Add Category
Updated
Beloved Australian songwriter Garry Koehler, best known for penning The Man in the Picture, has died of cancer at the age of 64 in his family home near Hervey Bay, Queensland.
Key points:
- Australian country musician and award-winning songwriter Garry Koehler has died aged 64
- His bandmate, Rob Mackay, says audiences were captivated by his friend's songs
- Koehler, who died at home in Queensland, is survived by his wife, children and grandchildren
Born in Albury, New South Wales on May 23, 1955, the lead singer of the award winning group The Bobkatz wrote about anything from red top tables and cars to celebrations of places and tributes to people.
His undeniable love of family was a constant theme in his writing, a fact which reflected the man in full, according to Koehler's best friend and Bobkatz co-founder, Rob Mackay.
"Gaz was a kind and gentle man," Mackay said.
"Everyone I've spoken to says they've never met a nicer guy.
"No ego and he would do anything for you."
A writer under covers
Mackay first met Koehler in a blues club when the pair were picked to play in a band with Phil Manning, of Chain fame.
The Bobkatz then started doing cover gigs in Hervey Bay, but before too long Koehler's original songs were what the audience wanted to hear.
Despite the name of the band being labelled 'a bit too blue singlet' there was no turning back once they had national airplay of their debut single The Man In The Picture.
"Garry played it to me and I asked who wrote that?" Mackay said.
"Gaz replied, 'nobody.'
"So as I was wiping tears out of my eyes I said, 'that works', and from that moment we kept introducing new original material and recording professionally."
Into the picture
The ABC's Australia All Over program, presented by Ian McNamara, put the song into the spotlight and the hearts of Australia.
In an interview in 2015 Koehler, who wrote the song for his dad, Wal, recalled the creative process.
"I grabbed the old guitar from the shed, and every time I started to write another verse I would cry," he said.
"It had such an impact on me."
It was 13 years ago that Australians fell in love with the song, but it has endured.
To this day it receives thousands of streams all over the world and is widely used as a tribute song.
'A chill down the spine'
The Bobkatz became country music festival favourites and won national awards at Mildura and were nominated for Golden Guitars in Tamworth.
In 2010 Bobkatz won the Tamworth Songwriters Association gongs, Contemporary Song of the Year and Best Country Song of the Year, for The Writer.
The duo was also a popular main stage act at the famous Gympie Music Muster.
Mackay said the band's popularity was based on the fans' understanding of what Koehler wrote.
"I remember one gig we were playing the song Thank You, which is written out of respect for veterans," he said.
"And I looked up and there wasn't one person, in a crowd of 350, who wasn't staring at Garry and hanging off every word.
"It put a chill down my spine, it's great — we loved the connection."
During his final days Mr Koehler was working with Mr Mackay on ideas for the studio release of the next Bobkatz album.
It is anticipated that these final recordings will be released in the near future.
Garry Koehler is survived by his wife Judy, children Sarah and Jeremy, grandchildren, friends and 'Katz fans.
Topics: music, music-industry, death, hervey-bay-4655, albury-2640, tamworth-2340
First posted