Harry and Wilga Williams facts for kids

Harry "Buck" Williams (born in 1927, died in 1991) and Wilga Munro (born in the early 1940s) were famous Aboriginal Australian musicians. They were known as Harry and Wilga Williams. They played Australian country music from the 1960s to the 1980s. They also formed a band called the Country Outcasts. Sometimes the band was called Harry Williams and the Country Outcasts.

Harry Williams' Story

Harry "Buck" Williams was born on August 16, 1927. He was born at the Erambie Mission near Cowra, New South Wales. His father, "Knocker" Williams, ran a traveling tent show. Harry played music in this show. His brother, Claude "Candy" Williams, was also a musician.

When Harry was in his 20s, he started playing music with Alan Saunders.

Harry also worked as an actor. He appeared in films and on TV. One film was Black Fire (1972). This film is believed to be the first movie made by an Indigenous Australian director. He also appeared in the TV show Matlock.

People called Harry Williams the "godfather of Koori country music". "Koori" is a term used by some Aboriginal people in New South Wales and Victoria.

Harry's oldest son, Bertie Williams, helped start the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in 1972. This was a protest for Aboriginal rights.

Harry Williams passed away in 1991. He died under the same tree where he was born.

Wilga Munro's Story

Wilga Munro was born in Tamworth, New South Wales. This was either in 1940 or 1943. She came from a very musical family. She had four brothers and two sisters.

Stories say she was named after a wild orange tree. This was the tree she was born under. Her father taught her to play the button accordion and piano accordion. She learned to play the guitar when she was about 12 or 13.

Wilga learned music by listening. She practiced by performing at family events and in church. Her favorite singers were Patsy Cline and Jean Shepard.

Wilga was also a talented athlete. She played netball for the Tamworth team. She also coached junior rugby and netball. She played basketball too.

At age 19, she joined the Royal Australian Air Force. She served from 1959 to the early 1960s. After that, she returned to Tamworth and started performing music.

In 1963, Wilga moved to Newcastle, New South Wales. She met Harry Williams at a friend's house. She was 23 years old at the time.

Their Joint Music Career

When Harry and Wilga met in 1963, Harry was looking for a female singer. He needed one for his band, The Tjuringas. "Tjuringa" means a sacred object. He heard Wilga sing and asked her to join the band. He taught her to play the bass guitar.

Harry and Wilga started performing together in The Tjuringas around Newcastle in 1971. Other band members included Alan Saunders and Keith Saunders. Later, Harry and Wilga began performing as a duo.

In 1972, Harry and Wilga moved to Mooroopna, Victoria. They formed the Country Outcasts band in Melbourne. Ian "Ocker" McKie and Harry's son Bert Williams joined them. The band often played at the Grandview Hotel in Fairfield during the 1970s.

Their first song recorded by the Country Outcasts was "Nullarbor Prayer". Eric Onus wrote and narrated this song. It was included on their first album.

They toured all over Australia and New Guinea. They released two full-length albums. Many young artists joined the Country Outcasts over the years. So, the band's lineup often changed. Some other members included Ray "Buster" Thomas and Bill Brunswick. Also Debbie Williams, Ian "Ocker" McKie, and Carole Fraser. Ian "Bear" Johnson and his sisters Roslyn and Janice Johnson also played. Henry Thorpe, Laurie Ingram, Claude "Candy" Williams (Harry's brother), Mac Silva, and Auriel Andrew were also members.

The band played at many country music festivals. This included the Wandong Country Music Festival in 1975. They also performed as part of the "All Aboriginal" Spectacular Show in Tamworth in 1995. In 1978, they played at the Sydney Opera House. In 1980, they performed at the Myer Music Bowl in Melbourne. They also played at the Adelaide Festival Theatre.

Other Important Work

In 1972, Harry and his son Bertie appeared in Black Fire. This film was directed by Bruce McGuinness. It is believed to be the first film directed by an Indigenous Australian person.

Harry and Wilga Williams helped start the first National Aboriginal Country Music Festival. This was held in Canberra in 1976. They also helped with a country music radio show. It was called Country Music Shindig on Melbourne Community Radio Station 3CR.

In 1977, Film Australia made a documentary film about them. It was called Country Outcasts. The film followed Harry, Wilga, Gus Williams, Malcolm "Mac" Silva, and Auriel Andrew. They toured Aboriginal communities in central Australia. They performed in places like Alice Springs, Hermannsburg, Papunya, and Yuendumu.

In 1978, Reg Poole, Merv Lowry, and Denis Payne created the Checkerboard Country Road Show. Their goal was for black and white Australians to work together. Harry and Wilga joined this group. In 1980, it became Checkerboard Promotions.

They moved to Canberra in 1981. From there, they kept organizing their performances. They also ran talent contests. These contests helped encourage young Aboriginal musicians.

After Harry passed away in 1991, Wilga continued to perform. She played at special events, like the Deadly Awards. She also performed for health promotion events.

Awards and Recognition

Harry and Wilga were sometimes called the "godfather and godmother of Koori country music". Clinton Walker drew a picture of them for his book Buried Country.

The band won awards at the Mooroopna Festival. Harry won Best Male Vocalist. He also shared the Best Songwriter award.

In 1981, Harry and Wilga were honored in the Country Music Hands of Fame in Tamworth. This is like a hall of fame for country music artists.

Wilga was also recognized in Clinton Walker's 2018 book Deadly Women Blues. This book was about black women in Australian music. It included an illustration of both Harry and Wilga.

Discography

• "Home-Made Didgeridoo"/Arnhem Land Lullaby" (1974)
• "Nullarbor Prayer" (1975)
• Harry Williams and the Country Outcasts (1979, RCA)
• Harry & Wilga Williams and the Country Outcasts (August 1981, Hadley)