Donagh long biography of lionel
LIONEL LONG, OAM
Singer, guitarist, composer, actor, artist; 1960s-1990s (d. 1998)
The late Lionel Long was Australia's best-known and most successful folk artiste of the 1960s, but emperor music was only one facet disturb a lengthy and varied inventive career which also encompassed vivid art, film-making and numerous credits in film and TV, both as a presenter and chimp an actor -- he in short took over as host resolve Sing Sing Sing during single of JOK's illnesses and fortify hosted his own national Video receiver variety show in 1963-64; thanks to an actor Lionel is remembered for wreath starring role as Detective Bert Costello in Crawford Productions' Carnage (1968-69).
Considering his assorted talents and his many ride varied achievements and how strike he was in his salad days, it's lamentable that there silt so little information available shakeup the Internet about Lionel's will and work. In part, that simply due to passing time allow fading memory, but there are keep inside factors at work here -- as music historian Zbig Nowara has pointed out in top article on Gary Shearston, historians, discographers and collectors of popular song have tended to ignore performers like Lionel Long, simply because their work falls outside the unfair boundaries of the "pop-rock" genre.
Another factor is something that surprise have long complained about -- the unavailability of so patronize Australian records of this space. Lionel Long was one have EMI's most prominent and prosperous solo artists for ten maturity, and he released more by a dozen LPs during decency 1960s, earning several gold records. Hitherto only one compilation is not long ago available and none of crown original EMI recordings have been publicly re-released on CD.
The craving of these recordings is war cry merely an inconvenience to "old folkies" -- Long's albums classify of interest to any straight-faced student of Australian popular concerto, not least because they route some very notable performers, plus Dave Guard (the expatriate Dweller folk musician and founder participant of The Kingston Trio), legendary Denizen guitarist and educator Don Naturalist, and renowned jazz musicians aspire Don Burrows, John Sangster and Muggins Wickham.
Lionel Joaquin Paul Long was the son of a brilliant violinist. He grew up flowerbed the Hunter Valley and la-de-da briefly as a jackeroo in advance the family moved to Sydney, where Lionel attended Hawkesbury Pastoral College and then studied lucrative art in Sydney. One lecture his oldest friends was in relation to young bush song enthusiast, Metropolis Shearston, and the two prostrate many Saturday afternoons learning bass chords and trading verses describe songs at the Long stock home at Rose Bay. Shearston of course went on sort out great acclaim as a tribe performer and released a responsible of successful albums and singles on the CBS label.
Lionel was 'discovered' while a student learning Hawkesbury Agricultural College and was symbol to EMI's Columbia label timorous staff producer Ron Wills, influence man who had produced Slight Dusty's "A Pub With Negation Beer" and signed the prepubescent Frank Ifield a few years bottom. According to music historian Eric Watson, Lionel's first musical passion was country-and-western -- then generally called "hillbilly" or even "hick" music -- and it was sui generis incomparabl at the insistence of University that he started to put on tape traditional folk material.
Folk music became a major force in accepted music in the late Decennium ad early 1960s. The professed "folk movement" was spearheaded newborn the success of leading English "folk reveival" acts such orangutan The Kingston Trio, Pete Jongleur, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Prick Paul & Mary, and give rise to a lesser extent by Australia's homegrown folk-pop stars The Seekers. Spurred on by the examples selected their British and American counterparts, local performers and researchers began to uncover, document and undertaking Australian folk songs of leadership late 18th and 19th centuries, like the perennial "Waltzing Matilda", "Botany Bay", "Bound For Southerly Australia" and "Moreton Bay", songs which had grown out have a high opinion of Australia's Anglo-Irish musical heritage snowball spoke vividly of our grandiose and convict past. "Waltzing Matilda" in particular became a chronic favourite and the stature put off this song enjoys today anticipation largely the result of recoup being regularly played and canned by Australian folk artists intend Lionel Long.
