Pioneer singer Ruby Hunter dies

Ashleigh Wilson
From: The Australian
February 18, 2010

Aboriginal singer, composer and occasional actor
Ruby Hunter has died.
A Ngarrindjeri woman, Hunter was born in 1955 at a
billabong near the banks of the Murray River in South
Australia. She was a member of the stolen generation,
having been removed from her family and placed in foster
homes. While living on the streets of Adelaide
as a teenager, she met Archie Roach, who would become
her partner and lifelong musical collaborator.
She released her debut album, Thoughts Within, in 1994,
and won a Deadly Award six years later as female artist of
the year. She later collaborated with Roach and Paul Grabowsky
on Ruby's Story, an acclaimed work based on her life
and her search for identity.
Hunter's manager Jill Shelton confirmed today that the
musician had died overnight at home in Victoria's western
district. She reportedly suffered a heart attack.
Hunter had been due to perform at the upcoming Adelaide
Festival with Roach.Paul Grabowsky, the festival’s artistic
director and a former collaborator with the pair on the
celebrated production Ruby’s Story, today said he was deeply
saddened to hear of Hunter’s death and sent his condolences
to her family.

"Ruby was one of the truly great voices of our country," he said,
"and as a member of the Stolen Generation, her story,
so beautifully and candidly told, is a truly emblematic one;
to hear her tell it was an honour."

Truly sad news indeed, I only just saw her perform at the last
Dreaming Festival some 6 or 7 months ago.
It was to be last time of many.
She was a dynamic performer with a voice that always surprised me,
given her small size. She was always fantastic with Archie and
together they were something very, very special.
She will be sadly missed




Let My Children Be - Ruby Hunter