Graham Bell Interview, Part 1
Graham, christened Alexander Graham Bell, is well known in Coffs Harbour and beyond for his dedication to Australian Country Music and community radio. In 2020 he was inducted into the Australian Country Music Hall of Fame, 2020 Broadcaster Award. Born at Sunnyside Maternity Hospital on 27 February 1940, he spent his childhood in Timmsvale on the Eastern Dorrigo, where his maternal grandfather had been a pioneer in the timber industry. The family moved to Coffs Harbour when it was time for the children to go to high school. On leaving school Graham went to Sydney and completed an apprenticeship as a fitter, machinist and welder. After meeting Dorne, with some travelling around the country, then returned to live permanently in Coffs in the late 1960s.
InterviewerJohanna KijasAgencyCoffs Harbour City LibrariesCollectionLocal Studies CollectionSummaryThe interview began with Graham’s childhood, describing the Eastern Dorrigo and elements of village life and the timber industry. They grew up in a musical household where sister Vonda and brother Harry and he formed a band. After coming to live in Coffs, Graham described the music scene in 1950s Coffs Harbour. This included descriptions of the packed holiday venues, the early halls where they played and the first hotel. Graham also described the house his father built at 27 Azalea Ave, just down the road from the house he and Dorne bought when they returned to Coffs and where they still live. He remembers Coffs with warmth as a happy place. Some discussion of early Italian settlers is noted. Graham describes some of the travels that Dorne and he did around Australia before returning to live in Coffs – coming back to family. By now the music venues include the clubs and more hotels – and the music scene is described. Sunday sessions began, and they formed bands that played Old Time dance music and popular songs to packed audiences.By chance Graham became involved in radio – which is discussed at length. He ran a popular music show ‘Best of Country’ that was syndicated internationally. His time in radio had its ups and downs. He took on community radio when a friend became ill – not something that he had intended to do. Graham describes the process he went through to build support for a new community radio licence to play popular country music, which is well remembered. He survived a battle with cancer.
The interviews that he used to do with older people on the radio, and his deep interest in local history, took him on a long journey of making local history videos. He describes the process and a few of the stories. Over the past ten years he has also spent a lot of time with elderly residents in nursing homes. However, Covid put a stop to that and at the time of our interview, he still hadn’t been able to return to the nursing homes and the impact of covid isolation was noted.
Graham has done many interviews over his life. Alex and Annette Hood interviewed him in 2010 for their follklore collection, deposited in the National Library.
Mr Bell developed an extensive website where snippets of radio interviews and his history videos are available alongside memories of his bands in the 1950s. Browse the website here.