Bunna Lawrie and Coloured Stone
The Band
Coloured Stone was formed in 1977 in Koonibba, South Australia by Bunna Lawrie and is Australia’s premier Aboriginal band. 2022 will mark 45 years of constant touring by Bunna Lawrie and Coloured Stone.
Coloured Stone combines rock, ska, reggae with a unique First Nations sound, with Bunna Lawrie on lead vocal, rhythm guitar, didgeridoo, clap sticks with a backing band including; lead guitar, didgeridoo, bass guitar, backing vocals & drums.
Bunna Lawrie is a proud Mirning elder from his homelands on Ngargangurie, the Nullarbor Plains, on the southern coast of South Australia.
Performances
Every performance from Bunna Lawrie and Coloured Stone is a memorable musical experience, full of Aboriginal culture and meaning.
Bunna Lawrie and Coloured Stone have appeared in almost every remote Aboriginal community in Australia, punctuated by performances in Womadelaide, Norway and London recently and at the Edinburgh Festival, Commonwealth Games, the Sydney Olympic Games, Womadelaide, the 40th anniversary of the Tent Embassy in Canberra, the St Kilda Festival, the Big Day Out, Garma Festival , Woodford Festival, Stomping Ground Broome, Moomba Festival, the Laura Festival, the Spirit Festival, the Dreamtime, the Long Walk, the Dreaming, the Island Vibe Festival, Barunga, Rainbow Serpent Festival Victoria and many, many more - most more than once.
In Australia there are few roads that Bunna has not travelled. Coloured Stone are like one of our flint tools we find here on the Nullarbor. Finely crafted with many facets, each one with a purpose.
Recent highlights
2021 allowed Bunna Lawrie the privilege to work with Midnight Oil on the Makarrata Project, specifically with Robert Hirst and Joel Davison on Gadigal Land, which won The Song of the Year at the APRA Music Awards of 2021.
Collaborations, performances and tours
Bunna and Coloured Stone have collaborated, performed and toured with many famous Australian and International artists such as Midnight Oil, Leo Sayer, Jimmy Little, Paul Kelly, Angry Anderson, Salif Kaita, KD Lang, Iva Davis, Ice House, Shane Howard, Bart Willoughby, No Fixed Address, Yothu Yindi, Roger Knox, Mark Bimbarker, Mary G, Jason Scott, Wirrangu Band, Yabu Band, Jack Thompson, Peter Garrett, Robert Hirst, the Medics, the Mills Sisters, Buzz Bidstrup, Aim 4 More, Amunda, Blackfire, Blekbala Mujik, Fitzroy Xpress, Warren H Williams, Footprince, Kulumindini Band, Mixed Relations, Nokturnl, Cuckles, The Pigram Brothers, Saltwater Band, Scrap Metal, Wilga Williams, Stiff Gins, Sunrize Band, Tiddas, Us Mob, Warumpi Band, Alan Dargin, Rachel Perkins, Bob Randall, Archie Roach, Vic Simms, Johnny Huckle, Ruby Hunter, Robert Jabanungga, Toni Janke, Bobby McLeod, Sammy Butcher, Kev Carmody, Jimmy Chi, Mary G, Dan Sultan, Kutcha Edwards, Frank Yamma, Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu, Mandawuy Yunupingu, Yung Warriors, Whaledreamers, Gangargiri, John Paul Young, Julian Lennon, Jack Thompson, John English, Christine Anu. Bunna is understandably proud of his contribution to Australia’s wealth of indigenous talent.
