One of Australia’s greatest singer songwriters, Indigenous artist Archie Roach, has died at age 66.
Archie’s name can be used in full for this story. His sons Amos and Eban Roach, have given permission for Archie’s name, image and music to be used, so that his legacy will continue to inspire.
Archie was a Gunditjmara (Kirrae Whurrong/Djab Wurrung) and Bundjalung senior elder, songman and storyteller. His partner Ruby Hunter passed in 2010.
Archie Roach will be remembered for his lifelong work in speaking out for “the Stolen Generations”, the stain on Australian society that the Liberal Party even today fails to acknowledge.
Archie wrote his first song’ Took The Children Away’ in 1988 to tell the story of the Stolen Generations.
In 1990 he released his first album ‘Charcoal Lane’. The album received two ARIA Awards.
Arhcie Roach was honored in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list of 2015 and received the Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for his services to music and work in social justice. In 2020 he was name Victoria Australian of the Year.
Archie Roach has won eight ARIA Awards, one APRA Award, an award from the Australia Arts Council, eight Deadly Awards, one J Award, two Mo Awards, one Music Victoria Award, a Dreamtime Award, and four National Indigenous Music Awards (NIMAs).
Archie died at Warrnambool Base Hospital 30 July 2022.
In a statement Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said, “Our country has lost a brilliant talent, a powerful and prolific national truth teller.
Archie’s music drew from a well of trauma and pain, but it flowed with a beauty and a resonance that moved us all.
We grieve for his death, we honour his life and we hold to the hope that his words, his music and his indomitable spirit will live on to guide us and inspire us”.
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