APRA AWARDS

The Daily Telegraph (Sydney), 11th May, 1999

IT'S something most people have believed for years, but last night Paul Kelly was finally crowned Australia's Best Songwriter. The board of the Australasian Performing Right Association the group which collects and pays royalties to musicians bestowed the honour on the Melbourne-based singer at last night's APRA music awards.

The low-key affair was staged over dinner in Star City's Grand Harbour Ballroom with 600 music industry figures in attendance.

It was the first time Kelly has received the title in the 17-year history of the awards.

Kelly who recorded his first album in 1981 earned the award for his compositions on Words And Music, released last year.

"Writing songs is not a real job," he said last night.

"If I knew how to write songs I'd write a whole lot more."

The other big winner, Melbourne duo Bachelor Girl, took the prize for Song of the Year for their Top 10 hit, Buses And Trains.

The song's author James Roche and singing partner Tania Doko were to leave this morning for a two-month world promotional tour on the back of the catchy ballad.

"I'm thrilled my little song has been so widely accepted because this has been voted by other writers it feels like a wonderful endorsement," Roche said.

Ironically, Bachelor Girl do not have a publishing deal for their songs.

Bachelor Girl and the other four nominees for Song of the Year You Am I, Powderfinger, The Mavis's and Josh Abrahams all performed live during last night's ceremony.

The Best Song category was voted on by APRA's 2000 members nationwide.

Matt Thomas, lead singer of The Mavis's and co-writer of their hit Cry, said the peer-voted APRA awards were the most prestigious of them all.

Last night's event kicked off with a three-course meal.......

Then followed an exclusive performance by Academy Awards nominee David Hirschfelder.

The composer returned to the stage later in the evening to accept a plaque for Best Film Score for his work on Elizabeth.

The year's honorary Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Service to Australian Music went to Slim Dusty.