Hugh McDonald, Australian musician, Died at 62

  Music

Hugh McDonald was born on July 17, 1954, and died on November 18, 2016.

He was an Australian musician.

He was running from the 1970s to 2016, Hugh performed and recorded with The Bushwackers, The Sundowners, Banshee, Redgum, Des ‘Animal’ McKenna, Moving Cloud, and The Colonials.

McDonald became better known when he joined the folk-rock group Redgum in 1981.

He wrote a number of the group’s songs, including “The Diamantina Drover”.

Following his position as lead singer John Schumann left the band in 1986, he took over as lead singer until the group disbanded in 1990.

Post-Redgum, Hugh McDonald continued playing and recording music, and also taught music, including working with the Geelong Music College Orchestra.

Also to that, he has his own recording studios in Melbourne.

He also lent his musical and recording expertise to the production of the Poowong Consolidated Primary School’s annual music CD and more recently DVD.

Hugh McDonald has worked alongside the students and music teacher Phil Beggs to compose, write, record and produce the CD.

Since 2005 he worked with Schumann again as part of the Vagabond Crew, touring and performing on the albums Lawson and Behind the Lines.

However, The latter album was recorded at McDonald’s studios.

During 2014 he released his fourth post-Redgum solo album titled The Land, which includes his more recent originals “If It All Goes South”, a tender heartfelt song which he wrote for his wife, Rebecca Harris Mason, and “Shrodinger’s Cat”, a contemplative song about accepting the uncertainties of life.

He performed for Australian forces overseas several times.

During December 2009 he visited East Timor to play for Australian and New Zealand troops stationed there, in September–October 2011 Hugh McDonald played for Australian troops in Afghanistan and in July 2013 he played for Australian troops and Australian Federal Police in the Solomon Islands.

During 2014 Hugh McDonald played for the Royal Australian Navy troops in Tanzania, Africa, and in March 2016 he returned to Afghanistan to play for the Australian troops.

Since 2015, McDonald had seven children, six grandchildren and lived with his wife, pianist Rebecca Harris Mason, and his two stepchildren.

Hugh McDonald’s daughter, Georgia, is also a musician; who sings and plays guitar in Melbourne band Camp Cope.

He died due complications of prostate cancer.

Hugh McDonald passed away at 62 years old.