Held annually in May, the recent staging was the 23rd, and the word I got from one of the newest locals, Matty Zarb, was it’s a truly amazing event. 

“The whole island comes alive with such great music from both Australia and New Zealand,” Matty said.

“Words cannot truly express the vibe or the experience. It’s such a well-orchestrated festival.

“Here at the Jolly Roger we were so lucky to have our old mate, rascal fiddler Mark Oats for the whole time and what a hoot that was! 

“Amid the mayhem of crazy fiddle and fun, many of the amazing artists who were here for the festival dropped in for a tune. 

“The Jolly Roger stage saw an amazing array of wonderful singer- songwriters and incredible musicians, including Felicity Urquhart, Glen Hannah, Lyn Bowtell and her amazing husband Damon Morton, Kevin Bennett, Luke O’Shea, Jackie Bristow, Andy Schrav, Matt Pratt, Phil Doublet, Chet and Melissa, Tanya Cornish, Sam Maddison, Larry Cann and more. 

“There were so many magic moments that will forever be imprinted in the minds of the folks lucky enough to hear and watch.” 

Since opening the theatre-restaurant on the island in January this year, Matty has had some pretty amazing musical nights there, but these most recent ones were to be treasured.

“What an honour it was to have all these wonderful people get up to sing and play,” he said.

He paid tribute to the committee behind the Norfolk Island Country Music Festival, in particular Jackie and Aaron Pye and their hardworking crew, for including the Jolly Roger in the festival.

Matty said his kitchen staff, led by head chef Jason Suska and Tim Hooper, totally smashed out the best food for patrons throughout the event and the floor staff worked like demons. 

Here’s a few photos from the Jolly Roger, featuring some of those good times. 

Now get back to that bucket list and make sure it’s moved close to the top!

YOU get to that stage in life when you feel like you are – or could – attend a funeral practically every week.

It’s been fairly much like that lately, with so many friends in the country music industry passing away, many much sooner than expected.

Last Thursday in Tasmania, Mat Harrison, a wonderful fiddle player I first met in a little bluegrass band called Hilltop Holdout, died of inoperable bowel and liver cancer, aged 55.

Many people will remember Mat from the days when he lived in Tamworth and operated Beat’n’Trak Studio, along with Paul Henderson and Jenny McNiven.

His fiery fiddle can be heard on so many country recordings from over the years.

Queensland-based fiddle player Hugh Curtis said on Facebook earlier this week he and Mat weren’t exactly close friends, but he was “definitely an inspiration to me in my first band”.

“I met him in 1981 while he was playing with Hilltop Holdout Bluegrass Band at Dreamworld because (my band), The Wayfarers worked there as well,” Hugh wrote.

“I used to go and watch him and his band at the Paddo Tavern on Friday nights.”

Tall fiddler Andrew Clermont recalled one night in the early 1980s at Paradise Caravan Park (as it was then) with Hilltop Holdout around a campfire jamming with a group of about 20 players.

Coincidentally, he said only last week he’d found some footage of Mat jamming with the late Mort Fist in a smoky Tamworth kitchen back in the 1980s.

Tamworth’s Kelly Crosby remembers many late nights writing crazy jingles with Mat in his studio and staying up ’til 3am so they could phone recording studios in America, where it was daylight hours. 

Most of all Kelly remembers the laughs they shared whenever they were together, which was often.

Hilltop Holdout formed in the late 1970s in Sydney and, like most bands, had many changes in personnel over the years. In the 1980s it shifted camp to Brisbane, where Mat Harrison became its resident fiddle player.

Mat was always a standout player in more ways than one. He had that cute, little handlebar moustache and a cheeky grin, always reminding me of a crazy pirate.

Thanks to all the albums he played on, his music will live on in the hearts of those he touched throughout his 55 years.

His funeral will be held at 11am tomorrow at St John the Baptist Church, at Ouse, Tasmania, in the Upper Derwent Valley.

Sincere condolences to Mat’s wife, Bettina Kelly, and their four young children. 

ANOTHER very sad passing in May was that of the late Freddy Buckskin. 

He was a wonderful Indigenous performer, who, along with his brother Kenny, recorded an album on the Trailblazer label with Melbourne-based producer, Richard Fields.

Very appropriately titled Brotherly Love, it’s one of my favourite albums and features a number of Hank Williams and Merle Haggard songs, including Lovesick Blues, Cold Cold Heart and Branded Man, among other classic country offerings.

Sadly, Kenny passed away in 2006, aged 59, but Richard, having already recorded so many of the tracks, was able to complete the album with the family’s blessing.

Utilising an A-list of studio personnel including Andy Baylor, Sam Lemann, Rob Souter, Ross McGregor, Pete Howell and Michel Rose, the disc was released in 2010.

I’ve been told Freddy battled cancer in the latter stages of his life, and his funeral service was held in Port Augusta, South Australia, on May 24. Another good man gone.