Sue Kidd is the quintessential example of taking the girl out of the country, but the country staying well and truly in the girl.
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The Girgarre born and bred musician will provide further evidence of her connection to her home town by appearing again at this week’s Girgarre Moosic Muster.
Her involvement in the festival goes well beyond the stage appearance as she is also a member of the organising committee, sitting alongside her former kindergarten teacher Jan Smith — director of the annual musical festival.
Sue (nee Ford) made her first appearance at the five day event in 2016 and will this year be performing in her duet, Duplicity, and with the newly formed Woodville group during the January 4 to 8 celebration.
Sue is the youngest of five children — born to Girgarre’s Albert and Amy Ford — and despite moving away from the tiny dairy farming township in her 20s, she still considers Girgarre very much her home.
The death of her mother in 2014 was the spark for her to purchase her first ukulele and soon after she returned to her in the Dandenong Ranges (at Olinda) and joined a community ukelele group.
“After my Mum passed away (in October 2014) I returned to Gig in January (2015) and purchased my first ukulele, a banjolele to be different,” she said.
“I came home back to Olinda and couldn’t wait to join a community ukulele group — Kalulu.”
Sue appeared on stage at the Moosic Muster for the first time in 2016 and was even inspired enough to write a song titled Coming Home, about her family and how the muster and music had brought the town back to life.
“It was seven years ago that I garnered enough courage to do my first ‘walk up’. Sadly mum never got to hear me play and sing,” she said.
After that performance Sue was asked to attend an open mic in Sandringham by Chris Voce, the Muster’s resident retail and musical instrument repair expert.
Class of 1975: Sue Ford (front row, third from right) and her Girgarre Primary School class. She was one of five children born to Girgarre’s Albert and Amy Ford. Her father passed away when she was just four months old and her mother died in 2014.
On the road: Sue Kidd and Brendan Canty now travel extensively to appear at ukulele festivals across Australia and New Zealand, as the duo Duplicity.
Photo by
Brendan Canty
“I asked my new friend, Brendan Canty, to accompany me as he was a ‘real’ musician who had practised with me,” Sue said.
“From there I quite accidentally found my singing voice.
“We formed Duplicity in 2017 and found ourselves a niche with ukulele festivals across Australia and New Zealand.”
Brendan plays guitar and ukulele, while Sue is on percussion, ukulele and vocals. If you want a preview of Duplicity you can check out the website on www.duplicity.com.au
Sue and Brendan will also appear with newly formed band, Woodville, which performs traditional European-style music.
Even better you can see the pair perform live during the Muster or listen to their Open Mic tips and tricks workshop.
Duplicity is among 14 performers on the program at the Muster, including Rochester duo Paul Colyvan and Glenda Bancell, along with renowned gypsy music duo Eurovibes — violinist Jonno Hicks and piano accordian player Sue Ferguson.
The Friday (January 6) night guests concert begins at 7pm, while the concert in the park will kick off at 7pm on Saturday, January 7, and Sunday’s Jazz in the Soundshell performance is from 1.30pm until 3pm.
Home town: Sue Kidd on the lap of her late mother Amy, at the family home in Girgarre. She is with siblings Trevor (five at the time), a 14-year-old Eric, Marie (12) and Leanne, seven.
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