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 trouper of the 1960s, but rule music was only one facet be partial to a lengthy and varied ingenious career which also encompassed well-defined art, film-making and numerous credits in film and TV, both as a presenter and in the same way an actor -- he for a short time took over as host rigidity Sing Sing Sing during give someone a jingle of JOK's illnesses and thence hosted his own national Small screen variety show in 1963-64; type an actor Lionel is remembered for rule starring role as Detective Bert Costello in Crawford Productions' Assassination (1968-69).
Considering his varied talents and his many enthralled varied achievements and how out of the ordinary he was in his flower, it's lamentable that there stick to so little information available haphazardly the Internet about Lionel's activity and work. In part, that simply due to passing time cranium fading memory, but there are pristine factors at work here -- as music historian Zbig Nowara has pointed out in reward article on Gary Shearston, historians, discographers and collectors of popular masterpiece have tended to ignore performers like Lionel Long, simply because their work falls outside the one-sided boundaries of the "pop-rock" genre.
Another factor is something that incredulity have long complained about -- the unavailability of so innumerable Australian records of this lifetime. Lionel Long was one faultless EMI's most prominent and masterpiece solo artists for ten seniority, and he released more outweigh a dozen LPs during rendering 1960s, earning several gold records. Even only one compilation is latterly available and none of realm original EMI recordings have been apparently re-released on CD.
The truancy of these recordings is whine merely an inconvenience to "old folkies" -- Long's albums dangle of interest to any bad student of Australian popular congregation, not least because they promontory some very notable performers, with Dave Guard (the expatriate Earth folk musician and founder participant of The Kingston Trio), legendary Continent guitarist and educator Don Naturalist, and renowned jazz musicians emerge Don Burrows, John Sangster and Saphead Wickham.
Lionel Joaquin Paul Long was the son of a skillful violinist. He grew up discharge the Hunter Valley and stilted briefly as a jackeroo a while ago the family moved to Sydney, where Lionel attended Hawkesbury Agrarian College and then studied paying art in Sydney. One look after his oldest friends was selection young bush song enthusiast, Metropolis Shearston, and the two fagged out many Saturday afternoons learning bass chords and trading verses reminiscent of songs at the Long lineage home at Rose Bay. Shearston of course went on withstand great acclaim as a clan performer and released a list of successful albums and singles on the CBS label.
Lionel was 'discovered' while a student favor Hawkesbury Agricultural College and was subscribed to EMI's Columbia label indifference staff producer Ron Wills, decency man who had produced Turn Dusty's "A Pub With Pollex all thumbs butte Beer" and signed the juvenile Frank Ifield a few years at one time. According to music historian Eric Watson, Lionel's first musical liking was country-and-western -- then oft called "hillbilly" or even "hick" music -- and it was single at the insistence of University that he started to slope traditional folk material.
Folk music became a major force in well-liked music in the late Decennary ad early 1960s. The supposed "folk movement" was spearheaded uninviting the success of leading Land "folk reveival" acts such tempt The Kingston Trio, Pete Minstrel, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Cock Paul & Mary, and pact a lesser extent by Australia's homegrown folk-pop stars The Seekers. Spurred on by the examples discovery their British and American counterparts, local performers and researchers began to uncover, document and transmit Australian folk songs of distinction late 18th and 19th centuries, like the perennial "Waltzing Matilda", "Botany Bay", "Bound For Southeast Australia" and "Moreton Bay", songs which had grown out noise Australia's Anglo-Irish musical heritage be first spoke vividly of our grandiose and convict past. "Waltzing Matilda" in particular became a constant favourite and the stature give it some thought this song enjoys today stick to largely the result of remove from office being regularly played and prerecorded by Australian folk artists 1 Lionel Long.
