Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu
Gurrumul in November 2012
Background information
Born	(1971-01-22)22 January 1971 Elcho Island, Northern Territory, Australia
Died	25 July 2017(2017-07-25) (aged 46) Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
Genres	Folk world
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter musician
Instruments	Vocals guitar drums keyboards didgeridoo
Years active	1986–2017
Labels	Skinnyfish Music
Associated acts	Yothu Yindi Saltwater Band

Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu (born January 22, 1971 – died July 25, 2017) was an amazing Aboriginal Australian musician. Most people knew him as Gurrumul. After he passed away, he was also called Dr G. Yunupingu.

Gurrumul was from the Yolŋu people. He could play many instruments, like drums, keyboards, guitar, and the didgeridoo. But it was his clear and beautiful singing voice that everyone loved most. He sang stories about his homeland in both Yolŋu languages and English.

Before his successful solo career, he was part of two bands: Yothu Yindi and later Saltwater Band. He became the most successful Aboriginal Australian musician of his time. By 2020, it's thought that he sold half a million records around the world.

Gurrumul's Life and Music Journey

Growing Up (1971–1989)

Gurrumul was born blind on Elcho Island in 1971. This island is off the coast of Arnhem Land in northern Australia. He was the first of four sons.

When he was just four years old, he taught himself to play a toy piano and an accordion. A year later, he started playing the guitar. Even though he was left-handed, he played a right-handed guitar upside down. He kept playing this way his whole life!

His friend and helper, Michael Hohnen, said that Gurrumul learned music from his family. He learned lullabies from his aunties and grandmothers. He learned ceremony songs and stories from his uncles and grandfathers. He used tin cans, sticks, toy keyboards, and guitars to make music. He also learned to play clap sticks (bilma) and didgeridoos (yidaki).

Gurrumul also sang hymns in the church choir. He liked Western pop music too, especially Dire Straits and Stevie Wonder. He was an active child and learned to play basketball and ride a bike. He left school at age 12. He went to Shepherdson College and briefly to a school in Geelong to learn Braille, but he wasn't interested in it.

His Music Career (1989–2017)

Gurrumul playing at the West Coast Blues & Roots Festival in 2011.

In 1989, when he was 18, Gurrumul joined the famous band Yothu Yindi. He played many instruments and sang backing vocals. He helped with their 1991 album, Tribal Voice.

In 1995, he left the band to live full-time on Elcho Island. Later, he helped start the Saltwater Band, which played music from 1999 to 2009.

His first solo album, Gurrumul, came out in 2008. It quickly became very popular in Australia. It reached number 3 on the ARIA Charts and sold triple platinum. Michael Hohnen, his friend, produced the album and helped him communicate.

Music critics loved his voice, calling it "transcendental beauty." Famous musicians like Elton John, Sting, and Björk were big fans. Gurrumul shared most of the money he earned with his family. This followed an Aboriginal tradition of sharing wealth.

He usually didn't do interviews himself. Instead, Michael Hohnen spoke for him. This was part of a Yolŋu custom where Gurrumul's job was to sing, and his elders spoke publicly. In a 2009 interview, Gurrumul said he was shy but felt more comfortable playing music. He explained, "I don't have much to say to people when I talk. That is for other Yolŋu. But I can play and sing and tell people things through my songs."

Awards and Recognition

In 2008, Gurrumul was nominated for four ARIA Awards. He won awards for Best World Music Album and Best Independent Release. He also won three Deadlys for Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, and Single of the Year.

In 2009, he won more awards at the Australian Independent Record (AIR) Awards. A painting of Gurrumul by Guy Maestri also won Australia's top art prize, the Archibald Prize.

He won another AIR Award in 2011 for his album Rrakala. At the ARIA Music Awards of 2011, he won Best World Music Album. He performed the song "Warwu" with Missy Higgins playing piano.

In 2012, Gurrumul sang on the song "Sing" for Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee. This song featured artists from all over the Commonwealth. He performed "Sing" live at the Diamond Jubilee Concert. The University of Sydney also gave him an honorary music degree.

In 2013, Gurrumul performed "Bayini" with Delta Goodrem on The Voice Australia. Later that year, he released a live album called His Life and Music. It was recorded at the Sydney Opera House. "Bayini" became the first song by an Indigenous musician to reach the top five on the Australian charts.

In 2015, Gurrumul toured the United States. He released his third studio album, The Gospel Album, which reached number 3 on the ARIA Charts. In October 2015, this album won him another ARIA Award for Best World Music Album. In 2016, he was featured on the A.B. Original song "Take Me Home."

His Passing (2017)

Gurrumul passed away at the Royal Darwin Hospital on July 25, 2017, at age 46. He had been dealing with health issues for many years.

After his death, many people spoke about how important he was. He helped bring people together and was a strong voice for Indigenous Australians. The Australian Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, and other musicians shared their sadness and tributes.

After His Death (2018–Present)

In April 2018, Gurrumul's fourth album, Djarimirri (Child of the Rainbow), was released. It took four years to make and was finished by his producer, Michael Hohnen. A documentary film about him, called Gurrumul, also came out.

The album won four ARIA Music Awards in 2018. His daughter, Jasmin, accepted the award for Best Male Artist for him.

In 2020, Decca Records gained the rights to Gurrumul's music. They announced plans for new releases, including special vinyl records and collaborations. In December 2020, Rolling Stone Australia magazine listed him as number 33 in their "50 Greatest Australian Artists of All Time."

In September 2021, his first collection of songs, The Gurrumul Story, was released. Also in 2021, a new species of frog from the Wessel Islands in the Northern Territory was named Uperoleia gurrumuli (Gurrumul's toadlet) to honor him.

Gurrumul's Music Albums

Studio Albums

Live Albums

Compilation Albums

Awards and Nominations

Gurrumul won many awards for his music. Here are some of the main ones:

AIR Awards

The Australian Independent Record (AIR) Awards celebrate independent music in Australia.

APRA Awards

The APRA Awards honor Australian composers and songwriters.

ARIA Music Awards

The ARIA Music Awards are Australia's biggest music awards. Gurrumul won 9 awards from 21 nominations!

Australian Music Prize

The Australian Music Prize (AMP) gives $30,000 to an Australian artist for the best album of the year.

J Award

The J Awards are Australian music awards from the radio station Triple J.

Helpmann Awards

The Helpmann Awards celebrate live entertainment and performing arts in Australia.

National Indigenous Music Awards

These awards celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander musicians in Australia.

See also

In Spanish: Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu para niños