{{Short description|Australian Indigenous band}} {{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians --> | name = Saltwater Band | image = | caption = | image_size = | background = group_or_band | alias = | origin = Galiwin'ku, Elcho Island, Australia | genre = Indigenous roots | years_active = | label = Skinnyfish Music | website = | current_members = Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu<br>Manuel Nulupani Dhurrkay<br>Joshua Dhurrkay<br>Andrew Yunupingu<br>Barra'kuwuy Yunupingu<br>Jonathon Yunupingu<br>Adrian Garrawitja<br>Lloyd Garrawitja | past_members = }}

'''Saltwater Band''' are an Indigenous roots band from Galiwin'ku on Elcho Island, around 560 kilometres from Darwin. The members are Yolngu and they sing mostly in Yolngu languages. Their songs are a mixture of traditional songs and reggae/ska influenced pop.<ref>[http://www.skinnyfishmusic.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=28&Itemid=66 Skinnyfish Music] Saltwater Band - Gapu Damurrun'</ref> One member of the band, the late Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu, is a close relative of Mandawuy Yunupingu of Yothu Yindi and was a past member of Yothu Yindi.<ref>[http://www.dfat.gov.au/indigenous/mba/tracks.html Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade] Listen Up - Music of Black Australia</ref>

Saltwater Band's first album, ''Gapu Damurrun'', sold more than 10,000 copies, a then record for an independent Northern Territory act.<ref>[http://www.nit.com.au/TheArts/story.aspx?id=3883 National Indigenous Times - Issue 68] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706111015/http://www.nit.com.au/TheArts/story.aspx?id=3883 |date=2011-07-06 }} Deadly times for Saltwater</ref> Their album ''Djarridjarri'' was nominated for the ARIA Award for Best World Music Album at the ARIA Music Awards of 2004.<ref>[http://www.ariaawards.com.au/history-by-artist.php?letter=S&artist=Saltwater%20Band Aria Awards] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110519020352/http://www.ariaawards.com.au/history-by-artist.php?letter=S&artist=Saltwater%20Band |date=2011-05-19 }} Saltwater Band awards history</ref> The album also received a Deadly Award for Album Release of the Year.<ref>[http://www.vibealive.com.au/vibe.asp?PageID=1189 Deadly Vibe Issue 93 November 2004] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080805214854/http://www.vibealive.com.au/vibe.asp?PageID=1189 |date=5 August 2008 }} Saltwater snaps up Deadly</ref>

==Discography== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1" ! scope="col" style="width:11em;"| Title ! scope="col" style="width:17em;"| Details |- ! scope="row"| ''Gapu Damurrun'' | * Released: 1999 * Label: Skinny Fish (SB 001) * Format: CD |- ! scope="row"| ''Djarridjarri'' | * Released: 2004 * Label: Skinny Fish (SFSW040102) * Format: CD |- ! scope="row"| ''Malk'' | * Released: 2009 * Label: Skinny Fish (SFSW100904) * Format: CD digital download |}

==Awards and nominations== ===APRA Awards=== The APRA Awards are presented annually from 1982 by the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA), "honouring composers and songwriters".<ref name="APRAMusic">{{cite web | url = http://www.apra-amcos.com.au/APRAAwards/MusicAwards.aspx | title = APRA Music Awards 2012 | publisher = Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) &#124; Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS) | accessdate = 29 May 2012 }}</ref>

{{awards table}} |- | 2012 || "Compass" (Charlie Yunupingu, David Yunupingu) || Blues & Roots Work of the Year<ref name="BRWotYNom">{{cite web | url = http://www.apra-amcos.com.au/APRAAwards/MusicAwards/Nominations/BluesandRootsWorkoftheYear2012.aspx | title = Nominations > Blues & Roots Work of the Year – 2012 | publisher = Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) &#124; Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS) | year = 2012 | accessdate = 29 May 2012 }}</ref> || {{nom}} {{end}}

===ARIA Music Awards=== The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music. {{awards table}} |- | 2004 | ''Djarridjarri: Blue Flag'' | Best World Music Album | {{nom}} |- | 2011 | ''Malk'' | Best World Music Album | {{nom}} {{end}}

===The Deadly Awards=== The Deadly Awards, commonly known simply as The Deadlys, was an annual celebration of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander achievement in music, sport, entertainment and community. They ran from 1996 to 2013.

{{awards table}} |- | 2004 | ''Djarridjarri'' | Album of the Year | {{won}} |- | 2009 | themselves | Band of the Year | {{won}} |- {{end}}

===National Indigenous Music Awards=== The National Indigenous Music Awards recognise excellence, innovation and leadership among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander musicians from throughout Australia. They commenced in 2004.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.musicnt.com.au/national-indigenous-music-awards/about-the-awards/2014-winners/|title=2014 Winners - National Indigenous Music Awards|author=|date=|work=Musicnt.com.au|accessdate=28 February 2017|archive-date=25 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170225214135/http://www.musicnt.com.au/national-indigenous-music-awards/about-the-awards/2014-winners/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-07-26/national-indigenous-music-awards-2015/6648458|title='I'm doing my music for my people': National Indigenous Music Awards 2015|author=|date=26 July 2015|work=ABC.net.au|accessdate=28 February 2017}}</ref>

{{awards table}} |- | 2004 | themselves | People's Choice Award | {{won}} |- | 2005 | themselves | People's Choice Award | {{won}} |- | 2008 | ''Saltwater Band Live'' | DVD/Film Clip of the Year | {{won}} |- | 2011 | ''Malk'' | Album of the Year | {{nom}} |- {{end}}

== References == {{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Musical groups from the Northern Territory Category:Indigenous Australian musical groups