Bullamakanka

A leading Australian country band, Bullamakanka was formed in 1978 on the country’s Gold Coast by Ray Young (b. Vale Ray Young, 3 January 1952, d. 7 March 2004), Dave Ovenden and Rex Radonich (d. 1986). Starting out as a part-time trio, the band toured extensively and their distinctive melding of Australian bush music with American bluegrass gained them a large following. By the early 80s the band was touring full time and extending their audience across musical boundaries. When Young opted not to tour so much following Radonich’s death in a car accident, Rod McCormack joined the band. Others who have played with Bullamakanka, sometimes just on record, sometimes as full band members, include Jeff McCormack, Russell Hinton, Stewart Watson, Mal Clark and Jimmy Duke-Younge. The band’s hit single, ‘Home Amongst The Gum Trees’, brought them a considerable measure of crossover success.