Musical Kelly

The celebration of Ned Kelly and his gang through music began during the late 1870s. Ballads about the gang's daring exploits soon entered oral tradition, beginning in north-east Victoria but quickly spreading throughout the nation. Popular songs about Ned Kelly continued through the twentieth century and reflected his changing status as a national figure through the first and second world wars and the great depression. More recently, Ned Kelly has featured in country and western music, movie soundtracks, rock music and folk. The exhibition will include a mini jukebox via which visitors will be able to hear Ned Kelly tracks by artists including Smiling Billy Blinkhorn, Smoky Dawson, Dave Dallwitz, The Bushwackers, The Coogans, Midnight Oil, The Whitlams and Ashley Davies. As part of the Library's events associated with the exhibition, Ashley Davies will perform Ned Kelly, a collaborative project with Ian Jones which incorporates projected images, narration and live music.