Liam Bradley (musician) facts for kids

Liam Bradley was an Australian musician and composer. He was born in Melbourne in 1943.

Growing Up as a Musician

Liam grew up in a family full of musicians. His father, Kevin, and his uncles Reg, Leo, and Charles, were all musicians in Melbourne. His cousin, Desmond Bradley, was a talented violinist. Desmond even went to Paris at 14 to study with a famous teacher named George Enescu. Desmond also played music with other well-known violinists like Yehudi Menuhin and his sister Hephzibah Menuhin when they visited Australia.

When Liam was 10, his family moved from Melbourne to Belgrave. This town is in the beautiful Dandenongs area. Many artists and musicians were friends with Liam's family. This included Justus Jorgensen, who started an artist colony called Montsalvat. The sculptor William Ricketts was also a family friend. This creative environment helped Liam become a successful violinist and later a composer.

Liam knew that a music career might not always provide a steady income. So, he decided to learn another skill. He trained to be a radiographer at St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne. He finished his training and became a radiographer at 18. As a young adult, Liam also played in several early Melbourne bands, including The Gingerbread Revue.

Music for Television

Liam Bradley is well-known for the music he wrote for the TV show A River Somewhere. This show was made by Working Dog Productions and shown on ABC, Australia.

A River Somewhere was an adventure travel series with 13 episodes. It was produced between 1997 and 1998. In each episode, Rob Sitch and Tom Gleisner traveled the world. They looked for rivers and waterways where they could catch fish for dinner. Then, they would have their catch cooked in the local style. Liam Bradley composed all the music for every episode of the series. The music from the show was also released on a CD. Throughout his life, Liam continued to write music for other documentaries and for advertisements.

Later Life and Passing

Liam Bradley passed away on January 30, 2024. He died in his hometown of Mansfield, Victoria. He had worked there as a radiographer for 30 years.