John Schumann & the Vagabond Crew - Lawson

“I gathered these songs together for the sake of our
friendship and true, and I sent them along instead
of the letters I’d promised to write to you”.
To An Old Mate - Henry Lawson

What a great way to start this beautiful album, a fitting
choice.
In May 2005 members of three legendary Australian bands,
the Dingoes, Redgum and Goanna - along with a number of
other Australian music industry legends -
recorded of an album of songs drawn from the poems of
Henry Lawson, Australia’s foremost poet and writer.

Every single member of the Vagabond Crew entered
into the spirit of the Lawson project with enthusiasm
and a sense that, in working with Lawson,
we were dealing with one of Australia’s national
treasures. As musicians and writers,
we could all empathize with Henry
he didn’t mind a drink and, like us,
he lived off the advances he could wring out of his publishers.

The sessions were as much fun as I’ve ever had in my life
making a record. You can hear it in the music.
Everyone said they’d jump at the opportunity to perform
these songs, together, live. For a songwriter, there can be
no greater compliment.

Once, as we moved into the control room to listen to what
we’d just put down, one of the crew said to me:
“I’ve done a lot of recording but this is the first time I keep
losing my place because I’m listening to the words”.

I reckon Henry would have been proud to hear that.
I like to think he would have shouted the Vagabond
Crew a beer - but he probably would have had to
borrow the money.

John Schumann
July 2005

Truly a fantastic record by some of Australia's most
talented

The Vagabond Crew

Michael Atkinson, Shannon Bourne, Paul Cartwright,
Michael Harris, Rob Hirst, Marcia Howard, Shane Howard,
Toby Lang, Mal Logan, Louise McCarthy, Hugh McDonald,
Russell Morris, Alan Pigram, Steven Pigram, Mike Rudd,
John Schumann, Broderick Smith, Chris Stockley,
Kerryn Tolhurst and Mick Wordley.

Tracklist
01 To An Old Mate
02 Knocking Around
03 The Glass On The Bar
04 Second Class Wait Here
05 Faces In The Street
06 The Bush Girl
07 Taking His Chance
08 Scots Of The Riverina
09 To Hannah
10 A Prouder Man Than You
11 The Low Lighthouse
12 The Shame Of Going Back
13 To Jim

Download here