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20110304 : Black Saturday ‘Roses’ a New Song of Hope and Resilience
The true spirit of Aussie resilience is never far away these days. Tested by nature’s temperament more often than we would want, it’s characters like Michael Abrey, ‘Mick frontman for Ruckus’ as we know him, who can tell it ‘exactly like it is’.
The two years following Black Saturday, are none the more evident than the parochial eloquence, the tribute to Australian spirit and the singular reflection depicted in this idyllic clip filmed by creative director Richard Di Gregorio.
Nu Country Victoria’s community television channel aired the clip last week.
Have a listen, log on to either website or download and purchase from itunes or bigpond to support Mick and an essential rural organisation - the CFA, there for Victorian communities in the devastation and tragedies of 2009.
New single OUT NOW
‘Smiley, what about the roses?’ by Michael Abrey
To mark the two year anniversary of Black Saturday on February 7, comes a story of hope in a moving new song by Michael Abrey, from popular Golden Guitar nominated country band RUCKUS.
There’s a lot of stories that depict the tragedy that was Black Saturday, this particular story is of a fella, Smiley and his wife Janine, who through adversity and in the middle of the inferno, while trying to save their farm house, had the presence of mind to worry about her ‘ROSES’.
The song is a true story relayed to Michael from his old friend and little Aussie battler Smiley Grahame, on the Wednesday after Black Saturday. The music clip can be viewed on: www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmjtDfI3pJY
Penned soon after the fires, but not recorded until recently as Michael and his band RUCKUS were heavily involved in benefits and the rebuilding of the affected communities, and also that he deemed it not appropriate to release the song until now, the second anniversary.
It’s a story of hope. The roses were saved and are still blooming beautifully today. Smiley has all but finished the rebuilding of his beloved farm. Smiley and ‘Macca’, Jamie McLean, both members of the CFA, the rural community firefighting organisation that contributed greatly to them, not only saving Smiley and Janine’s farmhouse, but also a couple of adjacent properties which came under threat.
‘Smiley’ incidentally, was given his nickname by Slim Dusty and Tex Morton many, many years ago at a rodeo up north, but that’s another story which Michael hopes to be able to tell one day.
The song’s music video was stunningly shot in Marysville and Labertouche, and was only made possible with the tireless effort, encouragement and expertise of actor/director Richard Di Gregorio, from Peregrine Productions. The moving fire footage in the music clip was kindly donated by the C.F.A.
Request ‘Smiley, What About the Roses’ and other RUCKUS clips on NuCountry TV and the Country Music Channel!
Ruckus singer Michael Abrey performs in the video for his personalised story about resurrection after the Black Saturday bushfires.
Abrey, who lives at Lilydale, released video of his evocative song Smiley - What About The Roses on the second anniversary of the Black Saturday bushfires.
Smiley Grahame, whose nickname was bestowed on him by the late Slim Dusty and Tex Morton, and wife Shirley, survived the fires on their farm at Labertouche east of Bunyip.
They not only survived the fire but saved their farmhouse and all but six of their 120 roses.
"They lost everything else - barns, sheds, fences and machinery," Abrey said "But they're nearly back to normal now. Smiley and Macca (Jamie McLean) both members of the CFA contributed greatly to not only saving Smiley and Janine's farm but also a couple of adjacent properties which came under threat."
20101121 : Smiley Grahame - 'Walking Through The Fire'
Source : ‘Out Of The Ashes’ book, launched at Lardner Park on Sunday 21 November. The book, which was funded by a grant from the Victorian Bushfire Reconstruction and Recovery Authority commemorates the spirit of the community and the incredible efforts to date to rebuild from out of the ashes of Black Saturday, February 7, 2009. [Photographer unknown]
20100300 : Smiley Grahame - '3MDR Sounds Like This'
Smiley is still all smiles: Cuddling his dog Aussie, who managed to jump eight feet high in the dog jumping contest, Daryl Grahame recalls a lifetime spent on the rodeo scene.
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THE Lang Lang Rodeo is a special day on Daryl ‘Smiley’ Grahame’s annual calendar.
Every Easter Monday for the past 45 years, Smiley has watched all the thrills and spills of the local rodeo, but it wasn’t too long ago that Smiley was a part of the action himself.
“One time I was bucked off and I ended up with a couple of broken ribs, but I still smiled and lifted my hat to the crowd,” he said.
“Ever since, the nickname Smiley has stuck.”
Smiley unexpectedly started on the rodeo and circus scene at the age of just 13.
When the big top came to town, Smiley managed to get a job helping set up and pack up chairs.
“When the circus left town the next day, I left with them,” he said.
“Mum and dad were petrified – they didn’t know where I’d gone.
“They traced the circus for six weeks before a detective found me in Queensland.”
Smiley said his favourite memory was being blasted as a human cannonball.
“The force of the blast sent people’s hats flying, it was great fun,” he said.
After spending five years in the circus, Smiley swapped the cannon for bucking bulls and joined the rodeo circuit.
Smiley rode Brahman bulls, bareback horses and saddle bronc for the next 25 years.
His record on a bucking bull stands at 10 minutes – a gallant effort considering the bull he was on jumped the bullring fence and bucked into a neighbouring paddock.
“I thought I’d better stay on until it was safe to get off,” he laughed.
But it has not been all smiles for the 60yearold Narre Warren North resident, most notably after an incident when his foot became stuck in a stirrup.
Smiley was dragged around the arena six times and ended up in a coma.
He didn’t leave hospital for three months.
But in true spirit, Daryl put a smile on his dial and got back in the saddle.
