Save That Song
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Save That Song is a short documentary about John, an unrecognised national treasure who has lived the most extraordinary life, spending most of it living in the remotest parts of Australia. He has had a reclusive life and still, at 87, feels more at home around a campfire than a television set. This film gives us a glimpse into his world, his eccentricities and how he has lived to save that song.
"Described as Australia's pre-eminent field recordist, John Hutchinson signed over his treasure trove of sound recordings of aboriginal songs and bird calls going back nearly 60 years to the National Archive and the Library of Western Australia in a remarkable ceremony in Perth. Now 87, John roamed the bush much of his life in search of bird calls. What we in the family failed to appreciate until recently was that he started his life's pursuit by capturing the sounds of a people in remote corners of Western Australia with the oldest living culture on the planet. All Australians are richer for what John achieved. Pictured is John signing over his mass of field recordings and received digitized copies, one of which was accepted on behalf of indigenous Australia by a Pilbara elder. John also viewed, for the first time, a short documentary on him--the work of family members Evan, Madeline and Jan Malcolm.
by Greg Hutchinson
ABC news article link below.
abc.net.au/news/2015-05-28/field-recordist-honoured-for-contribution/6502216
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