17 August 2025
WILLIE AND THE CORRESPONDENTS Live At The Twyford, Merimbula
- Show starts 2.30pm, ends 4.30pm including 20 minute interval
- Suitable for all ages
- Tickets: Adult $45 | Concession $40 | Group 6 $180 ($30 each) + BF
Booking Fee 50c per ticket plus 2.5% card processing fee - Subscriber Discount – check your e-news email for Earlybird discount promo code
- Twyford Gift Certificates are valid for this performance
- Accessibility: Please note that there is tiered seating in the Theatre. Contact the box office to book a seat in Row J if you have a wheelchair or mobility disability – all other rows in the Theatre are accessible by steps only. Best alternative: Row H (2 steps only). Read more about accessibility in our venue here.
ABOUT THE SHOW
Country/Folk/Roots band Willie and the Correspondents entertain with a delightful mix of original songs covering the struggles and strength of country town people, family ties, lost love, political posturing and times gone by.
The Canberra Times said of their second album:
“Take Your Chances is a good album that ventures close to great the more you play it.”
Be prepared for an upbeat session that will make you sing, laugh and cry. No better way to spend a Sunday afternoon!
ABOUT THE BAND
Willie and the Correspondents is a band full of intelligent and talented musicians who have been around the music game long enough to really how to tell a story. Two band members were born in Bega and three have homes on the South Coast. Their songs reflect their country backgrounds as well as lived experience.
Matthew Herbert ‐ lead singer & multi‐instrumentalist: electric guitar, mandolin, banjo, acoustic guitar, ukulele
Hugh Watson ‐ guitar & vocals
Phil Williams ‐ blues harp & vocals
Peter McDonald ‐ electric bass
Greg Turnbull ‐ drums
“I’m looking forward to performing at the Twyford having been born in Bega and spent many years at Merimbula, and now having a home there. I went to the pictures at the Hall in my youth and have fond memories of nights at the Twyford.” – Band member Hugh Watson
The Music
“WRITING ON THE WALL”
Most of the songs on its first album, “Writing on the Wall” were written between 2004 and 2010 by Hugh Watson and Matthew Herbert. There are a couple of old ones as well. In general Hugh writes the lyrics and Matthew the music then Matthew shows his multi-talented musicianship by playing many of the instruments. Stephen Webb brought his extraordinary drumming skills to several songs and Phillip Williams can be heard harmonising and playing blues harp in a couple too.
Their songs include ballads about Hugh and Matthew’s home town of Bega including “The Battler” about Jimmy Sharman’s boxing tent and “Jimmy’s not coming to school today” about the exploitation of Aboriginal kids in Bega in the 1950s and 60s. Another ballad tells the life of Hugh’s convict relative Hannah Railton, while “The Rain” relates the struggles of Australian famers in drought. “Dear Leader’s Country Band” is a funny song about Kim Jong-Il and his antics.
SONGS FROM “WRITING ON THE WALL”
“Wish I’d Known”
“The Battler”
“Jimmy’s not coming to school today”
“Writing on the Wall”
“TAKE YOUR CHANCES”
“Take your chances” album was launched to a full house at The Abbey in Canberra in August 2012.
SONGS FROM “TAKE YOUR CHANCES”
“Take your chances” – A great Matthew riff on the steel guitar during one of our legendary Tuesday nights produced this song.
“Better Days” – Matthew was inspired by the courage of two family members to overcome adversity to write this beautiful song.
“A thousand orphan hands” – Matthew visited an orphanage in Thailand in 2010 set up by a guy for orphans from the Tsunami. That visit inspired this song.
“Afghanistan” – A U.S general said in a radio interview “Well Pakistan’s
unstable and Afghanistan’s next door.” Some justification! This powerful song is Hugh and Matthew’sresponse.
“Kumbaya Girl” – (Words Hugh Watson, Music Matthew Herbert, 2010) Hugh was annoyed by politicians abusing the term “kumbaya” in negotiations after the 2010 election but thought this would put the term more in context.
“Songs of the Somme” – Inspired by a WWI diary from a relative and a visit to the Somme, Hugh drew on words from Villers Bretonneux gravestones to write this ballad and Matthew matched it with a moving tune.
Video
Our latest video released in 2020 “We’re Free, We’re Rollin”
And more of our recent videos …
PODCAST RELEASE
In August 2024 Dave Price from FANNING OUT interviewed Hugh Watson and Matthew Herbert from the Country, Folk, rock band Willie and The Correspondents. Willie and the Correspondents is a Country-Folk-Rock band full of intelligent and talented musicians who have been around the music game long enough to really how to tell a story.
CLICK PODCAST ICON TO LISTEN
