The Dingoes: Австралийская кантри-рок группа

Australian country rock band

The Dingoes are an Australian country rock band. They were initially active from 1973 to 1979, and reformed in 2009. Initially based in Melbourne, the band relocated to the United States from 1976. The most stable line up comprised John Bois on bass guitar, John Lee on drums, Broderick Smith on vocals and harmonica, Chris Stockley on guitar, and Kerryn Tolhurst on guitar. Mal Logan (who provided keyboards on the first LP) on keyboards joined after Stockley was hospitalised when shot in the stomach by Melbourne drug dealer, Dennis Allen, who was attempting to gate crash a party. Subsequent singles were "Boy on the Run", "Smooth Sailing", and "Into the Night", which did not reach the top 50. The Dingoes reformed in late 2009 and released a new album, Tracks in 2010 which was followed by a tour of Australia. A live album Live at Last came out after the tour, which prompted another tour – this time without Bois who could not get away from his day job.

Kerryn Tolhurst, lead guitarist, mandolin player, and singer songwriter founded Adderley Smith Blues Band in 1964 in Melbourne, which was one of Australia's first authentic blues bands. Lead vocalist and harmonica player Broderick Smith joined in 1966, both Smith and Tolhurst were conscripted into the Army as part of National Service during the Vietnam War for two years from 1968 to 1970. Both Carson (with Smith) and Country Radio (before Tolhurst joined) had performed at the inaugural Sunbury Pop Festival in January 1972. Country Radio (with Tolhurst) had also performed, After the 1973 festival, both Smith and Tolhurst left their respective bands. Guitarist, Chris Stockley (ex Roadrunners, Delta Set), formed psychedelic rock group Cam Pact with Keith Glass in 1967, both had left by late 1969. Stockley joined rock group Axiom, which had top ten hits with "Arkansas Grass" and "A Little Ray Of Sunshine", John Lee (ex Sayla) had been drummer for Blackfeather from February to April 1973. John Strangio was bass guitarist for St James Infirmary and Middle Earth.

The Dingoes with John Lee on drums, Broderick Smith on lead vocals and harmonica, Chris Stockley on lead guitar, John Strangio on bass guitar, and Kerryn Tolhurst on guitar and mandolin, were formed in Melbourne in April 1973. although Bois' book confirms that the song was written by Tolhurst alone. A week before the single was released Stockley received a serious gunshot wound during an incident at a party in Melbourne that resulted in a two month stay in hospital, initially described as an 'accidental shooting', according to music historian, Ian McFarlane's Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop, Stockley was shot by notorious drug dealer Dennis Allen, who was trying to gate crash the party. it became their signature tune. Smith supplied harmonica for this version. Lee left in May 1974 to join Ariel and was replaced on drums by Ray Arnott, (ex Cam Pact with Stockley, Spectrum, Mighty Kong). which peaked at No. 24 in Melbourne and backed with "Dingoes Lament" (an instrumental written by Bois), was released in October. He branched out into TV acting with appearances in the Australian series Janus, Law of the Land, Snowy River: The McGregor Saga, Blue Heelers, and State Coroner. As an amateur expert on dinosaurs he contributed to the BBC TV series Walking with Dinosaurs. During his teaching years, he also wrote a creative memoir of his time in The Dingoes, entitled The Dingoes' Lament (named after his track on their debut album), which remained unpublished until 2012. He later had an article published in the Historical Biology: An International Journal of Paleobiology in 2017. After The Dingoes, Lee joined a later lineup of cult Washington group Root Boy Slim & the Sex Change Band, and eventually settled in Washington DC, where he worked with local group Johnny Bombay & the Reactions, before moving to Nashville, Tennessee. During his time in the USA Lee worked with a wide variety of artists (including Steve Marriott) until his return to Australia in the late 1990s. Unfortunately, by this time, years of alcohol abuse had taken a heavy toll on his health and John died from liver failure in July 1999. where it was No. 16 on the End of Year Singles Chart. In 1995, Tolhurst collaborated with Paul Kelly on his Deeper Water album, in NYC. He was co producer and performer in the "Spirit Returns" album and concert, which featured the reformed Goanna, Ross Hannaford (ex Daddy Cool), and Liam O'Maonlai (Hothouse Flowers) at the Melbourne Festival in 1998. He produced numerous albums in NY including 'Little Pieces ' and 'The Way I See It' for R& B legend Jimmy Norman. In 2006 he moved to Tucson, Arizona, and set up a studio where he recorded Shane Howard's 'Goanna Dreaming' and The Dingoes reunion album 'Tracks'. After touring with The Dingoes and producing their live album, 'Live at Last', Tolhurst returned to live in Australia in 2010 and continues to work as a producer and live performer.

On 27 August 2009, The Dingoes were inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Hall of Fame alongside Kev Carmody, Little Pattie, Mental As Anything, and John Paul Young. Melbourne drummer Ashley Davies (ex Wild Pumpkins at Midnight) joined Bois, Smith, Stockley, and Tolhurst in the reformed group which recorded Tracks in late 2009 and early 2010. The new album was released on 6 August 2010, coinciding with an Australia tour, it debuted at No. 14 on the ARIA Country Music Top 20 Chart. In October 2010, their debut album, The Dingoes (1974) was listed in the book, 100 Best Australian Albums. In 2012 John Bois' memoir The Dingoes' Lament was published by Melbourne Books and at the end of December 2012 the group reformed (for possibly the last time) for a short series of concerts in Victoria. The lineup again comprised the four surviving original members, with Ashley Davies on drums, and the mini tour included three sold out shows at the Caravan Music Club in Oakleigh, Melbourne, where they were supported by Steve Hoy and Ross Hannaford. In May 2023, Smith's website was updated to announce his death at age 75.