Archibald William Roach (8 January 1956 – 30 July 2022) was an Australian singer, songwriter and Aboriginal activist. Often referred to as "Uncle Archie", Roach was a

Gunditjmara The Gunditjmara or Gunditjamara, also known as Dhauwurd Wurrung, are an Aboriginal Australian people of southwestern Victoria. They are the traditional owners of the areas now encompassing Warrnambool, Port Fairy, Woolsthorpe and Portland. Their ...

and Bundjalung elder who campaigned for the rights of

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Indigenous Australians or Australian First Nations are people with familial heritage from, and membership in, the ethnic groups that lived in Australia before British colonisation. They consist of two distinct groups: the Aboriginal peoples ...

people. His wife and musical partner was the singer

Ruby Hunter Ruby Charlotte Margaret Hunter (31 October 195517 February 2010), also known as Aunty Ruby, was an Aboriginal Australian singer, songwriter and guitarist, and the life and musical partner of Archie Roach . Early life Ruby Hunter was born on 31 ...

(1955–2010). Roach first became known for the song "

Took the Children Away "Took the Children Away" is a song written and recorded by Australian singer Archie Roach. The song was released in September 1990 as his debut single. The song was included on Roach's debut studio album ''Charcoal Lane''. At the ARIA Music Awa ...

", which featured on his debut solo album, ''

Charcoal Lane ''Charcoal Lane'' is the debut studio album by Australian singer song writer Archie Roach, released in 1990. Name From the 1960s through to the 1980s, the inner-city Melbourne suburb of Fitzroy was a meeting place for Aboriginal people who had ...

'', in 1990. He toured around the globe, headlining and opening shows for

Joan Armatrading Joan Anita Barbara Armatrading, (, born 9 December 1950) is a Kittitian-English singer-songwriter and guitarist. A three-time Grammy Award nominee, Armatrading has also been nominated twice for BRIT Awards as Best Female Artist. She received ...

Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...

Billy Bragg Stephen William Bragg (born 20 December 1957) is an English singer-songwriter and left-wing activist. His music blends elements of folk music, punk rock and protest songs, with lyrics that mostly span political or romantic themes. His music is ...

Tracy Chapman Tracy Chapman (born March 30, 1964) is an American singer-songwriter. Chapman is best known for her hit singles "Fast Car" and "Give Me One Reason". Chapman was signed to Elektra Records by Bob Krasnow in 1987. The following year she released ...

Suzanne Vega Suzanne Nadine Vega ( Peck; born July 11, 1959) is an American singer-songwriter best known for her folk-inspired music. Vega's music career spans almost 40 years. She came to prominence in the mid-1980s, releasing four singles that entered the ...

and

Patti Smith Patricia Lee Smith (born December 30, 1946) is an American singer, songwriter, poet, painter and author who became an influential component of the New York City punk rock movement with her 1975 debut album '' Horses''. Called the "punk poe ...

. His work has been recognised by numerous nominations and awards, including a

Deadly Award The Deadly Awards, commonly known simply as The Deadlys, was an annual celebration of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander achievement in music, sport, entertainment and community. The event was held from 1995 to 2013. Description T ...

for a "Lifetime Contribution to Healing the

Stolen Generations The Stolen Generations (also known as Stolen Children) were the children of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent who were removed from their families by the Australian federal and state government agencies and church miss ...

" in 2013. At the

2020 ARIA Music Awards The 2020 ARIA Music Awards are the 34th Annual Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards (generally known as ARIA Music Awards or simply The ARIAs) and consist of a series of awards, including the 2020 ARIA Artisan Awards, ARIA Ha ...

on 25 November 2020, Roach was inducted into their

hall of fame A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or Wiktionary:fame, fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actu ...

. His 2019 memoir and accompanying album were called ''Tell Me Why''.

Early life

Archibald William Roach was born on 8 January 1956 in

Mooroopna, Victoria Mooroopna is a rural town located north of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is on the banks of the Goulburn River opposite the larger town of Shepparton. The Midland Highway crosses the river between the two towns. At the 2016 census, Moor ...

. Mooroopna is named after an Aboriginal word referring to a bend in the

Goulburn River The Goulburn River, a major inland perennial river of the Goulburn Broken catchment, part of the Murray-Darling basin, is located in the alpine, Northern Country/North Central, and Southern Riverina regions of the Australian state of Victor ...

near

Shepparton Shepparton () ( Yortayorta: ''Kanny-goopna'') is a city located on the floodplain of the Goulburn River in northern Victoria, Australia, approximately north-northeast of Melbourne. As of the 2021 census, the estimated population of Shepparton, ...

in central Victoria. Roach was of Gunditjmara ( Kirrae Whurrong /

Djab Wurrung The Djab Wurrung, also spelt Djabwurrung, Tjapwurrung, Tjap Wurrung, or Djapwarrung, people are Aboriginal Australians whose country is the volcanic plains of central Victoria from the Mount William Range of Gariwerd in the west to the Pyrenee ...

) and Bundjalung heritage.Archie Roach, His life story told through his music

National Film and Sound Archive of Australia The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA), known as ScreenSound Australia from 1999 to 2004, is Australia's audiovisual archive, responsible for developing, preserving, maintaining, promoting and providing access to a national c ...