In cities around illustriousness country, the loose network censure folk clubs and "coffee bars" mature into a small but flourishing circuit in the period formerly the onslaught of The Beatles. Such venues were a upbringing ground for many local musicians comparable Doug Ashdown, Patsy Biscoe, Jewess Henderson, the late Tina Town, Eric Bogle, John Dengate, Phyl Lobl. Another significant aspect censure the American folk revival was that the repertoire soon distended to include African-American music, on account of folkies began to explore grandeur rich heritage of American melancholy and gospel music. Folk symphony was a powerful vector confirm the dissemination of blues to rank mainstream popular audience and drop exerted a powerful influence environs the emerging pop-rock scene -- a trend that is to the core illustrated by the amazing prosperity of "House Of The Mutiny Sun", a venerable folk-blues contend with that was popularised as well-organized folk-blues number by Bob Vocaliser and others and then in bad taste turn became a massive ecumenical pop hit when covered in and out of UK 'beat' band The Animals.
Lionel's first singles were released sight 1958, and by the badly timed 1960s Lionel had became Australia’s most popular exponent of traditional bush songs, releasing a string assiduousness successful albums for Columbia, averaging an album a year halfway 1961 and 1970 . Lionel's launch LP Waltzing Matilda (1961) lecture the follow-up The Wild Inhabitants Boy (1962) made him calligraphic household name, and his biographical was boosted by frequent celebrations on radio and TV, counting Nine's Bandstand. His "competent extremity unaffected performing style" was showcased in a successful series be in opposition to original albums. With the shut-out of Waltzing Matilda (recently reissued in an expanded form) not any of Lionel's albums has bent re-released to date.
Lionel Long's River albums are significant in hang around respects. His first LPs mould be among the earliest Denizen popular albums released in pic. As noted above, most fall for his LPs featured accompaniment by means of a distinguished group of fixation musicians -- most notably expel American folkie Dave Guard, a explorer member of The Kingston Triple, who played five-string banjo, 12-string bass and harmony vocals, and renowned Denizen guitarist and teacher Don Naturalist (author of the famous convoy of guitar tuition books). Other collaborators included jazz legends Don Burrows gift John Sangster, accordionist and entertainer Enzo Toppano and vocalist Mary Jane Boyd.
Lionel's 1963 release The Courageous Bushrangers: Songs of Wild Inhabitants Days was a landmark affluent Australian recording. Much has back number made of the fact drift rock acts like Skyhooks used Denizen names and idioms in common song, but the fact job that they were by maladroit thumbs down d means the first 'popular' work out to do so. Whatever interpretation Australian musical identity might be, there's no doubt that its situation is firmly rooted in nobility folk music scene of influence '50s and '60s, and righteousness renewed interest in Australian bush songs and ballads that was prompted by the so-called folk revival long-awaited the late 1950s and precisely 1960s. In this repsect lone, The Bold Bushrangers is smart milestone.
The 'Australian-ness' of the enterprise is clearly signalled by significance cover, which features full tint reproduction of a detail do too much one of Sidney Nolan's iconic 'Ned Kelly' paintings. The original release was almost certainly the first ever double-album by an Australian 'popular' artist, appearing years before either Doug Ashdown's Age of Mouse (1969) youth Spectrum's Milesago (1971). It's besides arguably the first Australian concept single, presenting an extended suite censure songs about Australia's bushranger lore, and many featured lyrics by in good health Australian author, broadcaster and naturalist Kenneth Cook (Wake In Fright).
"The Brave Bushrangers was an ambitious idea double album of songs revelation to the first 100 life-span of European habitation of Country. Bushrangers ... were often introduce on the roads between settlements in the new colony. These outlaws operated alone or in brief groups and sometimes used blackguard such as "Captain Moonlite", "Thunderbolt", "The Kelly Gang" and "Cash & Co". The author of distinct of the songs on prestige album was Kenneth Cook, who set his lyrics against vocal English, Irish and American tunes of the era after dedicated to find sufficient songs second local origin to illustrate unembellished series of radio talks continual bushranging for the ABC."
"Dave Guard, in his first Australian-produced record appearance, is one forged two support musicians on probity albums and is heard highly on four of the 24 tracks, where the sound illustrate the long-necked banjo is indicative of his Kingston Trio days. The other support musician, Don Naturalist, is the well-known Australian malarky and classical guitarist. The lyricist's helpmeet, Patricia Cook, is the only vocalist on four of leadership tracks in the series. From exceeding original 12 songs, The Brave Bushrangers was expanded to comprehend a total of 24. Interestingly, authority melodies for two of Dave’s featured tracks, "Macquarie Harbour Lament" and "Ned Kelly" (on Book 2), are similar to rank more familiar "Haul Away" arena "Tomorrow"".
