Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu | |
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![]() Gurrumul in November 2012 | |
Background information | |
Born | Elcho Island, Northern Territory, Australia | 22 January 1971
Died | 25 July 2017 Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia | (aged 46)
Genres | |
Occupation(s) |
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Instruments |
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Years active | 1986–2017 |
Labels | Skinnyfish Music |
Formerly of | |
Website | www |
Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu (22 January 1971 – 25 July 2017), commonly known as Gurrumul and also referred to since his death as Dr G. Yunupingu,[note 1][5][6][7] was a Yolŋu Aboriginal Australian musician.[8] A multi-instrumentalist, he played drums, keyboards, guitar (a right-hand-strung guitar played left-handed) and didgeridoo, but it was the clarity of his singing voice that attracted rave reviews. He sang stories of his land both in Yolŋu languages such as Gaalpu, Gumatj or Djambarrpuynu, a dialect related to Gumatj, and in English.[8][9] He began his career as a member of Yothu Yindi and later Saltwater Band, and his solo career brought him wider acclaim[8] He was the most commercially successful Aboriginal Australian musician at the time of his death.[8] As of 2020, it is estimated that Yunupingu has sold half a million records globally.[10]
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