In 1956, Roach's family, along with the remaining Aboriginal population at

Cummeragunja Cummeragunja Reserve or Cummeragunja Station, alternatively spelt Coomeroogunja, Coomeragunja, Cumeroogunga and Cummerguja, was a settlement on the New South Wales side of the Murray River, on the Victorian border near Barmah. It was also refe ...

, were rehoused at

Rumbalara Cummeragunja Reserve or Cummeragunja Station, alternatively spelt Coomeroogunja, Coomeragunja, Cumeroogunga and Cummerguja, was a settlement on the New South Wales side of the Murray River, on the Victorian border near Barmah. It was also refe ...

. The family subsequently moved to

Framlingham Framlingham is a market town and civil parishes in England, civil parish in Suffolk, England. Of Anglo-Saxons, Anglo-Saxon origin, it appears in the 1086 Domesday Book. The parish had a population of 3,342 at the 2011 Census and an estimated 4, ...

, where his mother had been born.Roach, A. (2002) lyrics to "Move It On" on ''Sensual Being''. At the age of two or three, Roach and his sisters and brothers, along with the other Indigenous Australian children of the

, were forcibly removed from their family by government agencies and placed in an

orphanage An orphanage is a Residential education, residential institution, total institution or group home, devoted to the Childcare, care of orphans and children who, for various reasons, cannot be cared for by their biological families. The parent ...

. After two unpleasant placements in

foster care Foster care is a system in which a minor has been placed into a ward, group home (residential child care community, treatment center, etc.), or private home of a state-certified caregiver, referred to as a "foster parent" or with a family mem ...

, Roach was eventually fostered by Alex and Dulcie Cox, a family of Scottish immigrants in

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

. Their eldest daughter Mary Cox would sing church hymns and taught Roach the basics of guitar and keyboards. Roach's love of music was further fuelled by Alex's collection of Scottish music. "He was a big influence on me — a good influence. I'll love him to the day I die." At fifteen, Roach was contacted by his natural sister Myrtle, who told him their mother had just died. He spent the next fourteen years on the streets, battling alcoholism. Roach met his future wife,

, at a Salvation Army drop-in centre known as the People's Palace in

Adelaide Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...

when she was sixteen.

Career

Roach's career spanned three decades, during which he toured extensively, headlining and opening shows for singers such as

and

1989–2000: ''Charcoal Lane'', ''Jamu Dreaming'' and ''Looking for Butter Boy''

In the late 1980s, Roach and Hunter formed a band, the Altogethers, with several other Indigenous Australians and moved to Melbourne. At the urging of Henry "Uncle Banjo" Clark, Roach wrote his first song, "

", which he performed on a community radio station in Melbourne and on an Indigenous current affairs program in 1988. Australian musician Paul Kelly invited Roach to open his concert early in 1989, where he performed "Took the Children Away", a song telling the story of the Stolen Generations and his own experience of being forcibly removed from his family. His performance was met with stunned silence, followed by shattering applause. In 1990, with the encouragement of Kelly, Roach recorded his debut solo album, ''

'', which was released in May 1990. The album was certified gold and awarded two

ARIA Awards The Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards (commonly known informally as ARIA Music Awards, ARIA Awards, or simply the ARIAs) is an annual series of awards nights celebrating the Australian music The music of Australia has ...

at the 1991 ceremony. The album included "Took the Children Away" which became one of the most important songs in Australia's contemporary history. In 1990, Australia's

Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission The Australian Human Rights Commission is the national human rights institution of Australia, established in 1986 as the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) and renamed in 2008. It is a statutory body funded by, but oper ...

's awarded the song its first Human Rights Award for songwriting. ''Charcoal Lane'' featured in the top 50 albums for 1992 by ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...

'' magazine. In May 1993, Roach released his second studio album, ''

Jamu Dreaming ''Jamu Dreaming'' is the second studio album by Australian singer song writer Archie Roach. The album was released in May 1993 and peaked at number 55 on the ARIA Charts. The album was recorded with musical assistance from David Bridie, Tiddas, ...

''. The album was recorded with musical assistance from

David Bridie David Ross Hope Bridie is an Australian contemporary musician and songwriter. He was a founding mainstay member of World music band Not Drowning, Waving which released six studio albums to critical acclaim. He also formed a chamber pop group, ...

, Tiddas, Paul Kelly,

Vika and Linda Bull Vika and Linda, also known as Vika and Linda Bull, are an Australian vocal duo consisting of Vika Susan Bull (born 1966) and her younger sister, Linda Rose Bull . They came to prominence after singing backing vocals in Joe Camilleri's band The ...

Dave Arden David Arden is an Australian guitar player, singer and songwriter. He has performed with Archie Roach, Ruby Hunter, Tiddas, Bart Willoughby, Mixed Relations and with members of Shane Howard, Paul Kelly, Not Drowning Waving and Hunters and C ...

and

Joe Geia Joseph Benjamin Geia (born 1959, Ingham, Queensland, Ingham) is an Australian musician of Murri (people), Murri Indigenous Australians, Aboriginal heritage. As a solo artist he has released three albums, ''Yil Lull'' (1988), ''Tribal Journey'' ( ...

