Ruby Hunter

Ruby Hunter
200px Ruby Hunter (left) with partner Archie Roach at the 2009 Tamworth Country Music Festival
Background information
Born	(1955-10-31)31 October 1955 Ngarrindjeri lands, South Australia, Australia
Died
Genres	Folk, blues, roots
Instruments	Vocals, guitar
Associated acts	Archie Roach, Amos Roach, Wesley Brigham

Ruby Charlotte Margaret Hunter (31 October 1955 – 17 February 2010) was an Australian singer, songwriter and guitarist. She was a member of the Ngarrindjeri Aboriginal nationality, and often performed with her partner, Archie Roach, (AM), whom she met at the age of 16, while both were homeless teenagers. Born on the banks of the Murray River in South Australia, Hunter was forcibly taken from her family at the age of eight as part of the Stolen Generation.

Hunter first performed in public in 1988 during a festival at Sydney's Bondi Pavilion in Sydney, where she performed "Proud, Proud Woman," the first song she had written. In 2010, she wrote the autobiographical Down City Streets, which was performed by her partner Archie Roach on his debut solo album Charcoal Lane. In 1994, Hunter became the first indigenous Australian woman to record a solo album, releasing her debut album Thoughts Within.

Awards

She received two ARIA Award nominations, for Best Indigenous Release for Thoughts Within in 1995, and Best Blues & Roots Album for Feeling Good in 2000, respectively.

Hunter won Deadlys in 2000 for Female Artist of the Year, 2003 for Outstanding Contribution to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Music and 2004 for Excellence in Film & Theatrical Score. She made her acting debut in One Night the Moon. With Archie Roach and Paul Grabowsky she wrote and performed the concert "Ruby's Story", which tells her life story through song and spoken word.

Author

Hunter was the author of Butcher paper, texta, black board and chalk, a children's song-book which features Aboriginal songs about land, health and life. Many of the songs were written through song writing and music workshops held by Hunter and Archie Roach with children across Cape York, Queensland.

In 2005, Hunter was invited by Deborah Conway to take part in the Broad Festival project, with three other Australian female artists, they performed their own and each other's songs. With Hunter and Conway were Sara Storer, Katie Noonan and Clare Bowditch.

Personal life

Ruby Hunter died of a heart attack on 17 February 2010, aged 54. Her partner Archie Roach established "Ruby's Foundation" to continue her legacy. The foundation is dedicated to creating opportunities for Aboriginal people through the promotion, celebration and support of Aboriginal arts and culture.

Discography

Albums

• Koorie with Archie Roach & Wayne Thorpe – (1989)
• Thoughts Within – Mushroom (MUSH32309.2) (1994)
• Feeling Good – Mushroom (MUSH332672) (21 January 2000)
• Ruby with Archie Roach, Australian Art Orchestra & Paul Grabowsky – Australian Art Orchestra (AAO16) (2005)

Contributing artist

• The Rough Guide to Australian Aboriginal Music (1999, World Music Network)

External links

• Pioneer singer Ruby Hunter dies
• ABC Queensland Musicians Ruby Hunter and Archie Roach
• Ruby Hunter on MySpace
• Ruby Hunter's Discography