Published 1 November 2019
The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA) is celebrating musician Archie Roach with the release of a new online-only exhibition, titled Archie Roach: His Story in Song, now available on the NFSA website: https://www.nfsa.gov.au/archieroach.
The online exhibition coincides with the release of the artist’s memoir Tell Me Why and its companion album, as well as last week’s naming of Roach as 2020 Victorian Australian of the Year. He will represent the state at next year’s Australia Day awards.
Archie Roach said: ‘I'm honoured that the NFSA has created this exhibition on my career. I really hope you enjoy what we present and you're able to take something from this story about my life - our life. You can check it out at the NFSA website.’
Archie Roach's powerful songs tell his story of heartbreaking loss, love and healing through music. He is a Gunditjmara and Bundjalung man, born in Mooroopna, Victoria in 1956.
A musician, author and human rights campaigner, Archie is also a member of the Stolen Generations. He was forcibly separated from his family when he was two years old, placed into foster care and told he was an orphan.
The exhibition explores Archie's life and musical history – from falling in love with gospel and country music, surviving homelessness and alcoholism, to recording his ARIA award-winning debut album Charcoal Lane (1990), and his subsequent career right up to his latest songs.
Highlights from Archie Roach: His Story in Song include:
- A new exclusive interview with Roach, reflecting on the story told in the exhibition.
- Never-before-seen home movies donated by Roach to the NFSA – including one featuring him and his late wife Ruby Hunter singing Watching Over Me in their living room.
- Performances covering 40 years in music, including duets with Kutcha Edwards’ Carpool Koorioke, and duets with Jimmy Barnes and Tim Rogers.
- A rare Japanese story about Archie Roach from 1995, and a 2008 Beijing Olympic Games commercial for Coca-Cola commercial featuring his music.
Extra content is also available on the NFSA website, in a curated collection dedicated to his relationship with Ruby Hunter: https://www.nfsa.gov.au/collection/curated/archie-roach-and-ruby-hunter, and another dedicated to his music: https://www.nfsa.gov.au/collection/curated/archie-roach-collection
For more information please contact NFSA Senior Manager Communications Miguel Gonzalez, 0404 281 632 or miguel.gonzalez@nfsa.gov.au.