. The album peaked at number 55 on the ARIA Charts. In 1995, Roach toured extensively throughout the US, Canada, the UK and Europe. He returned to Australia to record the title track for ATSIC's Native Title CD, ''Our Home, Our Land'', with Tiddas, Kev Carmody, Bart Willoughby, Shane Howard and Bunna Laurie. In 1996, Roach performed as part of a presentation to the Human Rights Commission's Inquiry into the Stolen Generations, before embarking on a national tour as a guest of

. In October 1997, Roach released his third studio album, ''

Looking for Butter Boy ''Looking for Butter Boy'' is the third studio album by Australian singer songwriter Archie Roach. The album was released in October 1997 and peaked at number 52 on the ARIA Charts. The album was recorded with a small band at a guest house in Po ...

'', which was recorded on his traditional land at Port Fairy in south-western Victoria. The album's lead single, " Hold On Tight", won the

ARIA Award for Best Indigenous Release The ARIA Music Award for Best Indigenous Release was an award presented at the annual ARIA Music Awards. It was presented from 1987 through to 1998. Originally titled Best Indigenous Record in 1987. It was renamed Best Aboriginal/Islander Release in ...

in 1997 and the album won the same award and the Best Adult Contemporary Album at the 1998 award ceremony.

2001–2009: ''Sensual Being'' and ''Journey''

In July 2002, Roach released his fourth studio album, ''

Sensual Being ''Sensual Being'' is the fourth studio album by Australian singer songwriter Archie Roach. The album was released in July 2002 and peaked at number 59 on the ARIA Charts. At the ARIA Music Awards of 2002, the album was nominated for Best Adult ...

'', which peaked at number 59 on the ARIA charts. In 2002, he worked on the

Rolf de Heer Rolf de Heer (born 4 May 1951) is a Dutch Australian film director. De Heer was born in Heemskerk in the Netherlands but migrated to Sydney when he was eight years old.

film '' The Tracker''. In 2004, Roach and Hunter collaborated with the

Australian Art Orchestra The Australian Art Orchestra (AAO) is one of Australia's leading contemporary ensembles. Founded by pianist Paul Grabowsky in 1994, it has been led by composer/trumpeter/sound artist Peter Knight since 2013 and led by pianist/composer/producer A ...

(AAO) and

Paul Grabowsky Paul Atherstone Grabowsky (born 27 September 1958) is an Australian pianist and composer. Biography Born in Lae, Papua New Guinea, Grabowsky is a pianist and composer of music for film, theatre and opera. His father Alistair had lived in Papu ...

to create a concert titled ''

Ruby's Story ''Ruby'' is a soundtrack album recorded live by Australian singers Archie Roach and Ruby Hunter with Paul Grabowsky and Australian Art Orchestra. The album, based on a musical production called ''Ruby's Story'' staged in 2004, was released in 200 ...

''. ''Ruby'' tells the story of Ruby Hunter through music and the spoken word, from her birth near a

billabong Billabong ( ) is an Australian term for an oxbow lake, an isolated pond left behind after a river changes course. Billabongs are usually formed when the path of a creek or river changes, leaving the former branch with a dead end. As a result ...

on the banks of the Murray River, through the stolen generation, search for identity and the discovery of hope through love. The production debuted at the Message Sticks Festival at the

Sydney Opera House The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in Sydney. Located on the foreshore of Sydney Harbour, it is widely regarded as one of the world's most famous and distinctive buildings and a masterpiece of 20th-century architec ...

in June 2004, to good reviews. In 2004, the soundtrack, ''Ruby'', won the Deadly Award for Excellence in Film & Theatrical Score, and the show went on to tour nationally and internationally until 2009. The soundtrack was released as an album on CD and as a digital download in 2005. In October 2004 a new concert, once again a collaboration with Hunter, Grabowsky and the AAO, entitled ''Kura Tungar – Songs from the River'', premiered at the

Melbourne International Arts Festival Melbourne International Arts Festival, formerly Spoleto Festival Melbourne – Festival of the Three Worlds, then Melbourne International Festival of the Arts, becoming commonly known as Melbourne Festival, was a major international arts festi ...

, which was directed by

Robyn Archer Robyn Archer, AO, CdOAL (born 1948) is an Australian singer, writer, stage director, artistic director, and public advocate of the arts, in Australia and internationally. Life Archer was born Robyn Smith in Prospect, South Australia. She beg ...

that year. The concert, which was directed by Patrick Nolan, told stories from the two performers' lives, and featured songs about the Murray River and Ngarrindjeri Country, Ruby's home. The music used Roach and Hunter's lyrics and chords combined with Grabowsky and the AAO's contemporary jazz orchestration. It played to full houses which gave

standing ovation A standing ovation is a form of applause where members of a seated audience stand up while applauding after extraordinary performances of particularly high acclaim. In Ancient Rome returning military commanders (such as Marcus Licinius Crassus a ...

s and was later performed at the

and

Adelaide Festival Centre Adelaide Festival Centre, Australia's first multi-purpose arts centre and the home of South Australia's performing arts, was built in the 1970s, designed by Hassell Architects. The Festival Theatre opened in June 1973 with the rest of the centr ...

