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Kev Carmody - the singing doctor

By Stephen Hagan - posted Thursday, 12 June 2008


Once in a lifetime you might be fortunate enough to come across someone who is really out of the ordinary. On first contact you might not be able to specifically articulate what it is about this extraordinary individual that appeals to you, suffice to say that he or she is quite unique.

They may not even take your breath away or increase your heart rate in an infatuation instant - but the one constant which is never in dispute for such characters, is the fact that their unyielding presence will wield genuine charisma.

My initial meeting with an iconic Australian who I hold in this regard, many years ago, was an experience that was uneventful - no bush balladeering or intense campfire oratory. In the locale of rural Queensland with its colloquial country ruggedness, I found before me a stoic figure whose bushie appeal was rousing.

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My “How ya going Kev?” inquiry inside the Cunnamulla Shire Hall function room was met by a “Good mate,” and “How’s ya Dad going? I haven’t seen him for a while,” sincere response.

It was that country generosity of giving of himself, even in an avalanche of competing interests (at the time he was running a music workshop with teenagers) that remains to this day the best feature of one Kevin (Kev) Carmody.

Whether Kev was talking to the Prime Minister or swapping notes back stage with Bono (from U2 rock band), of which he has done both, he would still give equally of his time to you if the occasion presented itself in that moment.

His lack-of-pretence is a feature typical of Kev Carmody and is an attribute that sets him apart from hundreds of other popular Australian identities and their inflated egos, who grace the international music stage and get swept up by the euphoria of fame.

Kev, the self confessed knock-around-bloke, is without a doubt, Australia’s pre-eminent singer/songwriter. To me he stands at the apex of successful and influential musicians, but I suspect his real contribution to the music industry will not be fully appreciated by all Australians until after he has retired to the comfort of his rural retreat on the Darling Downs.

Kev is a humble, retiring person who is noticeably uncomfortable under the glare of the media spotlight.

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Sure, we’ve all seen him enough on television and stage to think otherwise, but those who are close to him, especially his immediate family and music associates, know that Kev would rather stay out of public view and let his music do the talking.

So it was with that knowledge that I was surprised to read in an internal email at work that Kev was going to be awarded an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Southern Queensland (USQ).

Although I wouldn’t ordinarily attend, in an academic capacity, a Faculty of Arts and Faculty of Engineering and Surveying graduation ceremony, I immediately made arrangements to be part of this special occasion.

On a beautiful sunny autumn morning, with the temperature hovering around 20C, I arrived with my wife Rhonda, also an academic at the USQ, and together we made our way to the academic waiting room.

As we were being scrutinised by officials to ensure we conformed to the academic dress code (correct gown, stole, hat and so on) for such occasions, I spotted Kev, off to our right, looking authoritative in his academic gown and wearing the unmistakable floppy hat that distinguishes academics that have been, or are about to be conferred, a Doctorate.

“Brother Steve - I’m bloody sweating under this gown - I shouldn’t have worn that bloody T-shirt underneath my shirt,” said Kev inelegantly as he shook my hand and gave Rhonda a warm embrace.

I tried to reassure Kev that once we got into the auditorium it wouldn’t be so warm but I could see from his perspiring brow that my pitch wasn’t working. But despite his discomfort Kev presented a brave face as he continued to receive congratulatory hand shakes and pats on the back from academics whom he didn’t know, but who no doubt uses his writings in their daily teaching.

As the names were being called by the Master of Ceremonies for the order in which academics would parade into the large auditorium I noticed the Vice Chancellor and Kev in an animated discussion. The next thing I observed was Kev and other officials rushing into the auditorium to locate Kev’s misplaced written speech.

With the hastily retrieved papers firmly in his hand Kev took his position in the academic line as the procession commenced.

USQ Chancellor, Bobbie Brazil, said in her address to the attentive audience of graduands and their families that the rare honour of Honorary Doctorate is awarded to those who have provided distinguished service to the community and/or the University.

“The case for the Award was founded on the significant contributions that Kev Carmody, Aboriginal singer, songwriter, and raconteur, has made to the Australian community.”

USQ Vice Chancellor, Bill Lovegrove, also delivered a poignant speech of Kev’s many achievements and acknowledged him as one of Aboriginal Australia’s most visible ambassadors. Professor Lovegrove further noted in his concluding remarks that Kev “… drew on his own experience and those of the wider Australian community with his songs that deliver a message that has universal significance and so touched audiences all over the world.”

“Chancellor, in recognition for his outstanding achievement in and significant contribution to Australian Indigenous music it is my great pleasure to present to you Mr Kevin Carmody for conferral of the degree of Doctor, honoris causa,, of the University to which he is already admitted by the Council.”

After a rousing reception that echoed for several long minutes, around the vast arena, Kev humbly rose to present the occasional address.

“I do feel like a fish out of water my friends - I really do - Thank you so much for this hospitality - I’ll be very brief - I’m not going to go into any sort of in-depth academic analysis of education or technological advancement. I’ll just tell you a story. My story,” Kev said.

And what a story it was, especially the yarn about his missing thesis.

“I finished six chapters all hand written on paper and one night I was going to my uni in Brisbane (from Toowoomba) to deliver my thesis to my supervisor. During the trip I felt a strong wind blowing against my bike but it wasn’t until I arrived at the uni that I discovered the bag containing the thesis must’ve slipped from the bike. I later discovered that it dragged for 26 miles, from Plainlands to Black Soil.” Kev said.

“It was shredded.”

Kev told the audience, who was hanging off every word, that he took his children back over the route the following day and collected every piece of shredded paper they could find over the 26-mile distance and placed them into a plastic bag.

Kev repeated the words of his supervisor who expressed dismay on receiving the plastic bag: “I’ve heard every conceivable excuse known to students; from health reasons, relations with terminal illness or ‘had my thesis stolen’,” to which Kev instantaneously exclaimed, as only Kev could: “As an historian you need hard evidence - and there it is.”

The audience by this stage was truly transfixed on the larrikin Aussie at centre stage and I even observed many of the overseas graduating students - who were probably the only people in the room who didn’t know of Kev before this day - smile and applaud at the precocious address, the likes of which they, or anyone else in attendance, were unlikely to have ever heard at a graduation ceremony before.

Kev continued his thesis yarn by saying he received his Masters degree and enrolled in a PhD but by then he had signed his first record contract and had to defer his studies.

After his magnificent address Kev then created a first for the USQ when he sang his signature song, From little things, big things grow, and in so doing became the only official guest to date to not only present the occasional address but also provide the entertainment.

Sure beats classical music.

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About the Author

Stephen Hagan is Editor of the National Indigenous Times, award winning author, film maker and 2006 NAIDOC Person of the Year.

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