Hello - Welcome ..... to my page.....

Our third ‘Minlaton Music Muster’ was a success, raising $2100-00 for the ‘Royal Flying Doctor Service’. The show, on Aug. 21st, featured Maryanne, Dave Verrall, Jay J. Shannon, Laurel Croser, Peter Cook, Helen Croser and myself, (as artist and compere).
We then headed for Melbourne, joining the ‘John Howie Outback Music Tour’, from Aug. 25th to Sept. 9th, visiting places such as Innamincka, Birdsville, Tibooburra, White Cliffs, etc. After reading more about the ill-fated Burke and Wills Expedition, it was interesting to visit such historic places as the ‘Dig Tree’, and the place where Burke died, in 1861.
Three guitars were on tour, and John Howie, Michael Gane and myself entertained the other 40 people , at various places along the way. We witnessed the ‘Birdsville Cup’, and saw the results of good rains over the past two years, with lots of feed and fat cattle. However, we were disappointed to hear later, that much of this feed had been burnt by lightning strikes.
After this tour, some work was done on the farm, before performing on six shows, at the 28th ‘Port Pirie Music Festival’. Helen was involved in the Poet’s Breakfast, and both of us in the Finale, on Oct. 16th, ending the four day festival. One Guest artist was Greg Bain, and it was good to catch up for the first time since meeting him in Tamworth, in 2007. We yarned and swapped a CD each, and didn’t envy his 17 hour drive, to get back to work. But the next two days, we had our own long drive, with the caravan, to the third ‘Rosewood Roundup Country Music Festival’, at the Rosewood Golf Club, (near Tumbarumba). On arrival, I was elevated to an ‘Invited Walk-up Artist’, (two such artists were forced to withdraw for various reasons), and I featured at Walk-up shows, held twice a day, on Oct. 19th to 21st, and nightly Campfire Concerts. On the weekend, the main artists performed, and Des Morgan, Bec Hance and Tom Maxwell sang mostly bush ballads, and Royden Donohue, Dwayne Elix and Peter Horan provided the rest of the entertainment. Weather was perfect for the five days, with 110 more caravans than last year, taking the total close to the 280 mark. Helen took part in four ‘Poet’s Breakfasts’, and Campfire Concerts, and it appears we will return, as Helen won the ‘One Minute Poet’s Challenge’, with a prize of free entry next year!
On our way home, I performed in Adelaide, on Oct.30th, at the ‘Memorial Wake’ for the late Frankie Baker, who would have turned 65 that day. He died in September, and was a wonderful supporter of Country Music and the ‘RFDS’. The 6 hours of Country Music was free, but money raised from auctions and raffles was all donated to the ‘RFDS’, resulting in about $1277-95 being raised. Artists donated their talents, in a unique way to honour a larger than life character.
In concluding, I’d like to remind readers that my three CDs are still available from various outlets, including ‘LBS Records’, ‘Allington’s Outpost’, and direct from me, at PO Box 76, Minlaton, 5575, and I can be contacted on 0428 951 889 or (08) 8853 1135.
All the best from David Croser.

{David Croser, at the Port Pirie Festival.
Photo by Ian Fisk}

Email David Croser

Harry Butler is our Hero.

Captain Harry Butler is a hero in our town,
A Koolywurtie farmer whose brave deeds brought him renown,
Flying was his passion, in the days when ‘planes were new,
He soon learnt to fly them, and showed folks what he could do.

He’d barrel roll and loop the loop, and climb into the clouds,
Then he would come diving down, to thrill the gathered crowds.
The people watching wondered, how a man could do these things,
But Harry wasn’t phased at all, ‘cos Harry, he had wings.

He was born in Yorketown hospital, in 1889,
Christened Henry John, but to him Harry sounded fine,
Attended Koolywurtie school, and learnt to read and write,
These skills and some others helped him in his quest for flight.

Chorus
Now Harry’s still a hero here in Minlaton today,
You won’t hear a bad word about him, and I pray
Things will stay like this and his good name will carry on,
Yes, Harry’s still a hero, in his hometown, Minlaton.

At the age of twenty-seven, he sailed off to England’s shore,
And once there enlisted in the ‘Royal Flying Corps.’
At first they kept him on the ground, to Harry’s great dismay
Finally he got his chance, and put on a grand display.

Next thing he was flying over France and off to war,
Things he did in battle soon earned other pilot’s awe,
He won two ‘Air Force Crosses’ for his exploits in the air,
Young Harry took it in his stride, and didn’t seem to care.

Then Harry started teaching young trainees how to fly,
He taught them all the skills they’d need, while they were on high.
Two thousand, seven hundred, he instructed in this way,
I guess some of his tactics are still being taught today.

Chorus
Now Harry’s still a hero here in Minlaton today,
You won’t hear a bad word about him, and I pray
Things will stay like this and his good name will carry on,
Yes, Harry’s still a hero, in his hometown, Minlaton.

