Indigenous Australian music legend
Bunna Lawrie &
Coloured Stone
Winner Don Banks Music
Award 1999
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Bunna Lawrie, original founding member (singer/songwriter/rhythm
guitarist/ex drummer) has been in the music industry for
over 20 years and has ten albums to his credit. Coloured
Stone have paved the way for the success of other indigenous
acts, and is now Australia’s longest surviving Indigenous
band. Bunna has created a unique Coloured Stone sound a
mix of Reggae, Ska, Rock a touch of Country with occasional
folk ballads.
Coloured Stone began in 1978 after
winning best original song in a contest with “Dancing
in the Moonlight” and quickly went on to be trailblazers
in the indigenous rock scene throughout the late eighties
with hits like “Black Boy”, “Kapi Pulka”,
“Forgotten Tribe”, “Chasin Rainbows”
and “Afraid of the Dark”.
In 1984, Coloured Stone released
their first record; a single called “Black Boy”.
Black Boy charted at number one in Alice Springs Radio
Request, CAAMA Radio, for 9 months and topped the Radio
Australia lists in the Pacific Islands. Later that year
Coloured Stone recorded their first LP and named it “Koonibba
Rock”, after the sacred rockhole corroboree ground
at Koonibba Community, South Australia. Bunna Lawrie’s
home community, Koonibba, is where Coloured Stone originated
with family members.
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In 1986 Coloured Stone were awarded an
Aria for the best indigenous album, Human Love. They attained
prominence in the United States that same year, with Human Love
featuring in New Yorks Village Voice Top Ten Album list.
As a writer he likes to be in touch with
everyday issues and believes in the protection of our planets
environment, equality for all mankind and the importance of Aboriginal
History and Reconciliation. Bunna Lawrie is a role model for all
young kids and is an inspiration to musicians because of his consistency
and long-term commitment within the Music Industry.
In the last 12 months Bunna with band have
played from Laura Cultural Festival in North Queensland The Bellingin
Global Carnival down to Moomba in Melbourne and a 3 month tour
of Western Australia & regional tour of the Northern Territory
and Victoria.
