Simply Bushed takes Anzac Award

WHAT you give, you get back in life and no band is more living proof of this than Simply Bushed. The Sydney-based band have a special place in their hearts for Australia's defence force and they were honoured for this support at the Tamworth Country Music Festival.
The band took home the Anzac Song of the Year at the Tamworth Songwriters' Association Awards with their song, Raise Your Glass. 

The song, from the newly-released EP, Military Issue, grabbed the attention of the TSA Awards judges and a letter from Dr Brendan Nelson of the Australian War Memorial accompanied the trophies.
“You have given the nation a beautifully evocative gift in Raise Your Glass,” Dr Nelson wrote. “The song is perfectly crafted, speaking directly to us and the debt we owe these men and women whose service and sacrifice has done so much to deepen our understanding of what it means to be Australian.”
Front men Paul Grierson and Chris Rieger have military service in their families, through grandfathers who served in World War II, Chris' brother has served in the RAAF for 31 years and Paul's nephew is in the army. Raise Your Glass is dedicated to ex-service and serving personnel and who still suffer the consequences of active service.
“Most Australians are connected to a military heritage somewhere and we would like to dedicate our win to the young soldiers that are still serving many of whom are going to need our help,” Paul said.

Chris said Anzac represented that spirit of standing up for your mates and helping others ad the song moved their listeners.

“It is very common to find someone reflecting on a personal experience whilst shedding a small tear,” he said.

The New England North West regional committee for the Defence Reserves Support Council honoured them with a certificate of appreciation.
“We thought we were there to perform for them but, in fact, were given a wonderful appreciation award for our efforts in travelling to the Middle East and the Solomon Islands as well as several performances in Australia for the military,” Paul said.
The artists gave everyone at the function a copy of their latest EP, Military Issue, a collection of four tracks that support the ADF and what they stand for.

"Working with the military has been a humbling experience for which I will be forever grateful to have been involved,” Chris said. “Raise Your Glass, we believe, represents the majority of everyday Australians who also understand the sacrifice made, in the past and the present, for our freedom today."
Chris and Paul have played in the band together for a decade and this was their 10th foray into the Tamworth Country Music Festival scene and hailed it as their best ever.
You can see the boys and listen to their beautiful song here. The song is also available on iTunes.