AUSTRALIAN SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR TONY KING USING MUSIC TO BUILD WELLS IN ETHIOPIA
November 4th, 2009 Sydney, NSW Australia.
The Australian Songwriters Association just crowned Tony King Australian Songwriter of the Year.
King also won an unprecedented 3 awards taking out Best Song in the Open and Folk/Acoustic categories as well as the award for Best Lyrics. The somewhat eccentric songwriter has also found a way using music to turn “Wine into Water” and build water wells in Ethiopia. More of that dyslexic miracle later.
He has written songs with Andrew Strong, the singer of “Commitments” fame, and toured as his lead guitarist. He was also a scriptwriter for the radio comedy series “How Green Was My Cactus” now in its 23rd year of political satire. In 1991 he won an ARIA award for the highest selling single with “Read my Lips” He also found time to compose 13 animated Film scores for Burbank animation
Kings resumé reads like someone with multiple personality disorder.
Despite his list of achievements he is most passionate about his “Wine into Water” project.
He composed a unique album made entirely from sounds of “Wine” ie Tuned Wine Glasses, Bottles, Barrels, Corks etc. He painstakingly recorded the sounds and used them as the orchestra.
When it was released, the album of beautiful ethereal music was voted the most popularly requested music on ABC Classic FM.
Upon hearing about the plight of Ethiopians who were dying from contaminated water, or lack of it, King decided to donate all the proceeds of his Wine Music album to go to building wells.
“There is abundant water but it is metres underground and the villagers have no means of getting to it without the right equipment and resources. Hence the “Wine into Water” project was born.
He teamed up with an organization called the Wellwishers who actually build the wells and he helps them raise money. “One well makes life possible for 650 villagers, who are trained to maintain them so they are not dependent on outside help to keep them going. There is nothing more satisfying than seeing music literally make a difference to peoples lives”
If you wish to hear King’s Wine Music album or make a donation, visit www.winemusic.biz
King and his partner Kris Ralph are based between Sydney and the south Coast of NSW Australia, where they have an Acoustic Folk/Jazz band called Beautifully Mad
His Award winning songs can be heard at www.beautifullymad.com
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