DAVE'S DIARY - 17 NOVEMBER 2004 - SUZIE DICKINSON
SURVIVOR SUZIE
 Suzie Dickinson with Band |
When Suzie
Dickinson fronts at the Bush Inn, West Toorak, on Saturday December 11
for the 10th Nu Country Christmas party she won't need a compass.
She shares the bill with Louie & The Flies, bluegrass band Barnlaid
and former Nu Country DJ Nipper Mack & Very Handsome Men.
Suzie has done what few others have in the Australian country music scene
- she has survived a career spanning 27 years.
Suzie has supplemented her singing career with regular employment as a
vocal coach for aspiring singers.
The singer straddled bush, country and folk rock in the eighties.
She fronted Banshee - a popular Irish and country folk group - formed
with Roger Corbett of The Bushwackers.
They frequently appeared on folk and country festivals and were featured
on national TV on the late Skyhooks singer Shirley Strachan's show Shirl's
Neighbourhood.
She won two Free Entertainment In The Park TAGG awards for most popular
female vocalist and female folk musician.
Suzie also fronted the Cisco Kids and performed with P.C Caulton &
The Pick-Ups on the famed Spurs Cowboy bar circuit in Moorabbin, Campbellfield,
Canberra and Geelong.
GOANNA
Suzie also
joined the Howard siblings Shane and Marcia and Rose Bygrave in chart
topping Goanna when Solid Rock was a #1 hit.
"I'm there on the new DVD re-release of the Stop The Drop Concert
at Myer Music Bowl with Midnight Oil and Redgum," Suzie recently
revealed.
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From
1993-96 she fronted Suzie Dickinson and The Cutters who played a one
year residency at the Clifton Hill Hotel and also guested at The Esplanade
and Newmarket Hotels in St Kilda. Among her band members were drummer Stefan Fidock from The Reels and Lisa Miller band, former Captain Matchbox bassist Dave Flett and John Bone - fiddle and keyboard. Bone was the first violinist Queensland Philharmonic Orchestra and played in a brace of Queensland country bands. |
COWBOYS COME IN FROM THE COLD
Former Daddy
Cool guitarist Ross Hannaford has played in many of Suzie's bands and
was a guest on the Cowboys Come In From The Cold showcase at The Palace
in St Kilda.
Suzie also won two ASA National Songwriters Awards for Best Pop Song and
Best Country Ballad for her original songs Straight From The Heart
and We Live Apart.
She reformed Banshee from 1996 - 2000 and played an eclectic mix of Irish,
country and folk music with a band including: -
Michael Harris - fiddle, mandolin of Bushwackers and Whirling Furphies.
Tom McEwan - drums and vocals.
Paul Baxter - bass - The Varmints and The Bullets
Hugh McDonald - fiddle and guitar - Redgum and The Sundowners.
SUZIE DICKINSON & THE HUMMINGIBIRDS
Suzie formed
the Hummingbirds in 2003 to play a diverse selection of country and other
roots music.
Among her band members are:
Co Tipping - Guitar and Lap steel The Lowriders, Big Whiskey and many
more.
Ron Mahony - Drums - Brent Parlane, Broken Spoke and many more.
Dave Flett - Bass
They work the inner city pub circuit and scored airplay on RRR, PBS and
3CR.
Suzie is also working in a trio with Ross Hannaford on the suburban circuit.