Praise for Stranger in My Land

"The end result is a superb collection of songs that range from swamp rock to old fashioned Opry country laments." –Maverick Magazine

"This album isn't just a fascinating cultural artifact; it's a powerfully moving musical statement that demands attention." –Exclaim.ca

"Both a revelation and a fine album in a style that seems timeless." –AllMusic

"Roger Knox is a storyteller who gives the message a bright entry into the world." –The Alternate Root Magazine

"You’d have to be practically asleep not to be stirred by the harrowing tales gracefully told by the man." –PopMatters

About Roger

Roger Knox: The Koori King of Country

Roger Knox, aka the Koori King of Country as he’s known in his homeland, is an Aboriginal Australian Country & Western singer with a honeyed bear hug of a voice. Bloodshot artist Jon Langford (Mekons, Waco Brothers) met Knox on a visit to Australia several years ago. When he heard of Roger and the potentially-soon-to-be-lost subculture of this utterly unique cultural collision, Langford knew he had to be involved. Stranger In My Land is a collection of songs originally written by Aborigine artists who were Knox’s peers and predecessors; some tunes previously recorded but difficult to find as well as several unrecorded, handed-down folk songs (which without this recording, could have been lost forever).

Country music crossed the equator in the kitbags of US servicemen in WWII and magically struck a chord with a voiceless and near invisible aboriginal population. Soon American cowboy songs and honkytonk classics were retooled to describe rugged outback lifestyles and the migration from country to city. Turns out, you can’t beat this music as a vehicle for telling tough tales and the Aboriginal Country & Western Songbook is peppered with drinking songs and prison songs; songs that yearn for justice and for home; songs of alienation and the loneliness of the outsider. Humor, resignation and outrage stalk a superficially familiar musical landscape that’s been re-populated with stockmen, bandicoots, wallabies, porcupines, grog-drinkers, pelicans and policemen.

Stranger in My Land Mini-Documentary

 

Roger Knox One-Sheet

Roger Knox Media Kit

Press: Josh / Bloodshot Records

New Media: Mike / Bloodshot Records

Contributors

Since Roger has such an inspiring life story and rich musical history, we wanted to have fellow musicians—the artistic contributors to his album—tell you about how Roger's musical journey connected with each of them throughout the making of this album. Each day we will feature a different artist who contributed to Roger's album, their testimonial, and an exclusive streaming track from the forthcoming album.

Kelly Hogan

Kelly Hogan

"When I think of Roger Knox, I think of those "Eternal Flame" memorials that you see in front of courthouses or city halls.

1. Because that flame represents not one, but a legion -- the way Roger Knox has beautifully represented his Aborigine people and LOVERS of COUNTRY MUSIC. Woo!

2. Because that flame refuses to die -- no matter how hard others have tried to stomp it out. In your FACE, decades of racist oppression! Woo!

3. Because that flame is warm and it is a beacon. It burns stalwart through the metaphorical dark night, guiding future generations -- the way glowing neon leads you to the honky-tonk -- to a place of brotherly love and understanding where we all speak the universal language of music.

4. Fire is sexy.

Carry on, Roger Knox!

Kelly Hogan is no stranger to the Bloodshot family, lending her honey-toned vocals to artists like Jon Langford and Robbie Fulks, in addition to recording two solo records for us. Her latest LP, I Like To Keep Myself In Pain, was released on ANTI- in 2012.

LISTEN: Roger Knox with Kelly Hogan, "Blue Gums Calling Me Back Home"

Dave Alvin

Dave Alvin"Hey Jon, You gave me a copy at The Phoenix last week. It sounds fucking great. You did a great production job on it. I'm very proud to be associated with the music in even a small way."

Dave Alvin is a revered solo roots artist, as well as a member of the Blasters, X, and the Knitters.

LISTEN: Roger Knox featuring Dave Alvin, "The Land Where the Crow Flies Backwards"

Tawny Newsome

Tawny Newsome"I am so pleased I finally got to sing with Roger. Since I was asked to be involved in this project in 2009, there has always been this question of being able to get him into the country to perform. I'd heard he encountered problems when it was somehow decided he 'lacked essential, cultural uniqueness.' I have never met an artist who's such vibrant and fascinating uniqueness made me question my own. A lovely, lovely man. I could listen to his soft-spoken stories about Murrie and Koorie life for days and days."

Tawny Newsome is a member of Skull Orchard and sings with Roger on "Arafura Pearl" and "Streets of Tamworth."

LISTEN: Roger Knox with Tawny Newsome, "Arafura Pearl"

Bill Anderson

Bill Anderson"That song 'Ticket to Nowhere' haunts me, coming into my head at random times. Jon gave me a demo of it so I could play the song with him at shows. I wrote a little solo for it and the song stuck in my head, for all time apparently. Then later he asked me to record my part for the record - I didn't quite understand at first that not only Roger Knox but also Charlie Louvin would be singing on it. Now THAT is something pretty awesome. I can't wait to hear the whole album. Once again, I owe Langford big time..."

Bill Anderson is a member of The Meat Purveyors and an Austin Music Hall of Fame inductee.

