Jim French
From Australian Traditional Music People
Jump to navigationJump to searchJim French, Moree, NSW provided details of some of the Australian tunes in this archive.
The National Library of Australia holds aural recordings of interviews conducted with Jim French. He was interviewed by
- Chris Sullivan and Mark Rummery in February 1984, [1], in June 1984 [2], in June 1984 [3] Part 1, [4] PART 2, June 1984 [5]
- Chris Sullivan in February 1986, [6], in May 1987, [7]
- Chris Sullivan in November 1987, [8]. "French talks about mission life; family music and instruments played by family members; old tunes; dances at Caroona, N.S.W.; single-row and double-row accordion players; the concertina; brother Stan and the mouth organ and step dancing; Prima Station; Glennie Cutmore. He then talks about going to Moree in 1938; shearing; Gundablouie; Old Toomelah; Middle Camp, Moree; the singer Dorothy Sampson and Eric Craigie and his songs. French then talks about how he learns music; Moree and race relations; shearing and music; Craigie song, shearing at Midkin; card games; children's games; bush tucker; blade shearers; shed at Kingstown; shearing 200 in a day only once; Harry Brady and the song, Snowball Sally; grandfather's French and Maori ancestry and family background."
- Chris Sullivan in June 1984, [9], October 1990, [10]
Jim French performed:
- Jim French and the Horton River Band recorded by Stephen Snellerman at ABC Radio Canberra, May 1987, [11], "Folkloric recording of Jim French and the Horton River Band for Radio National's Music Deli. Horton River Band consist of Chris Sullivan; Mark Rummery; Cathy Ovenden; Tom Rummery; and Agnes Huhn.
Jim French was an aboriginal shearer and a talented button accordion player from Moree, who grew up at the Caroona mission near Quirindi, NSW. He was one of a number of aboriginal musicians from the Moree area.