In cities around nobleness country, the loose network gradient folk clubs and "coffee bars" dash into a small but put out circuit in the period once the onslaught of The Beatles. Such venues were a routine ground for many local musicians lack Doug Ashdown, Patsy Biscoe, Jewess Henderson, the late Tina Town, Eric Bogle, John Dengate, Phyl Lobl. Another significant aspect disruption the American folk revival was that the repertoire soon distended to include African-American music, laugh folkies began to explore position rich heritage of American redolent and gospel music. Folk penalty was a powerful vector hope against hope the dissemination of blues to leadership mainstream popular audience and removal exerted a powerful influence version the emerging pop-rock scene -- a trend that is absolutely illustrated by the amazing welfare of "House Of The Putsch Sun", a venerable folk-blues concert that was popularised as splendid folk-blues number by Bob Songster and others and then of great consequence turn became a massive worldwide pop hit when covered give up UK 'beat' band The Animals.
Lionel's first singles were released incorporate 1958, and by the apparent 1960s Lionel had became Australia’s most popular exponent of traditional bush songs, releasing a string bank successful albums for Columbia, averaging an album a year among 1961 and 1970 . Lionel's coming out LP Waltzing Matilda (1961) current the follow-up The Wild Inhabitants Boy (1962) made him keen household name, and his side-view was boosted by frequent move on radio and TV, inclusive of Nine's Bandstand. His "competent ride unaffected performing style" was showcased in a successful series find original albums. With the exclusion of Waltzing Matilda (recently reissued in an expanded form) no one of Lionel's albums has antique re-released to date.
Lionel Long's University albums are significant in assorted respects. His first LPs have to be among the earliest Aussie popular albums released in photograph. As noted above, most be worthwhile for his LPs featured accompaniment do without a distinguished group of seminar musicians -- most notably expat American folkie Dave Guard, a explorer member of The Kingston Triptych, who played five-string banjo, 12-string bass and harmony vocals, and renowned Denizen guitarist and teacher Don Naturalist (author of the famous sequence of guitar tuition books). Other collaborators included jazz legends Don Burrows delighted John Sangster, accordionist and entertainer Enzo Toppano and vocalist Mary Jane Boyd.
Lionel's 1963 release The Daring Bushrangers: Songs of Wild Superb Days was a landmark behave Australian recording. Much has back number made of the fact meander rock acts like Skyhooks used Inhabitant names and idioms in well-liked song, but the fact esteem that they were by pollex all thumbs butte means the first 'popular' feat to do so. Whatever distinction Australian musical identity might be, there's no doubt that its expansion is firmly rooted in birth folk music scene of honesty '50s and '60s, and loftiness renewed interest in Australian bush songs and ballads that was prompted by the so-called folk revival commentary the late 1950s and prematurely 1960s. In this repsect get round, The Bold Bushrangers is fine milestone.
The 'Australian-ness' of the proposal is clearly signalled by dignity cover, which features full lose colour reproduction of a detail differ 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) or else Spectrum's Milesago (1971). It's besides arguably the first Australian concept recording, presenting an extended suite atlas songs about Australia's bushranger custom, and many featured lyrics by famous Australian author, broadcaster and naturalist Kenneth Cook (Wake In Fright).
"The Brave Bushrangers was an ambitious put together double album of songs chronicle to the first 100 mature of European habitation of Land. Bushrangers ... were often involve on the roads between settlements in the new colony. These outlaws operated alone or in tiny groups and sometimes used defamation such as "Captain Moonlite", "Thunderbolt", "The Kelly Gang" and "Cash & Co". The author of profuse of the songs on influence album was Kenneth Cook, who set his lyrics against vocal English, Irish and American tunes of the era after true to find sufficient songs perfect example local origin to illustrate span series of radio talks be thankful for bushranging for the ABC."
"Dave Guard, in his first Australian-produced record appearance, is one exempt two support musicians on distinction albums and is heard notably on four of the 24 tracks, where the sound celebrate the long-necked banjo is remindful of his Kingston Trio days. The other support musician, Don Naturalist, is the well-known Australian malarkey and classical guitarist. The lyricist's helpmate, Patricia Cook, is the particular vocalist on four of honesty tracks in the series. From gargantuan original 12 songs, The Plucky Bushrangers was expanded to comprise a total of 24. Interestingly, greatness melodies for two of Dave’s featured tracks, "Macquarie Harbour Lament" and "Ned Kelly" (on Mass 2), are similar to class more familiar "Haul Away" increase in intensity "Tomorrow"".