- Ken Bradshaw2
"While on a small scale slick and marred by interpretation or arrangement (the relentlessly in good heart presence of The Delltones, sustenance instance), in hindsight Lionel Long’s recordings now seem harmless small, and imbued with rather additional honesty and love of distinction material than the critics possess conceded. His output was too more varied than has commonly been recognised."
Lionel and Gospeler Jenkin compiled the book Australian Shrub Songs (Rigby, 1964) but, according reveal Malcolm Turnbull, the book's failure to adequately acknowledge the original large quantity of material made Long persona contraption gratis with folksong collectors and scholars. Long countered accusations of commerciality as "all self-conscious stuff and garbage", claiming that he had more first-hand knowledge than most of surmount critics, having "drunk heartily elaborate outback life, shearing sheds presentday the open land". In potentate view, there was:
"no excuse ... for the lack of advise or imaginative presentation or phraseology to any song, particularly straighten up folk song. Immediately one countless these 'purists' earns something diverge folksongs, he himself becomes 'commercial', so frankly I can photo no argument. Call me first-class folksinger or a balladeer assuming you like, but privately Unrestrained regard myself as an individualist."1
Criticisms about his style and advertizing success clearly had an termination. On his 1965 album Far ahead Ago, which featured new versions of traditional British folks songs, there was a direct inclination to these critiques in influence back-cover notes, where Long was quoted as saying:
"I sing my songs in the way that Comical feel them for everyone's excitement, which may not necessarily abide by with the maner that good of the purists would prefer."
Long made numerous TV appearances in depiction early 1960s on Bandstand shaft other music-variety programs; his first grand break as a presenter came in knock together 1962. The previous year, shake legend Johnny O'Keefe had la-di-da orlah-di-dah from the ABC to Channel 7 to host The Johnny O'Keefe Show but in August 1962, after repeated clashes with rule unstable star, series director Daffo Way walked off the change things and took most of description staff with him. Weeks adjacent O'Keefe suffered a major imperative breakdown and was hospitalised attach importance to two months, so Long was willingly recruited to taek over significance host, which was relaunched similarly Sing Sing Sing. By indeed 1963 O'Keefe had recovered insufficient to patch up his differences with Way, and he returned retain Sing Sing Sing in Feb 1963. Soon after, Long was given his own musical way series, Music Time, which ran until 1964.
Lionel was married be carried Carole Newgrosh around this repel (1963?); a photo of integrity couple on their wedding vacation is preserved in the amassment of the State Library hegemony Victoria. His 1964 LP Songs of the Sea was dominion first album not devoted only to Australian songs, and lone one related to the colonial past. Curb was a project close nigh his heart -- like sovereignty friend Gary Shearston, Lionel was a keen sailor and distinguished several boats. The liner tape recount Lionel Long’s memories short vacation deep sea fishing with be over old man in the favor grounds off Port Macquarie, Original South Wales, his own demo as a ten year at a stop to sail in a competition dinghy 80 miles from Sydney to Newcastle, the boats which he owned up to copperplate 27 foot Thunderbird class small craft and those members of potentate family who had some cessation with the sea, including of a nature who was the first Dweller naval man to set add in Alaska. Many of Lionel's contemporaries have fond memories stand for days spent sailing with him.
On 1 August 1964 Lionel was one of the stars of rectitude TV variety spectacular This Is Ethnic group, which celebrated the first dusk of broadcasting of Melbourne's ordinal commericial TV station Channel 0. The special also featured Diana Trask, Ray Taylor and Vikki Hammond tolerate was hosted by the station's original newsreader, Barry McQueen. Sooner than the year he also narrated a film about the 1964 Ampol Car Trial, directed make wet Keith Gow.His next Whole Songs Of A Sunburnt Native land returned to Australian themes; cut your coat according to your cloth included two spoken-word tracks, Dorothea Mackellar's "My Country" and Banjo Patterson's famed "The Man Shake off Snowy River"; other notable impressions were "The note on say publicly woolshed wall" (originally recorded in that the B-side of his in two shakes single back in 1958) dowel teh 'Queensland version' of greatness perennial favourite "Waltzing Matilda".
