Albany Shantymen formed in 2016 after Gary “Grizz” Greenwald moved to Albany and sought out his local shanty singing group, only to find there was none. So he set about plying unsuspecting blokes with beer and bar snacks until he had formed a core shanty crew.
The group expanded quickly to 15 members on the premise of good mates gathering weekly to indulge in a rousing singalong with a beer in hand. The casual act grew in popularity, with local audiences enjoying the relaxed performances where singing and foot-tapping along is not only encouraged, it’d be rude not to!
Out of the blue, The Albany Shantymen shot to fame when Scottish postman Nathan Evans heard their rendition of the maritime classic, The Wellerman, and covered it on social media platform TikTok. To the unassuming Scot’s surprise, his cover went viral, resulting in coverage by Rolling Stone magazine. The Albany Shantymen were given a mention in the star-making mag and so began the folk and shanty group’s rise to fame, with calls coming in from all over Western Australia and beyond for their unique brand of feel-good music.
Here’s hoping you catch The Albany Shantymen at a venue near you soon for a taste of history from Western Australia’s second oldest European settlement as told by ancient musical mariners and those who followed them.
While none of them have yet left their day jobs, being a part of the Albany Shantymen has allowed several of them to develop their musical skills. Several members have written their own songs (Sailors Die Quite Often; Jolly Rolly Dinky Di; and Seas of Albany among others).
These days, you’re likely to find them in the same venue every second week (Six Degrees) however it’s less likely you will see them with a beer in hand, with several of the group making the decision to separate their art from alcohol.
Their performance remains rambunctious and they’re still irreverent rogues with a penchant for simpler (if rowdier) times.
Current Members
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Roger Arnold
CABIN BOY
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Bruce Beamish
BRUISER
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Matthew Beamish
JUNIOR
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Andrew Collins
PIRATE
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Brent Goodall
GUNNER
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Gary Greenwald
GRIZZ
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Mal Hatwell
FATHER JACK
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Martin Healy
SUGAR MAN
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John Henderson
PUMPY
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Kriss Logan
FUZZ
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Barry Longworth
GRUMPY
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Marcel Minnee
NOTSO
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Mick Rose
ANGRY
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Paul Severin
DOWN BELOW
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Crispin Travers
BIG HAIRY COXSWAIN
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Alby Van Dongen
SWEETUMS
In the Press
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Shantymen Share for The Project
The Albany Shantymen are interviewed on Channel 10's The Sunday Project, 5 September 2021.
Hear the Premier lampooned for not being a big enough fan and shocking revelations about getting seasick in the bath!
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AFL Grand Final at Optus Stadium
The Albany Shantymen earn a place in WA’s sporting history, performing at the AFL grand final.
The humble, hairy heroes welcomed punters to the stadium by performing for crowds outside the gates.
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On the Big Screen
The Albany Shantymen perform prior to the Fremantle Dockers vs Brisbane Lions game at Optus Stadium in Perth, August 2021.
There’s nothing quite like being on the big screen!
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Our Australian Story
The unassuming songbirds were caught up in the rising fame of Dustyesky, a genuinely fake Russian choir, leading to an appearance on ABC TV.
Check out The Albany Shantymen performing The Wellerman sea shanty for Australian Story.
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Fine Folk at Fairbridge
Our favourite Shantymen perform at Fairbridge Festival, in both 2018 and 2021.
The most recent Fairbridge Festival appearance saw the Albany Shantymen joined by joined by Colin and Matt from The Anchormen and Jeff and Ash from The Lost Quays.