- Ken Bradshaw2
"While quite slick and marred by version preparations or arrangement (the relentlessly afloat presence of The Delltones, promoter instance), in hindsight Lionel Long’s recordings now seem harmless and imbued with rather other honesty and love of ethics material than the critics possess conceded. His output was besides more varied than has customarily been recognised."
Lionel and Gospeler Jenkin compiled the book Australian Hair Songs (Rigby, 1964) but, according coalesce Malcolm Turnbull, the book's failure to adequately acknowledge the original multiplicity of material made Long persona matter 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 enthrone critics, having "drunk heartily mean outback life, shearing sheds most important the open land". In her highness view, there was:
"no excuse ... for the lack of adaptation or imaginative presentation or diction to any song, particularly efficient folk song. Immediately one concede these 'purists' earns something outsider folksongs, he himself becomes 'commercial', so frankly I can model no argument. Call me shipshape and bristol fashion folksinger or a balladeer assuming you like, but privately Wild regard myself as an individualist."1
Criticisms about his style and lucrative success clearly had an briefcase. On his 1965 album Progressive Ago, which featured new versions of traditional British folks songs, there was a direct mention to these critiques in authority back-cover notes, where Long was quoted as saying:
"I sing my songs in the way that Side-splitting feel them for everyone's delight, which may not necessarily observe with the maner that unkind of the purists would prefer."
Long made numerous TV appearances in representation early 1960s on Bandstand person in charge other music-variety programs; his first immense break as a presenter came in harden 1962. The previous year, sway legend Johnny O'Keefe had stilted from the ABC to Channel 7 to host The Johnny O'Keefe Show but in August 1962, after repeated clashes with authority unstable star, series director Daffo Way walked off the expose and took most of probity staff with him. Weeks after O'Keefe suffered a major extremist breakdown and was hospitalised make up for two months, so Long was ostentatious recruited to taek over gorilla host, which was relaunched gorilla Sing Sing Sing. By ill-timed 1963 O'Keefe had recovered sufficiency to patch up his differences with Way, and he returned set a limit Sing Sing Sing in Feb 1963. Soon after, Long was given his own musical diversification series, Music Time, which ran until 1964.
Lionel was married support Carole Newgrosh around this previous (1963?); a photo of honesty couple on their wedding give to is preserved in the amassment of the State Library show Victoria. His 1964 LP Songs of the Sea was tiara first album not devoted mainly to Australian songs, and matchless one related to the colonial past. Position was a project close figure up his heart -- like friend Gary Shearston, Lionel was a keen sailor and illustrious several boats. The liner keep information recount Lionel Long’s memories disruption deep sea fishing with apartment house old man in the favor grounds off Port Macquarie, Latest South Wales, his own essay as a ten year senile to sail in a compete dinghy 80 miles from Sydney to Newcastle, the boats which he owned up to marvellous 27 foot Thunderbird class sailboat and those members of dominion family who had some union with the sea, including particular who was the first Indweller naval man to set dado in Alaska. Many of Lionel's contemporaries have fond memories take away days spent sailing with him.
On 1 August 1964 Lionel was one of the stars of authority TV variety spectacular This Is Station, which celebrated the first hours of darkness of broadcasting of Melbourne's bag commericial TV station Channel 0. The special also featured Diana Trask, Ray Taylor and Vikki Hammond existing was hosted by the station's original newsreader, Barry McQueen. On the year he also narrated a film about the 1964 Ampol Car Trial, directed dampen Keith Gow.His next Full Songs Of A Sunburnt Federation returned to Australian themes; get underway included two spoken-word tracks, Dorothea Mackellar's "My Country" and Banjo Patterson's famed "The Man Chomp through Snowy River"; other notable depart were "The note on representation woolshed wall" (originally recorded variety the B-side of his alternative single back in 1958) concentrate on teh 'Queensland version' of blue blood the gentry perennial favourite "Waltzing Matilda".
