MEDIARELEASE- Friday22ndJanuary2016ABORIGINALARTISTSCELEBRATEDAT50THNATIONALFOLKFESTIVAL

CelebratingAustralia’sFirstPeoplesisavitalpartoftheNationalFolkFestival’sprogramandisoneofthemostpopularfeaturesoftheFestival.TheFestivalisproudtoannouncethefollowingacclaimedandaward-winningAboriginalartists,musicians,dancersandstorytellersfortheirmilestone50thFestival:National treasure, singer, storyteller and raconteur Stephen Baamba Albert has starred in Bran Nue Dae,Corrugation Rd and The Circuit and as the infamous sidekick of Mary G. Growing up on the foreshore ofBroome’sDampierCreek,Baambacallsonauniquemusical family legacy fromhisauntiesandauncles fromthe 1930s combined with the rich cultural melange of Broome. Loved and adored for his charismaticperformances,don’tmissoutonashowwithBaambafromhisdebutalbum‘Baad’featuringclassicsongsfromColePorterandEngelbertHumperdinkalongsideBroomeAnthems‘SaltwaterCowboy’,‘TownoftheBay’and‘SelamatTingal’.Withmusicdescribedas‘adeepblendofmodernlifeandancientenergy’(BrianRitchie,MonaFomaFestival),Rayella areMudburra people and hail from one of themost remote locations in Australia, in theMarlinjaCommunityintheNorthernTerritory,700kmsouthofDarwin.WithmusicsunginbothMudburraandEnglishandastylethatrangesfrompoptocountry,rockandreggae,RayellahaveperformedwiththeOperaAustraliaChamberOrchestraandatMonaaswellasFolk,RhythmandLifeandwillbesuretowowatthe50thNationalFolkFestival.ThesublimeGinaWilliamsandGuyGhousereturntotheFestivalStageafterbeingnamedBestIndigenousActof the 2015WAMusic Industry Awards for the third time.With pure haunting vocals, GinaWilliams singsentirelyinNoongarLanguage-rareanduniquetotheSouthWestofAustraliawithlessthan240speakersleftofthisbeautifullanguage.Guycomplimentsonguitarinawaythatwillleaveyoubreathless.ThiscouldbeoneofthelasttimesGinaandGuyperformtogether,sodon’tmissthisspellbindingandmovingact.There’s2011NAIDOCArtistoftheYearJacintaPrice,whosesongsconjureupaTracyChapmanfeelandaregroundedinablues,folkandCelticethos.JacintaPrice’sdebutalbum‘DryRiver’willfeatureattheFestivalandisatributetoherhometownofAliceSprings,withsongsconjuringupthelandscape,thepeopleandtheculture.After impressing the judges on the Sydney Opera House stage at the Dance Rites competition in 2015 andnumerousperformances right round the country, TheDjaadjawanDancerswill bebackat theNational FolkFestivalforthe50th.FromYuinCountryontheFarSouthCoastofNSW,theseproudKooriwomenfoundedthedanceensemblein2013withavisiontoheal,teachandpracticetheYuinculture.AndforthechildrenLarryBrandyisanAboriginalStorytellerfromWiradjuriCountry,nearCondolbolinNSW.Aregular performer at museums, libraries, schools and festivals, Larry Brandy has performed with ApachechildrenintheUSaswellasFirstNationschildreninCanadaandAlaska.Other special events include the ‘First People’s Concert’ on Easter Saturday Morning, supported by theCommunityBroadcastingFoundationfeaturingStephenBaambaAlbert,JacintaPriceandRayella,whichwillairon Community Radio around the country. On Good Friday there will also be a fascinating presentationsupportedbytheNLA titled ‘BlackandWhiteTangle’aboutearly indigenousmusicians inAustralia featuringKamilaroimanColHardywhobeganhiscareer inthe1960’sasamemberoftheOpals,acountryoutfitandsometimehousebandforJimmyLittle'stravellingAll-ColouredRevue.TheNationalFolkFestivalcelebrates50fabulousfestivalsin2016,andwillfeatureanA-listofover200internationalandnationalartistsacross18venuesatExhibitionPark,CanberraontheEasterweekend,24-28Marchwithaveryspecialprogramtomarkthe50thFestival.Discountedticketsstillavailable.Morenewsstilltobeannouncedsostayconnectedatwww.folkfestival.org.auorfollowNationalFolkFestivalonFacebook,TwitterandInstagram@natfolkfest#ournffJustbethere!AllMediaEnquiriestoNationalFolkFestivalPublicistBettinaRichtermob:0414441860e:media@folkfestival.org.au