Awards and Recognition
Bunna Lawrie and Coloured Stone have been the recipients of numerous musical accolades for their contribution to Australian and First Nations music. These include:
2021: APRA AMCOS Song of the Year - awarded to Robert Hirst, Bunna Lawrie and Joel Davidson for the Midnight Oil song Gadigal Land as part of the Makaratta Project
2012: National NAIDOC Lifetime Achievement Award
2011: National Indigenous Music Awards Hall of Fame
2000: Don Banks Music Award for Composers
1999: Deadly Vibe Awards for Outstanding Achievement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders – National Outstanding Contribution to Aboriginal Music: Award to Bunna Lawrie and Coloured Stone
1995: Brian Syron Scholarship Award (Australia) – Contribution to Aboriginal music
1992: Australia Rock Industry Music (ARIA) Award – final Nomination Best Indigenous Record for “Inma Juju”
1990: Australia Rock Industry Music (ARIA) Award – final Nomination Best Indigenous Record for “Wild Desert Rose”
1988: Australia Rock Industry Music (ARIA) Award – final Nomination Best Indigenous Record for “Crazy Mind”
1987: Aria for Coloured Stone’s Island of Greed
‘Black Boy’, released in 1984 was a number one hit in the South Pacific
Coloured Stone’s 1986, album Human Love attained prominence in the United States featured in the Village Voice Top Ten Album List
1986: Australia Rock Industry Music (ARIA) Award Winner – Best Indigenous Album for “Human Love”, award presented by Sir Elton John
1978: Perth’s 3rd National Aboriginal Country Music Festival Talent (West Australia) – First Prize for Best Band
1978: Perth’s 3rd National Aboriginal Country Music Festival Talent (West Australia) – Best Original Song for “Dancing in the Moonlight”
The Whaledreamers
The results of these collaborations precipitated into performances with ‘the Whaledreamers’, solo and other musical performances accentuating the plight of Whales worldwide.
Bunna continues to heed the call from the many organisations, worldwide, whose purpose is to protect our endangered sea creatures, working on the Advisory Panel member for Sea Shepherd Australia, working with Mirthquake, Captain Paul Watson, Sea Shepherd, GreenPeace, Wilderness Society, Great Australian Bight Alliance and many more.
As a traditional song man, dancer and medicine man, Bunna is passionate about his indigenous heritage and the preservation of traditional land and culture. As an extension to his role as a Mirning Elder, WhaleDreamer, Medicine Man, Song man, Musician, Singer, Songwriter and Visual Artist, Bunna Lawrie is an educator and Conducts Healing and Cultural Training Workshops. Taking experiences from the Mirning culture to explain the rhythm of nature, the relationships between mother earth, the sea and the sky.
Bunna Lawrie & Coloured Stone Discography
Poisoned Planet (2021) Release 2022
Dance to the Sun (2015) Release 2022
Beautiful World (2010) Release 2022
Rhythm of Nature (1998) Release 2022
Coloured Stone 1977–1997 Release 2022
Mother (2015) single with Jimmy Little & Catherine Satour
Whaledreamers Soundtrack (2008) featuring Bunna Lawrie
Australia (2000) Top 5 Video Hits
Bunna Lawrie’s Best of Coloured Stone Vol I (1997)
Songs from the Nullarbor (1995) Unreleased
Barefeet Dancing (1995) - Unreleased
Love is the Medicine (1992) single
Inma Juju (1991)
Crazy Mind (1989)
Wild Desert Rose (1988)
‘Stay Young’ (1988) single
‘Wild Desert Rose’ (1988) – single
Human Love (1986)
Black Rock from the Red Centre (1986)
‘Dancing in the Moonlight’ (1986) single
‘Island Of Greed’ (1985) single
Island Of Greed (1985)
Koonibba Rock (1985)
‘Black Boy’ (1984) single
CONTACTS
Tony Boye Management
Tony Boyé
Phone: +61 (0) 457 003 403
Email: tony@tonyboye.com
Bunna Lawrie
Email: bunna.lawrie@yahoo.com
Phone: 0432 600 357
https://www.facebook.com/bunna.lawrie
https://www.facebook.com/ColouredStoneOfficialPage
BOOKINGS
As Bunna Lawrie and Coloured Stone are in high demand, any bookings should be considered well in advance. We will do all we can to accommodate our clients. We are prepared to help Community and we go to great lengths to support our people. Coloured Stone and Bunna are prepared to perform 1 hour, 2 hour and 3 hour shows. The Fee will reflect accommodation, travel, meals and performance length.
Please allow us to give you a quote and we will do our best to make your event the best possible within your budget. Coloured Stone require a 50% deposit at the time of confirming the booking. This deposit can be negotiated where travel and accommodation are paid up front. Confirmation of any booking from either party will be by email.
MERCHANDISING
Bunna Lawrie and Coloured Stone have a range of CDs, T shirts, posters, artefacts and original paintings. Please phone, email us or click here.