LISTEN: Roger Knox with Bill Anderson, "Ticket to Nowhere"

Dallas Good

Dallas Good"Roger Knox is a really special person. He is probably one of the only people ever to survive two horrible plane crashes in one day. Sure, he is a man who is known to have run terror-stricken from falling snow but it's unlikely he fears much else. Through this record, his voice can tell the stories of his peoples' oppression through country and western music, the most racist genre of popular music ever."

Dallas Good is a member of The Sadies.

LISTEN: Roger Knox with Dallas Good, "Arafura Pearl"

Sally Timms

Sally Timms"An Australian friend first introduced me to Jimmy Little's music (probably the best known Aboriginal singer) back in 2001 when we toured there with the Wacos. I knew very little about how extensive the Aboriginal Country scene was at that point. It makes a lot of sense that Jon would be drawn to these musicians, after all, we are all strangers to country music in a way, none of us American, it's not part of our heritage, I didn't know too much of Roger's background until I started preparing his petition for his US work visa, and what i read just blew me away, I found it to be an inspiration. I didn't realize how much of an activist he was until that point, how extensively he worked with his community: he's just a very righteous man. This was all borne out when I met him as he is a very gentle, kind and powerful personality. We cried when we saw him off at O'Hare after his visit and suffered "Roger Withdrawal" for weeks.

"Home in the Valley" was sung by Auntie Maisie Kelly as part of a documentary field recording. Roger was friends with Maisie and I think he was quite moved that this song ended up on the record. I love how it maps out the land, as if you are taking a journey with the singer along the Macleay river in New South Wales. I suppose I felt a connection to that as I grew up in a small village in North Yorkshire and sometimes track my way through those old country paths by memory in the same way that Maisie does in this song."

Sally Timms is a member of the Mekons, Pine Valley Cosmonauts, frequent collaborator and has released solo albums on Bloodshot.

LISTEN: Roger Knox with Sally Timms, "Home in the Valley"

Charlie Louvin

Charlie LouvinJon Langford recalling the story of taking Charlie to his home studio to record his vocal part on the song:

Charlie Louvin was soundchecking at the Heartland Cafe for one of his last Chicago performances when I picked him up to take him over to my place to record some vocals on “Ticket To Nowhere.” Well into his eighties and still smoking a couple of packs a day, Charlie asked if it was OK if he lit one up in my car. The only trouble was there was a massive storm blowing through and the sky turned green as we headed west to Sauganash. The rain was coming in hard, heavy and parallel to the ground when Charlie rolled down the window to flick his ash. It was like someone threw a bucket of water over us and I had to shout at him to roll the window up. He didn't seem to mind. Later in the evening he split a tuna sandwich with me.

The late Charlie Louvin is a country music legend, making a name as half of the famous Louvin Brothers.

LISTEN: Roger Knox with Charlie Louvin, "Ticket To Nowhere"

Andre Williams

Andre WilliamsJon Langford recalling the story of getting Andre to sing on "Stranger In My Country":

Every now and then I go and have a bit of lunch with my hero Andre Williams down at Roy's on 71st Street. Recently we'd been working together in my basement on vocals for an album called Night & Day (that he and the Sadies were struggling to complete). When I got back from recording Roger's vocals at Enrec in Tamworth I went to meet Andre and took some of the rough mixes along to see what he thought about maybe duetting with Roger. I tried to explain the notion of black Australians singing honky-tonk protest music out in the bush but he didn't seem convinced. Over humungous plates of ham-hocks and collard greens Andre listened impassively on his headphones. After a while he looked up and me and repeated the lines "They say that black is beautiful, I've heard it far and wide man... Stranger in my country, stranger in my land.... oh yeah! I get it!"

Andre Williams is an R&B legend ("Shake A Tail Feather" is just one of the many songs he's written) and Bloodshot recording artist.

LISTEN: Roger Knox with Andre Williams, "Stranger In My Country"

More Info

Roger Knox's First US Tour

In the summer of 2012, Roger Knox visited the States for the first time -- check out his adventures in the US here.

Press

"When it’s released in early February, this will become the most important country music release of 2013. Why? Well, straight up, if you’re lookin’ fer the twang and the boogie son yuh’d best look elsewhere because this is sublime and I don’t mean a piece of marginal fruit down to the Piggly Wiggly.

This is country music wrought bruised and aching from the dustbowl that is Australia’s Outback. This is Roger Knox aka the Black Elvis or the Koori King of Country bringing an Aboriginal voice to what amounts to Jimmie Rodgers, Lefty Frizzell, Woody Guthrie and Paul Robeson gathered at the billabong singing protest tunes.—Canada.com

"Down-under civil-rights songs addressing feelings of racial alienation and making pleas for justice, all couched in the plainspoken language of vintage Nashville." —Chicago Reader

About The Pine Valley Cosmonauts

The Pine Valley Cosmonauts were recruited for inter-planetary fame by Jon Langford. They are a loosely organized musical collective that sprouts periodically, like a rare orchid out of the desert sand, to deliver unto the world records of vision, of tribute, of unfettered revelry.

With Langford at the shaky helm, this tight ensemble is an ever-growing cast of fiddlers, horn players, steel guitarists, and whoever else fit the riotous and rollicking moment. Joining them on vocal duties is always an astounding array of guest singers.