Mike Martin
Mike Martin, collected, arranged, transcribed some of the Australian tunes in this archive.
Mike Martin (1953- ) is a boomer, who started life in England and traveled the world with his Anglo Concertina and Resonator Tenor Guitar. Through his travels he found his way to Australia and stayed. He has earned a living from shearing, driving busses, busking and built his home at Candelo on the South Coast of NSW.
A singer and songwriter and musician of recognized ability; Mike was crowned as Australian National Busking Champion in 2012. He brings a seasoned buskers approach to his muse; observe, find a place to stand, play/sing, put a considered view, move on and don't trouble too much with the negatives. His songs tend to reflect the tales and stories of his experience.
Mike's passion for traditional Australian bush music, its' roots and history is noteworthy. He is a respected collector of Australian traditional dance music which he has spent many years recording, preserving, promoting and performing. While living in Bathurst, NSW in the mid 1980s he met and interviewed Joe Yates. Mike transcribed these tunes and published them as the, "Collected Tunes From Joe Yates", 1999 [1]. Some were also recorded on the accompanying CD "Jindi Plays Joe". His recordings are held in the Mike Martin Collection at the National Library of Australia, Canberra.
Mike is ever active in the musical and folk life of the South Eastern Australia and is well known as the driving force behind the Kameruka Bush Orchestra, which hold several well attended dances each year in the hall on the Kameruka Estate.
