Double J host Emma Swift is leaving the station and moving overseas to tour and concentrate on her music career.
Announced on air last night, Emma spoke of her time at Double J and excitement to move to Nashville: ‘It’s with heavy heart that I bid farewell to Double J and my show Revelator. Working at the station fulfilled a lifelong dream to make music radio at the ABC and I can’t thank the Double J team enough for the opportunity. It’s been a brilliant year and my love for sharing the music I’m so passionate about to enthusiastic listeners across Australia and around the world has never faltered. However, as a musician myself, the road beckons and I am now leaving Australia indefinitely – to tour internationally, make my next record, get back to my adopted neighbourhood in East Nashville and continue my pursuit of all things twangy.’
Taking over at 8pm every Monday night, with a brand new show called Tower of Song, is Henry Wagons. He will be uncovering the finest in evocative songwriting and narrative song. It will be a journey incorporating roots, outlaw and alt-country, Americana and bluesy rock from the periphery, spinning music that plays with the emotions, tugs at the heartstrings and brings the outsider in.
Lauded as one of Australia’s great entertainers, Henry Wagons is a true renaissance man. As front man of the band Wagons, Henry has shared stages around the world with the likes of Lucinda Williams, Justin Townes Earle, Calexico, Bill Callahan and Will Oldham.
In between touring and recording with his band, Henry has been developing his media career across radio, online and TV, having previously been a regular presenter on the ABC’s weekly national arts program, Sunday Arts/Art Nation, as well as currently being a regular music guest on ABC 774 Drive with Raf Epstein and presenting his own monthly art segment on RRR called Total Eclipse of the Art.