Michael O'Sullivan and Bandy Bill & CO. A fascinating story of a wonderful singer/song writer and an iconic Inverell band.
Michael O'Sullivan arrived back in Inverell, at the McLean Care Village in 2017, being transferred from the Armidale District Hospital by ambulance. They told him to find a place where he could die in peace and his good friend John Watts brought him to Inverell for Michael to spend the final days of his life in palliative care after suffering from a long illness.
What happened over the next twelve months has been a real miracle.
Music has always been Michael’s great passion and it was no surprise when Michael had the chance, that he joined Inverell’s bush band, Bandy Bill and Co. He started to write some wonderful songs for the Band and recorded a number of these songs including Modern Day Swaggie and Spinnin’ Yarns. Michael’s song, Happy Birthday Australia found its way onto Macca’s Australia All Over Volume II and sold close to 90000 copies.
The album was the curtain raiser for the iconic We Are Australian. "Best is Yet to Come" Michael’s first individual release was also a great success. He wrote and recorded several tracks that are featured on eight artist compilation albums. Six of them are featured with ABC Radio’s Australia All Over program. The songs include Macca on a Sunday Morning, Rain on a Tin Roof and Blue Outback Skies.
This is the remarkable life story of a talented singer/songwriter, it is a story written by life that features the highs and the lows in a man's life that subsequently was spared and a certain death sentence was turned around with the help of his friends and his love of music. Listen to Michael in this tell all and compelling podcast. This podcast is part of Hometown INVERELL.