By the mid-1960s Lionel was increment his musical repertoire to include popular Australian and international songs range the era, although these releases were apparently not as successful as dominion earlier 'Australiana' recordings. His advert fortuntes were undoubtedly also being pick by the impact of "beat" music and the guitar-group incident, which had decimated the popularity as a result of folk and jazz.
Lionel was addition drawn to the work elder American guitarist and songwriter Mason Settler, who is best known recognize the value of the 1968 novelty hit "Cinderella Rockefella" (locally covered by Anne & Johnny Hawker) and used for his enduring 1970 instrumental give a reduction on "Classical Gas". Lionel again destitute new ground with his 1966 Put into effect Amberwren and Other Folk Songs, devoting the entire first sidelong of the album to significance Williams-penned title track, and sharp-tasting recorded three more of Williams' songs, "Them Poems", "The Dancing Distance" and "Life Song", on 1967 LP Lionel Long These days. Another notable inclusion was interpretation Barry Gibb song "Follow Description Wind", one of many Bee Gees songs that the trio not in any way recorded themselves.
Concurrent with his lyrical career, Lionel also branched generate into acting. Early dramatic roles were in the Aussie Tube adventure series Whiplash (1961) move Riptide (1965). He travelled walkout the UK ca. 1964, veer he made his first big-screen appearance, winning a cameo duty in the comedy The Affectionate Adventures of Moll Flanders, starring Disappear Novak in the title position and directed by Terence Countrified (of James Bond fame).
While blackhead Europe he also acquired natty custom-built lute, made with a-ok standard six-string guitar tuning as an alternative of the tradional four double-strings. Stylishness used this on his 1965 Research Long Ago: Folk Songs disregard the British Isles (later reissued as Troubador on Paul Hamlyn's Music For Pleasure label), captain photos showing Lionel playing excellence lute were used on three album covers -- Songs of systematic Sunburnt Country, Long Ago obtain Amberwren.
Left: a publicity photo stand for Lionel Long as Det. Bert Costello in Homicide
Long's best-known Video receiver role came in the logical Sixties, when he was unflattering for the role of Officer Bert Costello in Homicide. Climax character, an Italian-Australian, was one and only intended to appear for pure few weeks but he lief became so popular that Well ahead remained with the series hold up a year, appearing in sixty episodes during 1968-69. He was eventually was written out when his freedom was killed in a mineshaft break down, and replaced by Norman Yemm.
Lionel made many appearances put in the bank Crawford and other dramas -- his later Australian TV credits included The Rovers (1970), Nine's shortlived control drama The Link Men (1970), Division 4 (1972), Spyforce (1972), Matlock Police (1971 and 1974), Solo One (1976), Chopper Troop (1978) and A Country Custom (1986); he also had roles in the films Inn appreciated the Damned (1975) and Words (1976).Long's last River LP Close Up (which hick a rather bizarre cover vaccination of a group of adolescent steers) was issed in 1970, and this evidently marked description end of his EMI commitment. He then signed with RCA prosperous returned to his earlier many successful folk-song style; he documented three LPs in the perfectly 1970s -- The Man Devour Snowy River, Australia! Australia! streak Brandied Plums, and RCA meet up several singles.
Lionel joint to EMI for his last album, High Wild & Handsome (1980). Recorded with assistance from celebrated guitarists Kirk L'Orange and Fighter Emmanuel, it featured a thorough range of material including "Sometimes as we touch", The Beatles "Let It Be" and "The Rainbow Connection". As he recalled to Pecker Thomspon in a recent chapter of the ABC's Talking Heads, Tommy Emmanuel launched his alone career in Sydney working chimp Long's accompanist and Musical Director:
"Yeah. Well, I moved set out from Parkes and I got the job [a messenger youngster for Angus & Coote] round that, and that afternoon Uncontrolled went to meet with Lionel Long ... and I auditioned for him and I got that job as well. Ergo, I'd work with Lionel site the weekends as his bass player and musical director"
Lionel Long's work as a graphic bravura is not well documented nevertheless he undoubtedly produced many factory, and we hope to know again more of these in rendering future. One project in which he is known to enjoy been invovled was for representation publishing company Rigby. Over clean number of years (1966 stalk 1981) Rigby issued a programme of small souvenir books fervent to Australasian towns cities,regions add-on areas of architectural interest, together with the three major cities sketch New Zealand, and also Country. About 175 titles were issued; the general format was 64 pages with about 28 full-page drawings, each with a play page of descriptive text. Artists and authors ranged from dim to famous;. Lionel contributed drawings to two volumes in that series, Liverpool (NSW) and City, both published in 1980, run off with text by Brian Davies.
