Ruby became the first Aboriginal woman to release a solo album in 1994 with her debut ‘Thoughts Within’. Her second album ‘Feeling Good’ was released in 2000 and garnered Ruby Best Female Performer of the Year at the Deadly Awards.
Background
Ruby Hunter is a Ngarrindjeri/Kukatha/Pitjantjatjara woman from South Australia who was taken from her Aboriginal family at 8 years of age and fostered into a white family.
While homeless and drinking on the streets, Ruby met her life long partner Archie Roach who discovered her first written songs hidden in their hostel room.
Ruby has played alongside Joan Armatrading, Tracy Chapman, and Bob Dylan, and performed at the prestigious Brooklyn Academy of Music Festival and in recent years has collaborated with Archie and composer Paul Grabowsky on several projects, notably the Australian Art Orchestra project ‘Ruby’s Story’.
Education
She didn't attend any school.
She didn't attend any college.
Career
In 2000 Ruby appeared with Archie in 'Land of the Little Kings' a feature length documentary about the experiences of indigenous Australians who were removed from their families as part of 'the stolen generations'.
In 2001 Ruby made her acting debut as the tracker's wife in the Australian film, 'One Night the Moon'.
In 2004 Ruby and Archie collaborated with Paul Grabowsky and the Australian Art Orchestra to produce Ruby's Story. It's an intensely rich musical experience charting Ruby's search for identity, the discovery of hope through love, and Ruby and Archie's return to the river land in South Australia, to build a new life and a new home to mend the wounds of the past.
Ruby's Story was premiered in June 2004 at the Playhouse, Sydney Opera House during the Message Sticks Festival. From there the show was presented at the Adelaide Festival Centre during the Adelaide Cabaret Festival.
In 2005 Ruby's Story toured to Mexico as part of the Festival de Mexico and then in July 2005 it toured throughout Queensland and the Northern Territory as part of the Brisbane Music Festival. In 2006 it returned to the Sydney Opera House for seven shows.
In 2007 Ruby's Story traveled to New Zealand for the Auckland International Festival, performed three shows at the Dreaming Festival and was invited to Malaysia for a performance at the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre.
Ruby's Story won the 2004 Deadly Award for 'Excellence in Film and Theatrical Score' - Composers: Archie Roach, Ruby Hunter and Paul Grabowsky. The Deadlys are the Deadly Sounds Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Music Awards, held annually.