Hugh McDonald - Diamantina Drover

www.hughmcdonald.com
Redgum live at Expo '88 Brisbane

[@JoeRivermanSongwriter]

I’d like to say a fond farewell to an old treasured friend from way back in the mid 1990s. Mr Stephen “Stilts” Ellis who passed away on Wednesday from lung failure. Stilts was not only an exceptional musician but also a man who gathered tales and songs in the manner of a folk historian. He played and taught me many songs in many styles back in those dingy days in that Watford squat on Stanley Road and I was honoured to have provided backing vocals on at least one of his records. He was the first of many to follow who’d call me ‘H’ and we even went out busking a few times with him playing a mean fiddle 🎻 I’ll always remember him as a slim and tall guy in double denim with a towering 6’3 (at least) frame, hence the nickname Stilts. He’d spent many years travelling Australia and once told me of a time when he drove west to east watching the sun rise in the rear view mirror and set on the road ahead when driving for over 24 hours. And the fishermen he knew whose faces were disfigured by the intense heat of the sun intensified when reflected from the sea. Obviously you can never really give enough credit to a man’s entire life when you only knew him for a few years but his impact was immense and I hope in saying that I can speak for all who knew him. I’m so glad he came back to London from Portsmouth to appear as a guest on my radio show back in, I think, 2010. Here’s a song he’d sometimes play written by a friend of his called Hugh McDonald. “The rain never falls on the dusty Diamantina And I won’t be back ‘til the droving’s done”. RIP Stilts. 🙏🏻

[@hillsidegroveable]

Vale Hugh Mcdonald you gave the great Australian Bush music movement moments. Unsung Australia hero and balladeer songman. "Gone not to God, But dust into eternity From Roman to Egyptian, Convict to the drover's dog Go tell your headsman Hugh is at the door" Antman

[@agusthinusbanunaek766]

Wooow....sudah lama sekali baru dengar lagu ini; hampir 30 thn yg lalu. Teringat akan kampung halaman di Airnona Kupang NTT

[@thedurray]

Just found this video. Hugh Mcdonald sings this song in a way that it still gives me goosebumps.

[@ermieducoyan5725]

I'm falling inlove with this song..

[@rastas000]

I was there that night. The riverstage was a brilliant location and venue..

[@sarawakteo71]

i have been looking for this song for 22years..finally...(cried)..thank you leannemck69!

[@alijahkohen7946]

a tip: watch series on kaldrostream. Me and my gf have been using them for watching lots of of movies during the lockdown.

[@kaceemmett6107]

@Alijah Kohen yup, have been using Kaldrostream for months myself :D

[@sofyan3]

I used google voice search and hum it.. then it was led me to this... Actually it was redgum i supposed. Man the guy above was search this 12 years ago..

[@agusthinusbanunaek766]

Same as me; 30 years looking 4 it. Regards from Bali-Indonesia

[@Andi-cr9ko]

Me for 30 years! Just found it yesterday! I dont know the title. All i know is the hum and thanks to google voice search! I found it at last! ❤❤❤❤

[@drexal1009]

till now still listening to this kind of music...I missed my childhood days 😢

[@spud_you_like6939]

RIP Hugh. I've heard the Drover sang many a time Aussie people get together. Especially recall singing it in the Captain Cook Hotel, Port Botany the day the wharfies dispute was won. A true Aussie classic. A fine legacy for a great songwriter and musician. So long and thanks for the memories

[@Spinifexman]

One of my all time aussie country favs. Like Only 19 it tells aussie stories unlike any other. Thanks heaps Leannemck69 love it

[@maxpfandler8180]

What a wonderful song

[@sayntz1]

how GOOOOD is this song!

[@leannemck69]

Brian - so nice of you to show such appreciation. I'll make sure that Hugh knows too.

[@tanitathurmond5450]

Ughbm

[@tanitathurmond5450]

Hbuom Gvufenluv Jänku Juss Laansoo tema treener yoy

[@johnhall671]

Very sad loss, great talent, Rest In Peace Hugh !

[@peterjulianphotos4659]

My favourite Redgum song. Vale hugh McDoand. Gone but never forgotten.

[@truespyfan]

I think I read somewhere this is based on a train trip he had and ran into an old timer who was telling him about his life and journeys... ?? It that is true, this song is so much more than just a great tune. Love great tunes like this. Thanks for posting it up.

