The ability to express oneself musically or artistically can usually be traced to some inheritance, and the natural talent of Lionel Long has such a background. His father was a notable violinist, popular and highly experienced, and Lionel, even without any organised teaching, expressed an obvious musical talent as a very young man. Still in his early twenties, he -bas made a definite and important name as a folk singer and balladist.

He taught himself to play the guitar and would entertain his workmates and friends with songs of his own composition around the camp fire in the evenings. There is an outdoor robustness about his interpretation of our own Australian folk songs and ballads that is effectively demonstrated on this recording. He approaches his work with a quiet dignity, giving due regard to the mood of the music and the intention of tile various composers. Although this particular album does' not entirely feature folk songs, it is designed to display the ability of the artist to interpret songs of greatly varying character in addition to making more widely known some of the songs typical of this country.

It takes more than just a voice to capture the imagination of 'the public, especially of variable ages, but it quickly became evident that Lionel has an unmistakably captivating approach, and an unusual completeness in his work, that interests both young and old. The quality of being able to stir the imagination of audiences is vested in .the depth of sincerity expressed by the artist. In this respect Lionel Long has a depth of true sincerity, the ability to create varying emotions, joy or sadness, inspiration or elation, by the inflection of the voice and the consciousness of a personality.

As a very young man he worked in the outback country on sheep and cattle stations and by experience learned the necessity and importance of being neighbourly, the value of creating friendship and goodwill, and the satisfaction of tilling the soil and studying nature at its very best. The drama of combating the seasonal elements, the joy of seeing the results of man's work from Mother Earth, fired his imagination to watch the beauty of a sunrise, to inhale the perfume of wattle trees in bloom, the sight of the misty blue of the mountains together with the everchanging patterns that nature ' weaves with the changing seasons. This firmly installed in his mind a desire to be able to sing the songs and ballads descriptive of his land.

His rise to prominence was indeed rapid; recordings, radio, films and television claimed most of his time, but he always found time to continue his many sporting activities, which include sailing, football, athletics, swimming and incidentally he is a very competent commercial artist, with distinct ability in the art of painting. Music, which originally was his hobby, is now his profession, and his hobby now is photography. Thus a career was created and it would seem a long step from being a student at Hawkesbury Agricultural College to become acclaimed by the press as "Australia's Top Folk Singer.

GLOSSARY OF {AUSTRALIAN SLANG TERMS}
BOARD: Section of the shearing shed used specifically for the shearing of wool from the sheep. In the early days constructed from rough wooden planks or boards.
BILLABONG: An expanse of water which was once portion of a lake or river. Often called a lagoon, or an "oxbow''.
BLUEY: A roll of blankets and belongings carried by a swagman or shearer while travelling. Also called a swag.
BUNYIP:A mythical creature of Aboriginal legend sometimes regarded as ferocious while other sources say it's harmless. Said to inhabit billabongs and rivers.
BLOW: A shearing term describing a cutting stroke made with the shears when shearing the wool from a sheep.
CLEANSKINS: Unbranded cattle.
JACKAROO: Apprentice manager of a property running cattle or sheep.
JACK SHEA: A tin container or utensil. Used for boiling water or cooking. Also called a "billy can".
JACKASS: Nickname given to the Kookaburra, a native Australian bird.
JUMBUCK: A sheep.
FLUKE: A disease in the liver of sheep.
PUB: A hotel.
PEELERS: Nickname given to policemen. Derives from the name of Sir Robert Peel.
RINGER: Sometimes the best shearer in a shearing shed or in some areas a cattle drover.
SWAGMAN: A hobo; often called a sundowner.
SWAG: Same as "bluey".
SOVEREIGN: A coin worth one pound.
SHEARER: Man employed to shear sheep.
TAR BOY: Boy employed in shearing shed to gather the shorn wool who also tends cuts or injuries, made by shearers, by dabbing on tar to stop
bleeding. This method is now obsolete.
TIN: Slang used in colonial days for money.
TUCKERBAG: Bag used for carrying tucker (food).
TROOPERS: Mounted policemen.
WALLABY: Smaller type of Kangaroo.
RUM CULL: Drinking mate.
YO: Ewe - a female sheep.


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