Archibald William Roach AM (8 January 1956 – 30 July 2022) was an aboriginal-Australian singer-songwriter and guitarist. Roach was born in Mooroopna, Victoria, Australia. His songs are popular in the Australian Aboriginal community.
Archie Roach
Live
Archie Roach lived in the Framlingham Aboriginal Mission, located near Warrnambool in south-west Victoria. He was taken from his family as a child and, like tens of thousands of Aboriginal children, suffered the fate of the Stolen Generation, growing up first in an orphanage and then in a family of Scottish origin in Melbourne. He then lived for many years on the streets of Melbourne and Adelaide. When he met Ruby Hunter, he set up a children's home for Aboriginal children with her, made music with Hunter and formed a band.
Factory
In 1990, Roach released a music album that explored the theme of the Stolen Generation. It won him twice at the ARIA Awards, the Human Rights Award and a gold record. In 1992 he released Jamu Dreaming and in 1997 Looking for Butter Boy, which won him three times at the ARIA Awards.
Roach performed at numerous festivals and in 1992 in the USA and also in Great Britain, Germany, China, Japan and Taiwan. In the USA he met Bob Dylan.