'The Big Ol Bus Band' is the fresh sound of swingin' roots music in Australia. Twelve singers, dancers and musicians jump on board the ol' 55 seater bus and hit the highway. Their sold out Sydney theatre shows has word fast spreading that this band is destined to play the biggest festivals around the world.

Picking up the swing band tradition of yesteryear an old bus was brought to life out of retirement on the side of a country highway and is gradually being transformed into 'The Big Ol' Bus'. The band has started it's push beyond the cities and into the outback halls and theatres.

The Band leader pianist/songwriter/singer Hugh Murray has done his quota of back roads wearing through boots between Broken Hill, where he started School, and Tennessee where he has lived and where he also first started 'The Big Ol' Bus Band'. His songwriting credits include Keith Urban, INXS and Jazz and Soul Grammy Award winning singer Lou Rawls. Hughie, as he is known to his mates, recently returned back to Australia with the birth of his son and is excited about the all new Australian chapter of the 'Big Ol' Bus Band'. Before heading off to tour and record his bands internationally the teenage Hughie started out cutting his teeth lugging into a 1000+ shows and performing in towns up and down the East Coast of Australia. With a Double Bass and a couple of surf boards occy strapped to the roof the high energy swing band 'The Harlem Shuffle' ingrained in him a creative life on the road which he has remained inspired to live out to this day. A modern day Troubadour.

Pocket rocket swing/burlesque star Kelly Ann Doll choreographs and dances with her choice of partner for each performance - when not performing internationally. She is the star of Australian Burlesque and flying through the air with the 'Big Ol' Bus Band' you can see why.

The Musicians and singers are a collection of all highly sort after players who regularly tour with the worlds best performers or are artists who record and perform internationally in their own right.

The Band lineup consists of:

Piano/Vocals - Hughie
Vocals: Amy Vee.
Vocals: Lisa Caningham
Vocals: Sera Monson
Vocals: Holly Summers - Clarke
Guitar: Eric Rasmussan
Double Bass: Ralph Marshall
Drums: Andrew Byrnes
Trombone: Dan Barnett
Sax, Clarinet and Steel Drums: Richard 'Bootsy' Booth
Tuba & Trombone : Rod Herbert
Trumpet : Danny May
Trumpet and Trombone: Al Davey
Baritone Sax: Ed Schots

Dancers:
Kelly Ann Doll
James Starr


Words from the foyer post performance -

'the great vibe on stage and in the crowd reminded me of a 'Cat Empire' show .... this band and it's songs are really catchy and swingin'

'Great songs.... great vocals from the girls.... we loved the swing dancers....'

'Loved the four part horn section.... stand up bass and soulful guitar playing.....'

'you can really tell the Hughie and the drummer have played a lot together - infectious beats....'