John Schumann
Born: 18 / 5 / 1953
Location: Australia
John Lewis Schumann (born 18 May 1953) is an Australian singer-songwriter and guitarist from Adelaide. He is best known as the lead singer for the folk group Redgum, with their chart-topping hit "I Was Only 19 (A Walk in the Light Green)", a song exploring the psychological and medical side-effects of serving in the Australian forces during the Vietnam War. The song's sales assisted Vietnam Veterans during the 1983 Royal Commission into the effects of Agent Orange and other chemical defoliants employed during the war. Schumann was an Australian Democrats candidate in the 1998 federal election, narrowly failing to unseat Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer for the Division of Mayo.Since 2005 he has been performing as part of John Schumann and the Vagabond Crew, including fellow ex-Redgum member Hugh McDonald.
Albums
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John Schumann Records 'I Was Only 19' With The Waifs
The new version of 'I Was Only 19' offers a whole new perspective on the experience of war, inputting a different emotional vantage point to a timeless song.
John Schumann On Why Redgum Are Still Relevant Today
John Schumann (ex-Redgum lead singer/songwriter) and the Vagabond Crew return to Brisbane with “The Redgum Years” in August. He reflects on gigging in the dark days of the Bjelke-Petersen regime and finds Redgum’s protest songs from the 70s and 80s still apply today.
John Schumann On 'I Was Only 19' At 40: 'You Do These Things Because You Believe In Them'
The remarkable story of the song that changed the way we saw our Vietnam vets.
Aussie Songwriter Condemns Use Of Iconic Work At 'Confused' Rallies
"I am very, very disappointed to see my work co-opted by what I, at my most charitable, consider to be a very confused 'patriotic' movement"
It Was Only One Song
“In the music industry sense, I kind of own ANZAC Day like Mark Seymour owns Grand Final Day. People ring me up from all over the country asking me to perform on ANZAC Day, and I just wish there were a hundred of me.”
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