Bernard Carney – Singer songwriter guitarist and entertainer

This year Bernard Carney is celebrating 38 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 community music work was recognised in 2010 when he became the face of the Perth Residential White Pages phone book for a year

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. In 2013 he became one of the inaugural patrons of the Folkworld Fairbridge Festival along with Ben Elton Lucky Oceans Andrew Winton and Wendy Were

Recordings: Bernard has released ten successful albums all recorded in Perth. His May 2011 release" Fly Above the Weather"
features some family favourites like "The Feather Foot Fairy" and "Green Weapons" and great playing from David Hyams on guitar Roy Martinez on Bass and Angus Diggs on Drums

His last 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 three years.

Festivals: Bernard is a prominent guest at Australia’s major acoustic music festivals including Woodford Festival in Queensland ,
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 lives in Australia and has regularly toured 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 the late 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.
His political songs also reflect his beliefs on Refugees (Refuge to a Refugee) Aboriginal issues (Stolen Car, Devils' Island) War and weapons manufacturers ( Don't Ask , Green Weapons , Dreams of Peace on Paper Wings)

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 community concerts in and around W.A. , instant choirs for conferences and business functions, and tailor made songs for the occasion. He coordinates and comperes the City of Perth’s weekly Tuesday Morning Show, and runs song writing and singing workshops .

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. Working Voices recently performed a concert to raise funds for an East Timorise village and will also feature at the Denmark Festival of Voice June 3-5 2011.

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 . In October 2008 the choir successfully sold out the Perth Concert Hall in a joint concert with the Perth Male Voice Choir and Working Voices They went on to foster a singing relationship with Mercedes girls College and staged another successful joint concert at St George's Cathedral in 2009 .
This choir now keeps Bernard very busy with gigs recordings song writing facilitation and regular weekly rehearsals at St John's church hall Northbridge. All are welcome

Bernard is a regular participant in Summer schools and University extension courses in WA with guitar and singing and presents singing workshops at festivals around the country