Buried Country

Where black Americans turned to the blues, Aboriginal Australians found inspiration in country and western and created a style of their own. From the bush to the city, Aboriginal people have used country music to tell their stories of life and the struggle for justice. Featuring rare recordings, archival images and first-hand interviews with the singers and songwriters, Buried Country traces six decades of this rich tradition. What emerges is not only a poignant record of Indigenous Australia, but also a celebration of how music can lift the human spirit. BURIED COUNTRY (2000) Buried Country was a cross-media juggernaut – book, film, CD – that first came out in 2000. The book was published by Pluto Press, beautifully designed by Wendy Farley; the documentary was produced through Film Australia/SBS TV, and directed by Andy Nehl, shot by Warwick Thornton and narrated by Kev Carmody; the CD came out through Larrikin-Festival. A new expanded edition of the book is out through Verse Chorus Press, beautifully redesigned by Louise Cornwall. The CD isl back out again too. The gods of ink gave me a gift in Buried Country, a story most writers would be humbled to light upon if only once in a lifetime. - clinton walker "Greil Marcus’ Invisible Republic explored a ‘weird, old America’ which was reflected in its dusty folk songs and hillbilly tunes. With the timely Buried Country, his sixth book, urban cowboy Clinton Walker has done a far better job" - Jeff Apter, ROLLING STONE "If the chardonnay set stopped playing their copies of The Buena Vista Social Club long enough they might find something happening in their own back yard of at least the same interest and of inestimably more relevance to where this country has been and where it is headed" - Keith Glass, RHYTHMS "The documentary is very powerful and moving, and there are particularly poignant moments that are virtually guaranteed to move the viewer to tears" - Susan Jarvis, CAPITAL COUNTRY NEWS "Walker dives headfirst into this labour of love. He has captured the essence of the performers and the significance of their most popular songs. Aboriginal country music’s heyday is behind it; thankfully, Walker bothered to uncover it for posterity" - Buzz McClain, WASHINGTON POST