. In 2005 ''Kura Tungar'' won the

Helpmann Award The Helpmann Awards are accolades for live entertainment and performing arts in Australia, presented by industry group Live Live Performance Australia (LPA) since 2001. The annual awards recognise achievements in the disciplines of musical th ...

for the Best Contemporary Australian Concert at the

5th Helpmann Awards The 5th Annual Helpmann Awards for live performance in Australia were held on 8 August 2005 at the Lyric Theatre in Sydney. '' The Sapphires'' by Tony Briggs, produced by Melbourne Theatre Company, was named Best Play and Best New Australian Wo ...

. In October 2007, Roach released ''

Journey Journey or journeying may refer to: * Travel, the movement of people between distant geographical locations ** Day's journey, a measurement of distance ** Road trip, a long-distance journey on the road Animals * Journey (horse), a thoroughbred ra ...

'', an album of songs as a companion piece to a documentary film called ''Liyarn Ngarn'', made with Roach,

Patrick Dodson Patrick Lionel Djargun Dodson (born 29 January 1948) is an Australian politician representing Western Australia in the Australian Senate. He is a Yawuru elder from Broome, Western Australia. He has been chairman of the Council for Aboriginal R ...

and

Pete Postlethwaite Peter William Postlethwaite, (7 February 1946 – 2 January 2011) was an English character actor. After minor television appearances, including in '' The Professionals'', his first major success arose through the British autobiographical fil ...

. In October 2009 at the

, Roach performed in the world premiere of the

musical theatre Musical theatre is a form of theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through words, music, movemen ...

production of ''

Dirtsong Black Arm Band is an Aboriginal Australian and Torres Strait Islander music theatre organisation. History The organisation was founded in late 2005 by Steven Richardson and has produced seven large-scale productions since its debut performance a ...

'', created by

Black Arm Band Black Arm Band is an Aboriginal Australian and Torres Strait Islander music theatre organisation. History The organisation was founded in late 2005 by Steven Richardson and has produced seven large-scale productions since its debut performance a ...

theatre company. The songs were written by

Alexis Wright Alexis Wright (born 25 November 1950) is a Waanyi (Aboriginal Australian) writer best known for winning the Miles Franklin Award for her 2006 novel '' Carpentaria'' and the 2018 Stella Prize for her "collective memoir" of Leigh Bruce "Tracker" ...

, with some sung in

Indigenous languages An indigenous language, or autochthonous language, is a language that is native to a region and spoken by indigenous peoples. This language is from a linguistically distinct community that originated in the area. Indigenous languages are not neces ...

. The show was reprised as the closing show at the 2014

Adelaide Festival The Adelaide Festival of Arts, also known as the Adelaide Festival, an arts festival, takes place in the South Australian capital of Adelaide in March each year. Started in 1960, it is a major celebration of the arts and a significant cultural ...

. Other performers included

Trevor Jamieson Trevor Jamieson (born 7 March 1975) is an Aboriginal Australian stage and film actor, playwright, dancer, singer and didgeridoo player. Early life Trevor Jamieson was born on 7 March 1975 in Subiaco, Western Australia (WA). He grew up in t ...

(2014 only), Lou Bennett,

Emma Donovan Emma Donovan (born 1981) is an Aboriginal Australian singer and songwriter. She is a member of the renowned musical Donovan family. She started her singing career at age seven with her uncle's band, the Donovans. In 2000, she became a founding m ...

, and

Paul Dempsey Paul Anthony Dempsey (born 25 May 1976) is an Australian musician. He is best known as the lead singer, guitarist and principal lyricist of rock group Something for Kate. Dempsey released his debut solo album, '' Everything Is True'', on 20 Au ...

. In November 2009, ABC Music released previously unreleased Roach recordings from 1988 under the album title ''

1988 File:1988 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The oil platform Piper Alpha explodes and collapses in the North Sea, killing 165 workers; The USS Vincennes (CG-49) mistakenly shoots down Iran Air Flight 655; Australia celebrates its Australian ...

''.

2010–2016: ''Into the Bloodstream'' and ''Let Love Rule''

In October 2012, Roach released '' Into the Bloodstream'', an album he described as being built on pain following the death of his wife in February 2010. In 2013 he won a

for Album of the Year for this album, as well as a "Lifetime Contribution to Healing the

". In October 2013, Roach released ''

Creation Creation may refer to: Religion *''Creatio ex nihilo'', the concept that matter was created by God out of nothing * Creation myth, a religious story of the origin of the world and how people first came to inhabit it * Creationism, the belief tha ...

'', a 4-CD box set of his first four studio albums. The album was released to coincide with the premiere of Roach's new live show, also entitled Creation, which debuted at the inaugural Boomerang Festival in Byron Bay from 4 to 6 October 2013. At the

APRA Music Awards of 2015 The Australasian Performing Right Association Awards of 2015 (generally known as APRA Awards) are a series of related awards which include the APRA Music Awards, Art Music Awards, and Screen Music Awards. The APRA Music Awards of 2015 was the 3 ...