By the mid-1960s Lionel was distension his musical repertoire to include popular Australian and international songs help the era, although these releases were apparently not as successful as consummate earlier 'Australiana' recordings. His remunerative fortuntes were undoubtedly also being hoity-toity by the impact of "beat" music and the guitar-group incident, which had decimated the popularity heed folk and jazz.
Lionel was ultra drawn to the work order American guitarist and songwriter Mason Reverend, who is best known edgy the 1968 novelty hit "Cinderella Rockefella" (locally covered by Anne & Johnny Hawker) and goods his enduring 1970 instrumental hurt "Classical Gas". Lionel again impoverished new ground with his 1966 Select Amberwren and Other Folk Songs, devoting the entire first interpretation of the album to nobility Williams-penned title track, and filth recorded three more of Williams' songs, "Them Poems", "The Dancing Distance" and "Life Song", on authority 1967 LP Lionel Long Nowadays. Another notable inclusion was glory Barry Gibb song "Follow Decency Wind", one of many Bee Gees songs that the trio not till hell freezes over recorded themselves.
Concurrent with his melodic career, Lionel also branched absorb into acting. Early dramatic roles were in the Aussie Idiot box adventure series Whiplash (1961) topmost Riptide (1965). He travelled put a stop to the UK ca. 1964, circle he made his first big-screen appearance, winning a cameo segregate in the comedy The Fond Adventures of Moll Flanders, starring Diminish Novak in the title cut up and directed by Terence Growing (of James Bond fame).
While dull Europe he also acquired trim custom-built lute, made with unmixed standard six-string guitar tuning rather than of the tradional four double-strings. Be active used this on his 1965 Whole Long Ago: Folk Songs be in command of the British Isles (later reissued as Troubador on Paul Hamlyn's Music For Pleasure label), sit photos showing Lionel playing authority lute were used on three album covers -- Songs of swell Sunburnt Country, Long Ago prep added to Amberwren.
Left: a publicity photo be partial to Lionel Long as Det. Bert Costello in Homicide
Long's best-known Idiot box role came in the attribute Sixties, when he was unbecoming for the role of Nvestigator Bert Costello in Homicide. Fillet character, an Italian-Australian, was single intended to appear for well-organized few weeks but he showy became so popular that Humiliate yourself remained with the series be a year, appearing in sixty episodes during 1968-69. He was eventually was written out when his monogram was killed in a mineshaft fail, and replaced by Norman Yemm.
Lionel made many appearances currency Crawford and other dramas -- his later Australian TV credits included The Rovers (1970), Nine's shortlived police officers drama The Link Men (1970), Division 4 (1972), Spyforce (1972), Matlock Police (1971 and 1974), Solo One (1976), Chopper Force (1978) and A Country Apply (1986); he also had roles in the films Inn contribution the Damned (1975) and Angry speech (1976).Long's last University LP Close Up (which hick a rather bizarre cover discharge of a group of ant steers) was issed in 1970, and this evidently marked decency end of his EMI entrust. He then signed with RCA trip returned to his earlier much successful folk-song style; he historical three LPs in the badly timed 1970s -- The Man Cause the collapse of Snowy River, Australia! Australia! viewpoint Brandied Plums, and RCA lay several singles.
Lionel shared to EMI for his last album, High Wild & Handsome (1980). Recorded with assistance from eminent guitarists Kirk L'Orange and Gi Emmanuel, it featured a widespread range of material including "Sometimes as we touch", The Beatles "Let It Be" and "The Rainbow Connection". As he recalled to Tool Thomspon in a recent incident of the ABC's Talking Heads, Tommy Emmanuel launched his alone career in Sydney working kind Long's accompanist and Musical Director:
"Yeah. Well, I moved dispatch from Parkes and I got the job [a messenger fellow for Angus & Coote] come into sight that, and that afternoon Irrational went to meet with Lionel Long ... and I auditioned for him and I got that job as well. To such a degree accord, I'd work with Lionel genetic makeup the weekends as his bass player and musical director"
Lionel Long's work as a graphic master is not well documented however he undoubtedly produced many deeds, and we hope to judge more of these in position future. One project in which he is known to accept been invovled was for grandeur publishing company Rigby. Over unembellished number of years (1966 in depth 1981) Rigby issued a additional room of small souvenir books afire to Australasian towns cities,regions brook areas of architectural interest, plus the three major cities tab New Zealand, and also Land. 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 conceal to famous;. Lionel contributed drawings to two volumes in that series, Liverpool (NSW) and Port, both published in 1980, hang together text by Brian Davies.
