Tale of the Light Horse to be honoured in song
Scenic Rim family band the Haystack Mountain Hermits will tell the tale of the ANZAC and the famed Light Horse through original heritage story song, "The Horses Stay Behind (One Last Ride)".
The song, which will be delivered through a $10,000 Regional Arts Development Fund grant, will involve predominantly local artists to support their resilience and recovery from the pandemic's effect on the arts economy.
The grant will also support the filming of a video clip by Tamborine Mountain filmmaker Elijah Cavanagh to accompany the song and the production of an art piece to symbolize the powerful relationship between a soldier and his horse.
Kerrie Gambley from the Haystack Mountain Hermits said the story carried relevance for her family and for all of Australia.
"It’s a family story, but it’s a national story as well – the story of Australia’s young men who enlisted to serve their country with their beloved horses, who were never to return to Australia. It’s a tale of heroes and horses," she said.
"The story begins with their Great-grandfather Tom, a 16-year-old who enlisted in 1914, was assigned to the 5th Light Horse Brigade and fought at Gallipoli. But it doesn’t end there.
"To honour Tom's memory, and the memory of all the troopers and their horses who served, we are researching and writing a tribute song to the troopers and horses of the Australian Light Horse Brigades during World War One."
Arts Reference Group chair Councillor Michael Enright said Council was proud to support the delivery of the song, which is set to be released for ANZAC Day 2021.
"We commend the Haystack Mountain Hermits for their own investment in the resilience and recovery of our region through this project, as they themselves are also contributing significantly to this project, which has a total value of $28,889.
"The Scenic Rim has a strong and talented arts community, and it is wonderful to see investment in that sector as it recovers from the widespread impacts of the pandemic through important storytelling projects like this one."
Minister for the Arts Leeanne Enoch said that the long standing RADF program would help to boost Queensland’s plan for economic recovery, supporting artists and arts workers with employment opportunities through $4.2 million in funding for regional cultural projects.
“The Palaszczuk Government is investing $2.08 million in RADF for 2020-21 and an additional $2.13 million will be contributed by 59 councils across Queensland,” Minister Enoch said.
“Each year RADF showcases the extraordinary innovation of the arts and cultural sector in regional communities, delivers rich arts experiences and provides important professional opportunities for artists and arts workers.”
The song will be available digitally and there will be a limited release of commemorative vinyl singles for sale. About 50 per cent of the sales of the vinyl singles will be donated to the RSL to support their work in the community.
The song will be provided to digital media streaming sites to raise awareness of the song and the band and allow nation-wide access in time for ANZAC Day.
About the artists:
Haystack Mountain Hermits are an already established band with national credentials, who perform regularly at large music festivals such as Tamworth, Groundwater and Gympie.
They had an original song shortlisted in the Australian Songwriter’s Association (ASA) 2020 Song Competition. They have recorded previously with Tom Hawker and have a proven working relationship with him. He is a local sound technician who is passionate about his craft and strives to capture artistic excellence.
Elijah Cavanagh is an exciting young filmmaker who strives to capture a story in his films. His inclusion will ensure artistic excellence in visual storytelling, bringing this heritage story song to life.
Photo: The Haystack Mountain Hermits.