2015, Roach (and

Shane Howard Shane Michael Howard (born 26 January 1955) is an Australian singer-songwriter and guitarist, he was the mainstay of folk rock group Goanna (1977–85, 1998) which had hit singles with " Solid Rock" (September 1982, No. 3) and "Let the F ...

) won Best Original Song Composed for the Screen "The Secret River" from ''

The Secret River ''The Secret River'' is a 2005 historical novel by Kate Grenville about an early 19th-century Englishman transported to Australia for theft. The story explores what might have happened when Europeans colonised land already inhabited by Aborigi ...

''. In November 2015, Roach celebrated the 25th anniversary of ''

'' with a deluxe remastered edition. The new edition included a second disc featuring previously unreleased ''Triple J –

Live At The Wireless ''Live at the Wireless'' is a radio show, and now a long-standing tradition, of Triple J, an Australian radio station. Live music is one of the central philosophies of the station. The live broadcasts take a number of forms. Some broadcasts are fr ...

'' recordings and new interpretations of classic ''Charcoal Lane'' material by various artists. In November and December 2015, Roach undertook a national tour to celebrate the album's 25th anniversary. In November 2016, Roach released his seventh studio album, '' Let Love Rule'', which peaked at number 24 on the ARIA Charts, becoming his highest charting album to date.

2017–2022: ''The Concert Collection 2012–2018'' and ''Tell Me Why''

At the

APRA Music Awards of 2017 The Australasian Performing Right Association Awards of 2017 (generally known as APRA Awards) are a series of related awards which include the APRA Music Awards, Art Music Awards, and Screen Music Awards. The APRA Music Awards of 2017 was the 3 ...

in March 2017, Roach won the Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to Australian Music. In April 2018, Roach performed at the Commonwealth Games closing ceremony on the Gold Coast with

Amy Shark Amy Louise Billings (born 14 May 1986), known professionally as Amy Shark, is an Australian indie pop singer-songwriter-guitarist and producer from the Gold Coast, Queensland. During 2008 to 2012, her early solo material was released and per ...

. In May 2019, Roach released '' The Concert Collection 2012–2018'' and in July 2019, was nominated for two awards at the 2019

National Indigenous Music Awards The National Indigenous Music Awards (NIMA), also known as the NT Indigenous Music Awards from 2004 to 2008, are music awards presented to recognise excellence, innovation and leadership among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander musicians in ...

. On 1 November 2019, Roach published a memoir entitled ''Tell Me Why: The Story of My Life and My Music'', and released a companion album, '' Tell Me Why'', on the same day. His book was shortlisted for the 2020

Victorian Premier's Prize for Nonfiction The Victorian Premier's Prize for Nonfiction, formerly known as the Nettie Palmer Prize for Non-Fiction, is a prize category in the annual Victorian Premier's Literary Award. As of 2011 it has a remuneration of 25,000. The winner of this category p ...

and won the 2020 Indie Book Non-Fiction Award. It also won the Audiobook of the Year at the 2021

Australian Book Industry Awards The Australian Book Industry Awards (ABIA) are publishers' and literary awards held by the Australian Publishers Association annually in Sydney "to celebrate the achievements of authors and publishers in bringing Australian books to readers". ...

. The album's lead single "Open Up Your Eyes" is the first song Roach ever wrote, dating back to the late 1970s, but had not before been recorded. ''Tell Me Why'' became Roach's first top-ten album on the ARIA Charts. '' Wash My Soul in the River's Flow'' (2021), written and directed by Philippa Bateman and produced by Bateman, Kate Hodges and Roach, is a feature-length

documentary film A documentary film or documentary is a non-fictional film, motion-picture intended to "document reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction, education or maintaining a Recorded history, historical record". Bill Nichols (film critic), Bil ...

based on the 2004 concert ''Kura Tungar-Songs from the River'', featuring Roach, Hunter, Paul Grabowsky and the Australian Art Orchestra, in which Hunter and Roach sing about the Murray River and Ngarrindjeri lands. The film also tells of the love story between Hunter and Roach, and is interspersed with vision of

The Coorong Coorong National Park is a protected area located in South Australia about south-east of Adelaide, that predominantly covers a coastal lagoon ecosystem officially known as The Coorong and the Younghusband Peninsula on the Coorong's southern si ...

. The film had its

world premiere A première, also spelled premiere, is the debut (first public presentation) of a play, film, dance, or musical composition. A work will often have many premières: a world première (the first time it is shown anywhere in the world), its firs ...

at the

Brisbane International Film Festival The Brisbane International Film Festival (BIFF) is an annual film festival held in Brisbane, Australia. Organised by the Screen Culture unit at Screen Queensland, the festival has taken place since 1992, with the program including features, doc ...

in October 2021 and was an official selection for the

Sydney Film Festival The Sydney Film Festival is an annual competitive film festival held in Sydney, Australia, usually over 12 days in June. A number of awards are given, the top one being the Sydney Film Prize. the festival's director is Nashen Moodley. Histo ...

and the

Melbourne International Film Festival The Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) is an annual film festival held over three weeks in Melbourne, Australia. It was founded in 1952 and is one of the oldest film festivals in the world following the founding of the Venice Film Fest ...

