, Babs Vincent, Val Turton, Bruce Smith, Ben Cherry, Errol Rodda, Violet Endacott, Dorothy Nangle, Charlie Doran, Andy Grant, Russel Teague, John McKinnon, Basil and Darryl Cosgrove, Tom Walsh, Doddy Murphy,
Dolphy Blackert, Norm McConnell, Ernie Goodman, John Warn, Bill and
Peter Painter, Jim Wilkinson, Tom O'Brien.
The Horton River Band was first to perform and popularise their music.