THE PERFORMER

Versatile singer songwriter Bernard Carney has a relaxed and humorous style of presentation. He is a man with a guitar who loves entertaining people with his songs.

Bernard's seemingly endless repertoire of songs (old and new) make him popular with audiences of all ages. An exceptional wordsmith, his witty lyrics complement his musical styles. He is a delight to listen to and a performer worth seeing again and again. In the words of Larry Winger, Northumbrian Arts Co-ordinator­ "after splitting your sides in laughter you'd been transported to sublime rapt attention as a love song, or a lullaby, were crooned out softly by a word wizard accompanied on sensitive and exquisite guitar".

TELEVISION AND RADIO

Politicians and their foibles often inspire his writing and Bernard regularly features as a topical songwriter on Australian television and radio. His songs are on the play lists of Australian, New Zealand and United States Radio stations, and Singapore Airlines has featured his music as in-flight entertainment.

FESTIVALS

In 1998 Bernard made his debut on the English festival and club scene appearing with Vin Garbutt. Received enthusiastically, he has returned each summer to entertain an ever-expanding audience. In 1999 he was featured at both Chester and Clitheroe Festivals. Bernard is also a regular guest at the three major Australian folk festivals Woodford, Port Fairy and the Canberra National, where he performs on the concert stage as well as presenting guitar master classes, song writing and harmony singing workshops. His late night sixties show is a highlight for festival organisers and audience alike, as they let their hair down for some good old fashioned rock and roll.

THE WRITER

Bernard won the West Australian Music Industry songwriting award in 1995 with "Gardens of Death", his angry attack on the scourge of landmines, which threaten civilian populations around the world. This song has been used as the musical dialogue for a five-minute educational video called "Shattered Lives" by the International Red Cross in Geneva. The song is also featured on the CD "Gardens of Death" and is hailed as the international anthem for the cause. In 1993 Bernard won the National Festival songwriting award with his disturbing song "Devils Island" written in memory of aboriginal prisoners who were sent to Rottnest, an island off the coast of Western Australia. His love of Rottnest and interest in its history has motivated him to research and write a series of songs highlighting the history and colourful characters of the island.

The comedy in his writing simply reflects the absurdities of life. Audiences are amused by a variety of topics­ from the perils of the Internet age (My Little Dot Com), a bad case of the flu (The Bronchiodilated Blues), to the extravagant labelling on a bottle of wine (Wine), and general political satire. The medical and scientific fraternity in Australia have been entertained by his hilarious after dinner high tech conference songs, some of which even he doesn't understand.

Bernard is frequently commissioned to write songs for private concerts, corporate functions and conventions. These songs have consistently guaranteed a successful event for groups as diverse as the Friends of the ABC, the Trades and Labor Council, the Cancer Foundation and a string of other medical organisations. In December 2002 he was commissioned to write and perform four songs for the opening of the new Western Australian Mritime Museum.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Brought up in the UK, Bernard studied Biology and Geology, drinking and living on a shoestring, and gained a combined Honours degree from Birmingham University. After working in Engineering for two years he travelled overland to Australia. Since his arrival in 1974 he has worked exclusively in the entertainment industry performing Australia-wide as a singer guitarist and songwriter. He lives in Perth and his busy schedule comprises corporate business functions, commissioned songwriting, major concerts, national music festivals, community concerts, seniors groups, compering the City of Perth's weekly Tuesday morning club, recording and marketing his original material and leading "Working Voices", the combined trade unions' choir.