in December 2021. In March 2022, Roach released his career-spanning anthology, titled '' My Songs: 1989–2021'', which was subsequently nominated as the Album of the Year for the 2022 National Indigenous Music Awards two weeks before his death. At the 2022 ARIA Music Awards a special tribute in his honour will have Budjerah,

Jessica Mauboy Jessica Hilda Mauboy (born 4 August 1989) is an Australian singer, songwriter and actress. Born and raised in Darwin, Northern Territory, she rose to fame in 2006 on the fourth season of ''Australian Idol'', where she was runner-up and subseq ...

and

Thelma Plum Thelma Amelina Plumbe (born 21 December 1994), known professionally as Thelma Plum, is an Aboriginal Australian singer, songwriter, guitarist and musician from Delungra, New South Wales. Her father is renowned lore-man Paul Winanga-li Gii Spear ...

performing " One Song" from that album.

Activism

In 2013, shortly after receiving his Lifetime Deadly Award, Roach called on the recently elected prime minister,

Tony Abbott Anthony John Abbott (; born 4 November 1957) is a former Australian politician who served as the 28th prime minister of Australia from 2013 to 2015. He held office as the leader of the Liberal Party of Australia. Abbott was born in Londo ...

, for an end to the Northern Territory Intervention.

Discography

* ''

'' (1990) * ''

'' (1993) * ''

'' (1997) * ''

'' (2002) * ''

'' (2007) * '' Into the Bloodstream'' (2012) * '' Let Love Rule'' (2016) * ''

Dancing with My Spirit ''Dancing with My Spirit'' is the eighth studio album by Australian singer songwriter Archie Roach. The album was recorded in the 1990s and for a variety of reasons, remained ‘unreleased’ until 2018, where it was released in April 2018 and ...

'' (2018) * '' Tell Me Why'' (2019) * '' The Songs of Charcoal Lane'' (2020)

Personal life

Roach was married to the singer

(died 2010) who was also his musical partner. They had two sons, Amos and Eban. They also had three foster children, Kriss, Terrence and Arthur. On 14 October 2010, Roach suffered a

stroke A stroke is a medical condition in which poor blood flow to the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and hemorrhagic, due to bleeding. Both cause parts of the brain to stop functionin ...

while working in the Kimberley region. After recuperating, he returned to live performance in April 2011. He also survived

lung cancer Lung cancer, also known as lung carcinoma (since about 98–99% of all lung cancers are carcinomas), is a malignant lung tumor characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissue (biology), tissues of the lung. Lung carcinomas derive from tran ...

, due to early diagnosis in 2011 and major surgery.

Death and legacy

Roach died on 30 July 2022 at

Warrnambool Base Hospital Warrnambool (Eastern Maar, Maar: ''Peetoop'' or ''Wheringkernitch'' or ''Warrnambool'') is a city on the south-western coast of Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia. At the Census in Australia#2021, 2021 census, Warrnambool had a population ...

. His sons, Amos and Eban, have given permission for his name and image to continue to be used "so that his legacy will continue to inspire". This permission is limited to news. Tributes were paid to his memory by prominent names in arts, politics and sport including Australian prime minister

Anthony Albanese Anthony Norman Albanese ( or ; born 2 March 1963) is an Australian politician serving as the 31st and current prime minister of Australia since 2022. He has been leader of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) since 2019 and the member of parlia ...

, Victorian premier Daniel Andrews and musicians including

, Briggs,

John Schumann John Lewis Schumann (born 18 May 1953) is an Australian singer-songwriter and guitarist from Adelaide. He is best known as the lead singer for the folk group Redgum, with their chart-topping hit " I Was Only 19 (A Walk in the Light Green)", a s ...

, Alice Skye,

Emily Wurramara Emily Wurramara is an Indigenous Australian singer and songwriter. In 2018, Wurramara was nominated for Best Blues and Roots Album at the ARIA Awards. Early life Wurramara is a Warnindhilyagwa woman from Groote Eylandt, off the Northern Te ...

, Paul Kelly,

Mark Seymour Mark Jeremy Seymour (born 26 July 1956) is an Australian musician and vocalist. He was the frontman and songwriter of rock band Hunters & Collectors from 1981 until 1998. Seymour has carved a solo career, releasing his debut solo album in ...

Midnight Oil Midnight Oil (known informally as "The Oils") are an Australian rock band composed of Peter Garrett (vocals, harmonica), Rob Hirst (drums), Jim Moginie (guitar, keyboard) and Martin Rotsey (guitar). The group was formed in Sydney in 1972 by ...

and

. "Uncle Archie", as he was affectionately known to many, was regarded as giving a voice to the stories of many Aboriginal people and offering comfort and healing in his words and music.

Euahlayi The Yuwaalaraay, also spelt Euahlayi, Euayelai, Eualeyai, Ualarai, Yuwaaliyaay and Yuwallarai, are an Aboriginal Australian people of north-western New South Wales. Name and language The ethnonym derives from their word for "no" () to which ...

scholar Bhiamie Williamson, who wrote his PhD thesis on "Indigenous Men and Masculinities", describes the concept of the "Emu Man", based on the male

emu The emu () (''Dromaius novaehollandiae'') is the second-tallest living bird after its ratite relative the ostrich. It is endemic to Australia where it is the largest native bird and the only extant member of the genus '' Dromaius''. The emu ...

