Russell Smith is a Pitjantjatjara man from Port Augusta. He has spent much of his life in Melbourne and now resides on Tamborine Mountain in Queensland with his wife and two young children. Rusty’s music career has taken him around Australia and to all parts of the globe, working with some of the world’s most recognised musicians. As a founding member of The Brolga Boys in 1996 he created one of the most iconic Indigenous bands in Australia.
BROLGA's unique music blend, brings together rock, blues, funk and Indigenous sounds and rhythms. The band's timeless songs, developed live, have been refined over decades. The core members are a diverse mixture of indigenous and non-indigenous players, all musical leaders and teachers in their communities. Lead by Russell ‘Rusty’ Smith and featuring some of Melbourne’s most celebrated musicians including Dave Mudie and Bones Slone (Courtney Barnett Band), Phil Ceberano and Matty Vehl, BROLGA is a testament to the power of music embracing diverse cultures to deliver a unified and original voice. This one Melbourne show in the iconic Gershwin Room will be the launch for their first single ‘Always’, an acknowledgement of our First Nations as the custodians of Country and serves as a new Australian anthem for us all to embrace.
Rusty is well known for his didgeridoo, guitar and vocal contributions to performances and recordings by Rodriguez, Paul Kelly, Archie Roach, Amy Shark, Tommy Emmanuel and composers Peter Sculthorpe and Rupert Gregson-Williams.
The original members Rusty, Dave Mudie (Courtney Barnett) and Benny James have reunited to record a new album with some of their favourite musicians. With a swag of new songs from three years apart, and all the life experience that entails, the new and more inclusively named BROLGA are back and there is a real buzz!
This one Melbourne show in the iconic Esplanade Hotel’s Gershwin Room will be the launch for the single ‘Always’, an acknowledgement of our First Nations people as custodians of Country and a new Australian anthem we can all embrace.