Event details
For 5 decades, revered and much-loved Aboriginal music legend Roger Knox – often known as ‘Blak Elvis’ – has been performing classic Australian country music all over the world.
In the historic Kew Court House, don’t miss this special opportunity for an intimate performance and Q&A session with Roger Knox, hosted by iconic activist and performer Kutcha Edwards with special guest, Australian indie musician Darren Hanlon.
Event times
7:00pm: Doors open
7:30 to 7.55pm: Darren Hanlon performance
7.55 to 9:00pm: Kutcha Edwards and Roger Knox in conversation
9:00 to 9:15pm: Interval
9:15 to 9:45pm: Kutcha Edwards and Roger Knox performance
About Roger Knox
Roger Knox is a respected First Nations musician and trailblazer whose legacy embodies hope, healing and reconciliation. A proud descendant of the Gomeroi Nation, born in Moree and raised on Toomelah Aboriginal Mission Station near Boggabilla in north-western NSW, Roger is well-loved in Aboriginal communities across Australia where he is widely known as the ‘Blak Elvis’ and the ‘Koori King of Country’, thanks to his deeply soulful, honey-soaked baritone voice.
A multi award-winning artist, Roger’s contributions to the music industry have been recognized over 3 decades. He was named NAIDOC National Artist of the Year (1993) and received the prestigious Jimmy Little Award for Lifetime Achievement in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Music (2006). His accomplishments also include his induction into the Australian Country Music Foundation’s Hands of Fame Park (2004), the National Indigenous Music Awards Hall of Fame (2018) and the Tamworth Country Music Galaxy of Stars (2022).
Roger’s musical journey spans nearly half a century, as a child singing Gospel with his mother in the church choir, hitting the road solo as a young man in his 20s, and touring in his late 30s and 40s with his family band ‘Euraba’ – named after the healing plant ‘Eurah’. At 65 he began to co-write his own stories and songs. This album is the outcome of this more recent adventure.
Through his songs, Roger shares powerful messages of survival, resilience, love, hope and healing. His lyrics speak not only to the struggles of the past but to the enduring strength of Aboriginal communities, and he is equally committed to putting those messages into practice.
A lifelong and vocal advocate for incarcerated Aboriginal people, he has made a practice of regularly touring prisons both within his home states of New South Wales and Queensland and internationally, performing a repertoire of songs that speak to the experiences and struggles of First Nations prisoners.
Roger has also acted as a patron of the Tamworth Country Music Festival’s Aboriginal Cultural Showcase since its inception in 2007.
A beloved singer, songwriter and storyteller, Roger Knox continues to inspire positive change through his unwavering commitment to reconciliation and healing. Through his music and advocacy, he fosters understanding and unity, using his platform to bridge divides and amplifies the voices of Aboriginal people. His work is a testament to the power of cultural expression as a tool for healing and his dedication to fostering reconciliation and building stronger, more harmonious relationships across Australia.