For release – Thursday, 3 October 2019: Do you love Australian music? And care about the people who create it? Thanks to Ausmusic T-Shirt Day, each and every one of us can show how much we love and care.
For release – Thursday, 3 October 2019: Do you love Australian music? And care about the people who create it? Thanks to Ausmusic T-Shirt Day, each and every one of us can show how much we love and care.
Catherine Haridy Management’s stable includes Eskimo Joe, Jebediah, ABC TV kids artist dirtgirl and Bob Evans, as well as Producer/Writers Steven Schram, Jimi Maroudas, Anna Laverty, JP Fung, Joel Quartermain and Tony Buchen. Catherine sits on the board of the Association of Artist Managers (AAM) and is a previous Chairperson, is a newly appointed Music Victoria board member, an APRA Ambassador, an AMP Patron and a previous two term board member of the Community Broadcasting Foundation. Cath is actively involved in important advocacy for artists and their managers. “I believe in Support Act. As music professionals, we can’t do without a service like this. The music community needs Support Act to assist in challenging times and I’m proud to actively participate”.
Sally has worked with APRA AMCOS for over 30 years, most recently as the Head of Member Services and prior to that the Director of Membership. She is now a Senior Advisor to both and is based in Melbourne. She is passionate about Australian music, dabbles in song writing and plays guitar (badly). Sally is a Director of the Australian Music Centre (AMC) and the Archie Roach Foundation. Sally was appointed Chair of the Board in 2013. “The world can be a tough place and the music business even tougher. The market failings for music professionals are numerous and the outcomes heartbreaking. I choose to help to try and make a difference”.
Originally from Darwin, Leah has been active in the Northern Territory arts community working with Indigenous and non-Indigenous Artists across the music and visual arts industries. Since relocating to Sydney, she has been employed in Programming roles by the Sydney Festival, Sydney Opera House, Campbelltown Arts Centre and Arts Law Centre. Leah is an active touring songwriter and musician and is a proud APRA Writer Member Ambassador.
John O’Donnell, the Managing Director of EMI Recorded Music Australia, is one of the most highly regarded music executives in Australia. He has spent 30 years in the music industry; after a career in music journalism, as Music Editor at Rolling Stone magazine and Editor of Juice magazine, he joined Sony Music in 1994 and started the internationally successful Murmur label, signing Silverchair, Something For Kate, Jebediah and more. In 2002, he was appointed CEO of EMI Music Australia/NZ, enjoying an unprecedented run of local and international success with Australian artists like Empire of the Sun, Silverchair, Angus & Julia Stone, Jet, Paul Kelly and Missy Higgins. In 2008, he departed EMI to start his own consulting business, which saw him co-author the acclaimed and top-selling book The 100 Best Australian Albums and become co-manager of the legendary Australian band Cold Chisel. He returned to EMI in early 2013 and continues to co-manage Cold Chisel. Over the years John has been a member of the ARIA Board and he also served as Chairman of the industry’s PPCA Board from 2005 – 2008.
Karin Lines is currently the Executive Director Mental Health Branch, NSW Ministry of Health, after six years as the Executive Director of Clinical Operations (Forensic Health). She has extensive knowledge and experience of health services in NSW, having worked in health for many years across all sectors. Her work has encompassed a range of different roles including clinical work, education, academic teaching, policy development and analysis, service development and planning, and many leadership positions. “My work with Support Act is dedicated to the memory of my son, Ashley Hansen, who was a wonderful musician, singer and songwriter .”
Mark is the singer songwriter of iconic Australian bands GANGgajang and The Riptides. He’s toured nationally and internationally, written songs for artists as diverse as Jimmy Little, Debra Byrne and Nathan Cavaleri, composed the theme music to over a dozen TV shows and had his songs in plays and countless films. Mark has also worked in the music business for a number of years and is currently Member Service Advisor at APRA AMCOS. “I’m involved in Support Act to help my fellow musicians and music industry professionals currently experiencing a crisis to get back to doing what they love – working in music”
A founding member of The Seekers, Keith Potger’s musical career spans over five decades and continues through his work with that group and his solo concerts in Australia and the UK. Previously Keith was the Chair of Support Act Victoria. He was Patron of Variety WA, the renowned children’s charity, from 2001 to 2009 and is one of the Patrons of the Motor Neurone Disease Association of Western Australia. As well as these ongoing charity connections, Keith frequently performs at charity concerts and festivals within his touring schedule each year. “I’m involved with Support Act Limited, the heart and hand of Australian music, because it is a charity that is focussed in its aims, fast in its delivery of aid and transparent in its actions”.
As the former CEO of Albert Music, Fifa has been in the music industry for over 40 years. Fifa worked with the cream of Australian artists, including AC/DC, John Paul Young, Rose Tattoo and The Angels and had a close working relationship with Vanda and Young. Fifa was a Director of APRA, AMCOS, AMPAL for 15 years and a Director of Nordoff Robbins Music Therapy for 10 years. Fifa is now an independent music industry consultant, and continues to consult to Albert Music, and has her own publishing company Viola Jade Music.
Lynne has acted as Company Secretary and Treasurer since 1998, and is also the General Manager for both the Australian Recording Industry Association Ltd (ARIA) and Phonographic Performance Company of Australia Ltd (PPCA). Lynne is also a Director and Treasurer of the Australian Copyright Council.
John Watson is the President of both John Watson Management and the label, Eleven: a music company. Over the last 15 years every musician on the JWM and Eleven rosters has enjoyed either gold or multi-platinum success and the companies have also helped four separate artists achieve gold certifications in the United States. John’s companies currently represent Birds of Tokyo, Cold Chisel, Dustin Tebbutt, Gotye, Daniel Johns, Missy Higgins, Paul Mac and The Presets. In addition to 25 years of music business experience he holds a BA (Hons) from UNSW, majoring in politics. He has also studied law and in 2008 he earned a GDM from the Australian Graduate School of Management. “The music business can be wonderful but unfortunately it also leaves a lot of damaged people in its wake; Support Act is one way of helping colleagues who haven’t had much luck in their lives.”
Linda had over 30 years experience working in the music industry when she joined the board in 2013. She began her career at APRA in 1981 before moving on to the Royalty Department at Festival Records and later becoming the Royalty Manager at Warner/Chappell Music in 1992. Linda is currently the Distribution Manager at PPCA, a position she has held for over a decade.
Sebastian started in the music industry in the 1970s as an artist manager and is regarded as a pioneer of the independent music market, nurturing and facilitating the development of Australian artists for many years. He’s well-known for his compassion and deep seated desire for artists to carve out a self-sustaining music career.