Granny's Grave band....more alive than dead...

By Jake Steel. First published in Across Country magazine no. 15 (1980). Reproduction authorised by the editor (Christine Whyte).

A couple of months ago, when down gathering snippets of country music in that little old seaside, crayfish, village of Warrnambool, I strolled into a local street bar, part of the Grand hotel in the main drag. There was a nice-sized crowd with everybody laughing and drinking and having a real good time. The dance floor was full and even the girls behind the bar were smiling, (and that's not a common sight). But the people most enjoying themselves were a little four piece country cabaret band who were creating the lively atmosphere for the whole place. Propped against the bar, I sipped and listened to this tight, gutsy band perform numbers like "Westbound and down" and "Wichita jail" to more mellow country songs like "American dream" and even Willie Nelson's "Georgia". Their repertoire and choice of songs was such that I found myself dancing with people I didn't even know. I also had many a "good old belly laugh", at the one-liners and comedy routines produced by the band. During one of their breaks I made my way to the bandstand to meet the four guys that had set the Grand patrons toes-a-tappin'. I introduced myself to the drummer, Eric (Coogee) Read, who I had met before as a foundation member of Homestead back in their three piece bluegrass days. Coogee informed me that he left Homestead three years ago, shifted to Warrnambool, and with two of his friends, Teejay Netherway (guitar) and Prof Walters (bass), both very capable local musicians, formed this band called Granny's Grave. I asked the obvious question "Why such a name?" Coogee then gave me a run down on the local history of the first white settlement in the early 1800s. In 1848 the first white woman to be buried in the area, a Mrs. James Raddleston, was interred in the sand dunes at the Warrnambool beach, and the grave site has always been known to locals as "Granny's Grave",  hence the name of the band. Coogee also whispered that Teejay, the oldest member of the band, legend has it, may have been the son of Granny. The band's fourth member, an ex-Greek paratrooper, is known as "Marra" (guitar), who has a well known comedy song dedicated to him - "The Marra song". The band adapts well known comedy songs to suit and has a few originals as well. They have recorded a few local jingles, but are more interested in entertaining people of the Western District of Victoria, and, after seeing them perform, I believe they do it very competently. I sincerely hope we hear a lot more about "Granny's Grave Band" in the future. This kind of friendly, lighthearted entertainment is what more country-cabaret bands should aim for. "Granny's Grave Band" sure gave me a mighty fine feeling of country comfort in my bones.