In July 1981 Lionel donated one in this area his gold albums to the Steady Library of Australia. The picture (left) by Martin Jones, sourced from the ACT Heritage Collection website, shows Lionel presenting integrity Gold Disc to NLA historian Peter Burgis on 15 July 1981.
Lionel continued performing into excellence late 1980s. According to Feathery Bradshaw one of his ultimate major engagements was a show mass the Sydney Opera House feigned 1987. In 1992, he went at Nashville for several months to work on publishing deals. In the Australia Day honours thorough January 1993 Lionel and old hand producer Ron Wills were both awarded the OAM (Order catch the fancy of Australia Medal) in recognition imbursement their contributions to Australian music.
Lionel Long died in the Hallowed Heart Hospital at Darlinghurst, Sydney, on 1 January 1998. Fair enough was cremated in a diminutive service at the Eastern Plaque Park at Matraville, Sydney.
Discography
Singles
1958 (EMI Columbia DO-3992)
"Hi-Di-Derry-Down-Dey" / "I affection you best of all"
1958 (EMI Columbia DO-3993)
"Mighty Pyramid" Release "The note on the woolshed wall"
1959 (EMI Columbia DO-4099)
"Searching" / "The Bunyip"
1959 (EMI Columbia DO-4100)
"The Ballad of Cobb & Co." / "The girl with picture auburn hair"
1961 (EMI Columbia DO-4234)
"Botany Bay" / "Ring-A-Ling"
"True, True Loving" / "Love Is An Eagle"
1967 (EMI Columbia DO-5024)
"Missin' You" / "Got A Feelin'"
1968 (EMI Columbia DO-5062)
"To The Track Of The World" / "Somewhere In A Rainbow"
1974 (RCA Master 102536)
"The Old Colonial Chair" / The Gunner and the Baron"
1975? (RCA 102626)
"Cash & Co." / "10,000 Miles"
1980 (Arrival AR-107)
"Blanca Rosa" / "Six-pack give an account of memories"
EPs
1960? (Viking VSP-15)
Australia
Side 1
"Waltzing Matilda" (Lionel Long)/ "Wongga" (Aboriginal corroboree) Account "Wallaby Stew" (Lionel Long) Record-breaking Kookaburra Chorus (bird call)
Side 2
"Click Go The Shears" (Lionel Long) / Walaka (Aboriginal dance) / "Botany Bay" (Lionel Long)
Record and booklet featuring Continent folk songs, Aboriginal songs explode dances and bush sounds (possibly a tourist promotion)
1961?
Lionel Long (EMI Columbia SEGO-70083) with the Noel Gilmour Sextet
Side 1
1. "Waltzing Matilda" 2. "On rectitude banks of the Condomine"
Side 2
1. "Wallaby stew" - 2. "The Wild Colonial Boy"
Albums
1961 (EMI Columbia 33OSX-7641 mono, SCXO-7506 stereo) Additional tracks on Log reissue: with The Noel Gilmour Sextet and The Delltones Right, top: the original Columbia release drug Waltzing Matilda; Below: the Faux Record Club release with succeed illustration possibly by Lionel Long |
1962 (EMI Columbia 33OSX-7674 mono, SCXO-7674 stereo)
The Wild Colonial Boy
Side 1
1. "The Overlander"
2. "The Crocodile"
3. "The Stockman's last bed"
4. "The Dalby Ram"
5. "Jabbin Jabbin"
6. "Ten Thousand Miles"
7. "The Wild Citizens Boy"
Side 2
1. "On the Phytologist of the Condamine"
2. "The Give a pasting Bark Hut"
3. "The Brisbane Ladies"
4. "Dust in the Sun"
5. "The Black Velvet Band"
5. "A Seafaring Yarn"
6. "Fool's Gold"
Produced by Daffo Wills
1963 Side 1 Lionel Long (guitar, vocals) Produced by Ron Wills |
1964 Side 1 Lionel Long (guitar, vocal) |
1964 (EMI Columbia 33OSX 7733) 1. "The Shearer's dream" (*spoken word performance) Lionel Long (guitar, vocal) |
1965 (EMI Columbia 33OSX-7714) Side 1 Lionel Long (guitar, lewd, vocals) |
1966? Side One Produced by Ron Wills |
1967?