, which is devoted to his family and chicks and sits on the eggs. Roach was considered a role model who represented an image shown too rarely in public discourse. Williamson writes:

Archie Roach Foundation

The Archie Roach Foundation was established in 2014 to nurture talent in young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and to offer them opportunities in the arts, to provide connection to culture and healing. , the board of directors included Roach, Uncle Jack Charles and four other people, with Charles and Rhoda Roberts as ambassadors of the foundation. The foundation has supported hundreds and inspired thousands more young people. His work in youth detention centres continues to affect those who listened to him.

Honours

* In 2011, Roach was one of the first people inducted to the Victorian Aboriginal Honour Roll. * In 2015, Roach was honoured in the 2015 Queen's Birthday Honours (Australia), Queen's Birthday Honours list as a Order of Australia, Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for services to music as a singer-songwriter, guitarist and a prominent supporter of social justice. * In 2020, Roach was named the 2020 Victoria Australian of the Year. *In 2022, two side-by-side pillar-shaped monuments were erected on the shores of Lake Bonney Riverland, Lake Bonney at Barmera, in homage to Hunter and Roach. A glass mosaic artwork on the front side of each monument depict Hunter's Ngarrindjeri totem, the pelican () and Roach's totem, the eagle, respectively.

Recognition and awards

" was added to the National Film and Sound Archive's Sounds of Australia registry in 2013.

AIR Awards

The Australian Independent Record Awards (commonly known informally as AIR Awards) is an annual awards night to recognise, promote and celebrate the success of Australia's Independent Music sector. , - , rowspan="2" , AIR Awards of 2017 , ''Let Love Rule'' , Best Independent Blues and Roots Album , , -

APRA Awards

The APRA Awards (Australia), APRA Awards are held in Australia and New Zealand by the Australasian Performing Right Association to recognise songwriting skills, sales and airplay performance by its members annually. They commenced in 1982. ! , - , rowspan="2", APRA Music Awards of 2017, 2017 , Archie Roach , Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to Australian Music , , , - , "It's Not Too late" , Song of the Year , , , - , APRA Music Awards of 2020, 2020 , "Open Up Your Eyes" , Song of the Year , , , - , APRA Music Awards of 2021, 2021 , "Tell Me Why" (with Sally Dastey) , Song of the Year , , , -

ARIA Awards

Roach has received ten ARIA Music Awards from twenty-three nominations. , - , rowspan="4", ARIA Music Awards of 1991, 1991 , , rowspan="3", ''

'' , , ARIA Award for Best New Talent, Best New Talent , , , - , ARIA Award for Best Indigenous Release, Best Indigenous Release , , , - , ARIA Award for Breakthrough Artist – Album, Breakthrough Artist – Album , , , - , "

" , , Breakthrough Artist – Single , , , - , ARIA Music Awards of 1992, 1992 , , "Down City Streets" , , Best Indigenous Release , , , - , ARIA Music Awards of 1994, 1994 , , ''

'' , , Best Indigenous Release , , , - , ARIA Music Awards of 1997, 1997 , , " Hold On Tight" , , Best Indigenous Release , , , - , rowspan="2", ARIA Music Awards of 1998, 1998 , , rowspan="2", ''

'' , , Best Indigenous Release , , , - , Best Adult Contemporary Album , , , - , rowspan="3", ARIA Music Awards of 2002, 2002 , , ''

'' , , Best Adult Contemporary Album , , , - , Richard Pleasance & Paul Kelly for ''Sensual Being'' , , Producer of the Year , , , - , ''The Tracker (2002 film)#Soundtrack, The Tracker'' , , ARIA Award for Best Original Soundtrack, Cast or Show Album, Best Original Soundtrack Album , , , - , ARIA Music Awards of 2008, 2008 , , ''

'' , , ARIA Award for Best World Music Album, Best World Music Album , , , - , ARIA Music Awards of 2010, 2010 , , ''

'' , , Best World Music Album , , , - , ARIA Music Awards of 2013, 2013 , , '' Into the Bloodstream'' , , ARIA Award for Best Blues and Roots Album, Best Blues & Roots Album , , , - , ARIA Music Awards of 2017, 2017 , , '' Let Love Rule'' , , Best Blues & Roots Album , , , - , rowspan="4", ARIA Music Awards of 2020, 2020 , , rowspan="3", '' Tell Me Why'' , , Best Male Artist , , , - , Best Adult Contemporary Album , , , - , Best Independent Release , , , - , Archie Roach , , ARIA Hall of Fame, Hall of Fame , , , - , rowspan="2", 2021 ARIA Music Awards, 2021 , , rowspan="2", ''The Songs of Charcoal Lane'' , , Best Blues & Roots Album , , , - , Best Independent Release , , , - , 2022 ARIA Music Awards, 2022 , , "One Song" , , Best Independent Release , , , -

Australia Council for the Arts

The Australia Council for the Arts is an arts funding and advisory body for the Government of Australia. Since 1993 it has awarded a Red Ochre Award. It is presented to an outstanding Indigenous Australian (Aboriginal Australian or Torres Strait Islander) artist for lifetime achievement. , - , Red Ochre Award, 2011 , himself , Red Ochre Award , , -

