Bernard Carney – Singer songwriter guitarist and entertainer

This year Bernard Carney is celebrating 33 years working full time in the Australian entertainment industry. His longevity in the business confirms his great talent as a musician and wordsmith, his versatility and ability to relate well to different audiences with both humorous and serious repertoire.

His shows focus on his original songs which are exceptional for the wit and smartness of the lyrics and the flawless guitar style that accompanies them.

Awards: In March 2003 Bernard's success as a major songwriter was recognised by the Port Fairy Festival, Victoria, where he was named Artist of the Year and also won the prestigious Lawson Patterson Songwriting Award. He has previously won three other major Australian songwriting awards.

Recordings: Bernard has released nine successful albums all recorded in Perth. His latest album “West” celebrates 175 years of European settlement in West Australia. His humorous take on computer love affairs “My Little Dot Com” from his previous CD “Feathers and Tributes” has been on national ABC play lists for the past two years.

Festivals: Bernard is a prominent guest at Australia’s major acoustic music festivals including Woodford Festival in Queensland (for 12 consecutive years), Port Fairy Festival in Victoria, the National Folk Festival in Canberra, plus WA’s Bridgetown Blues Festival, Fairbridge and Nannup Folk Festivals. Fairbridge Festival Director Steve Barnes observes” Bernard has become a major influence on guitarists and songwriters around Australia”

Tours: Bernard regularly tours the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, New Zealand and Singapore.

He has performed with international artists such as Gene Pitney, Taj Mahal, Foster and Allen, Ralph McTell, Richard Thompson and had the honour of opening Stephane Grapelli’s final concert at the Perth Concert Hall.

Songwriting: Bernard was commissioned to write four new songs for the opening of the new Western Australian Maritime Museum and a commemorative song for the Perth Mint. He has written for organisations such as the Cancer Foundation, the Trade Union movement, and he has completed a series of ten songs concerning the history and characters of WA’s Rottnest Island. Bernard's award-winning song “Gardens of Death” was adopted as the international anthem for the campaign to ban landmines by the International Red Cross in Geneva who have made it into an educational video (Shattered Lives) and a CD single which has raised money for landmine victims.

TV and Radio: During 1991-1992 Bernard appeared weekly on ABC TV as the political satirist for the 7.30 Report in Brisbane, summing up the week's events in song. Prior to that he wrote topical satire for ABC Radio in Perth, the Kevin Hume drive show and Ted Bull’s breakfast show.

Performances: Bernard’s busy schedule other than touring comprises conferences and business functions, community concerts, compering the City of Perth’s weekly Tuesday Morning Show, schools performances and song writing workshops, and he has been the musical director of the Working Voices community choir since 1997.

Choir Director: Since 1997 Bernard has been the musical director of the Working Voices Choir the combined trade unions choir of Western Australia. This choir performs at rallies, social justice events union events and festivals and the repertoire reflects the members commitment to Peace social change conservation reconciliation and many more social justice issues where music can help to further a cause.

2007 saw the birth of the Spirit of the Streets choir, originally put together from sellers of the Big Issue magazine and broadened out to include any potential singer from a disadvantaged background, or long term unemployed or disabled in some way. The choir is all inclusive and has performed at many conferences to do with social welfare and mental health and in October 2008 is staging a concert at the Perth Concert Hall .