Bruce Watson

Bruce is an icon of the Australian folk scene. He has appeared at almost 200 folk festivals across Australia since the 1990s. He plays regularly at festivals, folk clubs, house concerts and other venues throughout Australia.

Performers of the calibre of Eric Bogle, Joe Dolce, Greg Champion, Blackwood and a host of other Australian and international performers have covered Bruce Watson’s songs.

Bruce has received the Declan Affley Memorial Songwriting Award at the National Folk Festival for the song Amazon, which has been recorded by Eric Bogle and many other Australian and overseas artists.

Other awards include Port Fairy Folk Festival’s Lawson-Paterson Songwriting Award and Maldon Folk Festival’s Roddy Reed Memorial Songwriting Award.

He has produced seven albums of original songs, plus a songbook of his own compositions: “101 Songs”. He also appears on more than 20 compilation CDs alongside artists such as Eric Bogle, Roy Bailey, Archie Roach, Yothu Yindi and Christine Anu.

Bruce has a keen sense of the absurdities of life. Nothing is sacred, but many things are precious. A concern for people, the environment, reconciliation and for life’s mysteries and ironies runs through his songs. His serious songs are both moving and challenging, and he is not afraid to tackle the hard issues.

The humour can be sharp – or at times just plain silly. Victims of Bruce’s satirical pen range from Leonard Cohen to Pauline Hanson. Don’t miss songs like Save the HippyI Shared a Urinal with Martin FergusonThe Rules of English,The Wando Vale Annual Sheep Dog Trial, and Toddler with Attitude!