Deadly Awards

The Deadly Awards (commonly known simply as The Deadlys) was an annual celebration of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander achievement in music, sport, entertainment and community. They ran from 1996 to 2013. , - , Deadly Awards 1997 , "himself" , Male Artist of the Year , , - , Deadly Awards 1998 , "himself" , Male Artist of the Year , , - , rowspan="2", Deadly Awards 2002 , "himself" , Male Artist of the Year , , - , ''Sensual Being'' , Album of the Year , , - , Deadly Awards 2003 , "himself" , Outstanding Contribution to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Music , , - , Deadly Awards 2004 , ''Ruby'' , Excellence in Film & Theatrical Score , , - , Deadly Awards 2010 , ''1988'' , Album of the Year , , - , rowspan="2", Deadly Awards 2013 , ''Into the Bloodstream'' , Album of the Year , , - , "himself" , The Lifetime Contribution Award For Healing The Stolen Generations , , -

Don Banks Music Award

The Don Banks Music Award was established in 1984 to publicly honour a senior artist of high distinction who has made an outstanding and sustained contribution to music in Australia. It was founded by the Australia Council for the Arts, Australia Council in honour of Don Banks, Australian composer, performer and the first chair of its music board. , - , 2015 , Archie Roach , Don Banks Music Award , , -

Helpmann Awards

The Helpmann Awards is an awards show, celebrating live entertainment and performing arts in Australia, presented by industry group ''Live Performance Australia'' (LPA) since 2001. In 2018, Roach received the JC Williamson Award, the LPA's highest honour, for their life's work in live performance. , - , 5th Helpmann Awards, 2005 , , ''Kura Tungar: Songs from the River'' (with Ruby Hunter) , , Best Australian Contemporary Concert , , , - , 13th Helpmann Awards, 2013 , , ''Into the Bloodstream'' , , Best Australian Contemporary Concert , , , - , 18th Helpmann Awards, 2018 , , Himself , , JC Williamson Award , , , -

J Awards

The J Awards are an annual series of Australian music awards that were established by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's youth-focused radio station Triple J. They commenced in 2005. , - , J Awards of 2020 , Archie Roach , Double J Artist of the Year , , -

Mo Awards

The Australian Entertainment Mo Awards (commonly known informally as the Mo Awards) were annual Australian entertainment industry awards. They recognised achievements in live entertainment in Australia from 1975 to 2016. Archie Roach won two awards in that time. (wins only) , - , 1991 , Archie Roach , Folk Performer of the Year , , - , 1992 , Archie Roach , Folk Performer of the Year , , -

Music Victoria Awards

The Music Victoria Awards are an annual awards night celebrating Victorian music. , - , rowspan="3", Music Victoria Awards of 2013, 2013 , himself , Best Indigenous Act , , - , himself , Best Male Artist , , - , ''Into the Bloodstream'' , Best Folk Roots Album , , - , Music Victoria Awards of 2015, 2015 , himself , Hall of Fame , , - , Music Victoria Awards of 2017, 2017 , himself , Best Indigenous Act , , - Sources:

National Dreamtime Awards

The National Dreamtime Awards are an annual celebration of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander achievement in sport, arts, academia and community. They commenced in 2017. , - , National Dreamtime Awards 2018, 2018 , himself , Achievement award , , -

National Indigenous Music Awards

The

(NIMA) recognise excellence, dedication, innovation and outstanding contribution in the Northern Territory music industry. They commenced in 2004. , - , rowspan="5", National Indigenous Music Awards 2013, 2013 , "himself" , Hall of Fame Inductee , , - , rowspan="2", ''Into the Bloodstream'' , Album of the Year , , - , Cover Art of the Year , , - , rowspan="2", "Song to Sing" , Film Clip of the Year , , - , Song of the Year , , - , National Indigenous Music Awards 2018, 2018 , himself , Artist of the Year , , - , rowspan="2", National Indigenous Music Awards 2019, 2019 , "himself" , Artist of the Year , , - , ''The Concert Collection 2012–2018'' , Album of the Year , , - , rowspan="2", National Indigenous Music Awards 2020, 2020 , "himself" , Artist of the Year , , - , ''Tell Me Why'' , Album of the Year , , - , National Indigenous Music Awards 2022, 2022 , ''My Songs: 1989–2021'' , Album of the Year , , -

Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards

The Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards commenced in 1984 and recognise outstanding achievements in dance, drama, comedy, music, opera, circus and puppetry. , - , 2009 , , Archie Roach (with Ruby Hunter) , , Individual Award , , , -

References

External links

*
Archie Roach: His life story told through his music
at the National Film and Sound Archive *[ Archie Roach at allmusic.com] * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Roach, Archie 1956 births 2022 deaths APRA Award winners ARIA Award winners Australian guitarists Australian male singers Australian songwriters Indigenous Australian musicians Members of the Order of Australia Members of the Stolen Generations Storytellers People from Mooroopna Mushroom Records artists Australian male guitarists Australian autobiographers ARIA Hall of Fame inductees