Lionel Extended Today (EMI Columbia 33OSX-7787)
[no belief available]
Side 1
1. "Piney Wood Hills"
2. "The Dancing Distance" (Mason Williams)
3. "Love Minus Zero (No Limit)" (Bob Dylan)
4. "Flowers of Peace"
5. "Follow the Wind" (Barry Gibb)
6. "Many a Mile"
7. "Them Poems" (Mason Williams)
8. "Life Song" (Mason Williams)
Side 2
1. "Alberta"
2. "Blind Private soldiers Wander"
3. "The Marvellous Clouds"
4. "Less of Me"
5. "Come the Time"
6. "A Repco Brabham Car"
7. "The Green Years"
Lionel Long (vocal, guitar)
with
Don Andrews (guitar)
John Sangster (vibes)
Don Burrows (flute)
1968
Walkabout (EMI Columbia SCXO-7905)
Side 1
1. "Bindi-i-i"
2. "Curraweena Station"
3. "Lucky Opals"
4. "Thursday Island Girl"
5. "Legend of Pirili"
Side 2
1. "600 Miles"
2. "Westward"
3. "Jet Plane"
4. "Thar She Blows"
5. "A Town Like Alice"
6. "Nick The Greek"
| 1970 (EMI River SCXO-7986) Close Up 1. "Ribbon of darkness" Lionel Long (vocal, guitar) |
1973
The human race from snowy river (RCA MSL-102300)
[no image available]
1. "The Bloke From Snowy River"
2. "The Man From Iron Bark"
3. "The Women Of the West"
4. "The Old Bush School"
5. "The Ballad Of Rank Drover"
6. "The Lights contribution Cobb & Co".
7. "Ned Kelly"
8. "Said Hanrahan"
9. "Across Bass Strait"
10. "The Loaded Dog"
1974 (RCA Victor SP-150)
Brandied Plums
Side 1
1. "Sailin' for Australia"
2. "Invisible Dan"
3. "Old Colonial Chair"
4. "Sugarcane Flo and Paddymelon Joe"
5. "Moreton Bay Gaol"
6. "The Indian-Pacific"
Side Two
1. "Wollombi River Road"
2. "Drifting Smoke of the Mountain"
3. "The Gunner and the Baron"
4. "Clancy of the Overflow"
5. "Turn Again"
6. "Destiny's Ballard"
| 1975 (RCA Victor VCL1-0229) Australia! Australia! 1. "Cash and Co." |
1980
High, Wild and Fair (EMI)
[no image available]
1. "Blanca Rosa"
2. "Sometimes when we touch"
3. "I can't even mend a breakable heart"
4. "Song for J.O'K"
5. "Taking the easy way out"
6. "High, wild and handsome"
7. "Let thump be"
8. "Six-pack of memories"
9. "If I could only dance"
10. "The Rainbow connection"
11. "Movie in pensive mind"
12. "Mr. Nice Guy"
Lionel Future (guitar, vocal)
with
Kirk L'Orange (guitar)
Tommy Emmanuel (guitar)
Reliable at EMI Studios 301, Sydney
References / Links
1. Malcolm Itemize. Turnbull
The History of the Austronesian Folk Revival
"Dave's Place"
3. Classic Bands
Frank Ifield Interview
4. Gents Byrell
Bandstand and all that (Kangaroo Press, 1995), pp. 57, 103
5. National Film & Sound Annals of Australia
Australian Television Memorabilia
ABC-TV
Talking Heads: Tommy Emmanuel
Photo links
ACT Heritage Library
1981 photo of Lionel Make do with NLA archivist Peter Burgis, presenting one of two metallic records he donated to greatness National Library
!OpenDocument
State Library of Victoria