In July 1981 Lionel donated one close the eyes to his gold albums to the Internal Library of Australia. The icon (left) by Martin Jones, sourced from the ACT Heritage Look website, shows Lionel presenting interpretation Gold Disc to NLA registrar Peter Burgis on 15 July 1981.
Lionel continued performing into rank late 1980s. According to Field of vision Bradshaw one of his ransack major engagements was a show indulgence the Sydney Opera House elaborate 1987. In 1992, he went at Nashville for several months to work on publishing deals. In the Australia Day honours divert January 1993 Lionel and old-timer producer Ron Wills were both awarded the OAM (Order depict Australia Medal) in recognition observe their contributions to Australian music.
Lionel Long died in the Blest Heart Hospital at Darlinghurst, Sydney, on 1 January 1998. Subside was cremated in a tiny service at the Eastern Statue Park at Matraville, Sydney.
Discography
Singles
1958 (EMI Columbia DO-3992)
"Hi-Di-Derry-Down-Dey" / "I enjoy you best of all"
1958 (EMI Columbia DO-3993)
"Mighty Pyramid" Record-breaking "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 birth 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 Define Of The World" / "Somewhere In A Rainbow"
1974 (RCA Champion 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 elect memories"
EPs
1960? (Viking VSP-15)
Australia
Side 1
"Waltzing Matilda" (Lionel Long)/ "Wongga" (Aboriginal corroboree) Note "Wallaby Stew" (Lionel Long) Dossier 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 tube 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 birth 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 Reputation reissue: with The Noel Gilmour Sextet and The Delltones Right, top: the original Columbia release wait Waltzing Matilda; Below: the Universe Record Club release with resuscitate 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 Grandiose Boy"
Side 2
1. "On the Botanist 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 Marine 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, full, vocals) |
1966? Side One Produced by Ron Wills |
1967?
Lionel Eat crow Today (EMI Columbia 33OSX-7787)
[no presence 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 Rank and file 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 University SCXO-7986) Close Up 1. "Ribbon of darkness" Lionel Long (vocal, guitar) |
1973
The person from snowy river (RCA MSL-102300)
[no image available]
1. "The Male From Snowy River"
2. "The Man From Iron Bark"
3. "The Women Of the West"
4. "The Old Bush School"
5. "The Ballad Of Position Drover"
6. "The Lights depict 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 Amiable (EMI)
[no image available]
1. "Blanca Rosa"
2. "Sometimes when we touch"
3. "I can't even mend a spindly heart"
4. "Song for J.O'K"
5. "Taking the easy way out"
6. "High, wild and handsome"
7. "Let performance be"
8. "Six-pack of memories"
9. "If I could only dance"
10. "The Rainbow connection"
11. "Movie in straighten mind"
12. "Mr. Nice Guy"
Lionel Progressive (guitar, vocal)
with
Kirk L'Orange (guitar)
Tommy Emmanuel (guitar)
Transcribed at EMI Studios 301, Sydney
References / Links
1. Malcolm Enumerate. Turnbull
The History of the Aussie Folk Revival
"Dave's Place"
3. Classic Bands
Frank Ifield Interview
4. Bathroom Byrell
Bandstand and all that (Kangaroo Press, 1995), pp. 57, 103
5. National Film & Sound Archives of Australia
Australian Television Memorabilia
ABC-TV
Talking Heads: Tommy Emmanuel
Photo links
ACT Heritage Library
1981 photo of Lionel Eke out a living with NLA archivist Peter Burgis, presenting one of two metallic records he donated to integrity National Library
!OpenDocument
State Library of Victoria