Now when the war was won, and Harry sailed back home
He brought back to Australia, two airplanes of his own.
One, a ‘Bristol’ monoplane, all painted up in red,
Plus an ‘Avro’ bi-plane, and both sure could turn a head.

It was on the 6th of August, in nineteen nineteen,
When Harry and his ‘Red Devil’, they burst upon the scene.
The first to carry airmail, over water in this land,
Six thousand people witnessed, this great event first hand.

But disaster struck our Harry, when in nineteen twenty two,
He crashed his ‘Avro’ bi-plane, just south of town, it’s true.
Although he survived the crash, his last 18 months were poor,
‘Till an abscess on his brain took him, aged only thirty four.

Chorus
Now Harry’s still a hero here in Minlaton today,
You won’t hear a bad word about him, and I pray
Things will stay like this and his good name will carry on,
Yes, Harry’s still a hero, in his hometown, Minlaton.
Yes, Harry’s still a hero, in my hometown, Minlaton.

© David Croser 2009
E-mail: David Croser

BIO
David Croser - “The Cocky from Koolywurtie”
 
David Croser is a farmer/singer/songwriter, living on a small farm out of Minlaton, in the district of Koolywurtie, on Yorke Peninsula S.A. The farm produces barley and beef cattle.

He has been involved with music since the early 60’s. He was a rhythm guitarist and vocalist with local band the “New Minlatones”, and “Gum Flat Revival” between 1970 and 1987, winning several Country Music awards at Portland (Vic) and in the Riverland and Port Pirie (S.A.). His song “Fuelled up and Rolling” was used as the title tune for a cassette produced by the band.

David has recorded two 14 track CDs (in 2003 and 2005) titled “Proud to be a Farmer” and “Man on the Land” and has co-written one song with his wife, Helen. David has plans to record a third CD during 2007.

He has entered and won awards at country music talent quests as a solo artist and songwriter since 1997 at Mt. Gambier, Port Pirie and Port Augusta.
David was placed 3rd in the 2000 APRA S.A.Country Music Song-writing Awards run by the South Australian Council for Country Music.

He was a finalist in the Male Vocal section of the South Australian Champion of Champions in 2000 and a Grand Finalist in the Bush Balladeer’s Star Quest in Tamworth in 2002. In 2004, he was a finalist in the New Talent section of the Stan Coster Memorial Australian Bush Ballad Awards at the Bungendore Country Muster.

In 2006, David was a finalist in the “Australia” section of the Australian Songwriters Association song-writing contest with his song, “Rivers of Australia”. This song features on his “Man on the Land” CD.

Product

NEW CD !!!
The Cocky from Koolywurtie

Track listing:

01. The Cockie From Koolywurtie. 02. If I Had Wings. 03. Carve Your name In My Saddle. 04. The Old Draught Horse. 05. People, Times and Places. 06. It's Over and Done. 07. Saddle Boy. 08. Where her Spirit's Free. 09. A Special place In Heaven. 10. One last Look. 11. A Kangaroo's point Of View. 12. Banjo and Henry. 13. Old Gilbert. 14. Save The Bush Ballad.

The CD retails at $25 plus $2 postage and handling.

>>The C.D is also available through 'Mulga Music Promotions', in Tamworth.
Their e-mail address is mulga@tpg.com.au, and their web site is www.mulgamusic.com.au, or you can obtain C.D's by writing to them at P.O. Box 664 Tamworth. N.S.W. 2340.
If you are travelling through Tamworth they are also available from the Australian Country Music Foundation, 93 Brisbane Street, Tamworth.

"MAN ON THE LAND"
AVAILABLE NOW!

» CREDIT CARD?
>>If you wish to purchase this album with credit card please go to the Brisbane Country Music Store - direct to "Man On The Land"
COUNTRY MUSIC STORE LINK  --- HERE SOON!!!!!

>>The C.D is also available through 'Mulga Music Promotions', in Tamworth.
Their e-mail address is mulga@tpg.com.au, and their web site is www.mulgamusic.com.au, or you can obtain C.D's by writing to them at P.O. Box 664 Tamworth. N.S.W. 2340.
If you are travelling through Tamworth they are also available from the Australian Country Music Foundation, 93 Brisbane Street, Tamworth.

Debut album
"PROUD TO BE A FARMER"
Featuring 14 tracks, Including 7 originals
$20 plus $2 postage and handling.
» CREDIT CARD?
>>If you wish to purchase this album with credit card please go to the Brisbane Country Music Store
- direct to "Proud To Be a Farmer"
COUNTRY MUSIC STORE LINK

>>The C.D is also available through 'Mulga Music Promotions', in Tamworth.
Their e-mail address is mulga@tpg.com.au, and their web site is www.mulgamusic.com.au, or you can obtain C.D's by writing to them at P.O. Box 664 Tamworth. N.S.W. 2340.
If you are travelling through Tamworth they are also available from the Australian Country Music Foundation, 93 Brisbane Street, Tamworth.

>>TOUR DATES