[@pamelahay6242]

Yes, if that’s true , its the translation of an older life passed down to a younger to be forever memorialised and immortalised. Beautiful song; thanks Hugh. 🙏

[@Arcusinoz]

Always one of my most favourite songs and versions.

[@pinecry]

brings back a lot of memories...man, i just love this song!!!!

[@tony999Melb]

One of the best Redgum songs...and I love 'em all

[@MusteredCourage]

one of the most beautiful songs ever written..

[@veryfussy]

Haunting and evocative of earlier days. Now since passed unfortunately.

[@Andi-cr9ko]

I missed my high school days 😢

[@janinekaretai4306]

Just brilliant

[@carolcubbin9821]

I love this song! Thanks Neil.

[@MUTHA70]

Nice powerful ballad; love the guitar solo :)

[@jordstar25]

haha i was chillen with Hugh today, hes still his old self :)

[@caturcatur1368]

Beautiful song

[@avestaria]

Thanks Alot For This Video Because Long Time I'm Hunting This Video.

[@OldTimeVoice]

Thank you Rob this is a good song and good singer 5*****+........Colin.

[@neilcarias8075]

thanks for uploading

[@agent90H]

really loved to have found this song. thanks...

[@leannemck69]

Glad you like this song. I'm not sure that I agree. Redgum sang about 'salt-of-the-Earth' Australians in many songs and their great contribution to our country.

[@janinekaretai4306]

Wonderful

[@lozonlineoz]

as this is the original version it is obviously the best. John Williamson has a commercial version of this song, but I love this original - pity itunes does not have it available

[@duddledudeduck]

Amazing

[@SolomonOrogo-ij4kn]

yes 1993 my last hear this song

[@Ggdivhjkjl]

This is Australian culture.

[@strtlauesen7487]

Rest in Peace Mate

[@puteraaja4168]

I like it

[@johnmalcolm9980]

R.I.P. (18/11/2016)

[@RobertPickeringBucketList69]

02:16

[@dadiyutv5243]

nice song

[@gryffinseye]

I've heard John Williamson sing this song, and he sang it very well (albeit in a considerably different tempo and slightly different tune), but Diamantina Drover is Hugh McDonald's song and Redgum's three renditions I've heard eclipse JW's by a long way.

[@leannemck69]

if you're in Australia you can see Hugh McDonald play this live with john Schumann and the vagabond crew at the Gympie Muster Queensland August 29-31

[@casmilon]

tanx!

[@13andrie]

grace are the boholanos also like this song???? coz we fr davao like it

[@victoryglory9968]

Sweet

[@tewarry]

Best version i ever heard is from Mangrove Jack up in Cairns

[@simonmoves]

@lozonlineoz -why do you need itunes ,,get it from here on yt-there are simple software to acquire vids/audio-i prefer John Williamson version ,but this is ok too.

[@lesliemacaling57]

2019?💓

[@liam-ls2sd]

I have a copy of this from 2015 or something.

[@RedgumLover]

I reckon he sings it even better with a few years more seasoning, and he's rocking WAY harder on electric guitar these days! Check him out with "John Schumann and the Vagabond Crew", at the woodford festival etc and try to convince me that Hugh McDonald and John Schumann aren't better in the Vagabond Crew nowadays than Redgum ever was.

[@AshleyHassell1970]

@leannemck69 the version on caught in the act - awesome acoustic - don't suppose you have a copy of that as my tape disappeared some time ago? :)

[@alenaagape8673]

He is the bassist of Bon Jovi since 1994,,

[@Mr9111950]

has anyone heard connie cullen's version of this great song...?

[@maeuschen64]

Wonderful ...5 * * * * *♥ Thank you very much for sharing. I wish you a wonderful new week :-) maeuschen64

[@leannemck69]

yeah, I know - a beaut song.

[@dpwnu63]

Tin I think you are thinking of midnight oil.

[@liam-ls2sd]

Jailbreak my old laptop and I have so much aussie music

[@budthebusker]

Sadly Missed.

[@lozonlineoz]

@simonmoves I know how to acquire videos, but how do you just get the audio so that it can be loaded onto an Ipod?

[@leannemck69]

No the base guitar player of Bon Jovi has the same name though.

[@213546872]

check out my brother patrick cowman singing this beautiful song one year before cancer took him

[@robg9]

No...thats Bass Guitar. As a Bass player, I accept the fact they generally only have only 4 strings. That puts me somewhere between a guitarist and a drummer..hahaha.