Singer's ability to connect leads to decorated career

SINGER-songwriter Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu won many accolades - including three ARIA awards - with the release last year of his debut album.

SINGER-songwriter Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu won many accolades - including three ARIA awards - with the release last year of his debut album.

It was critically acclaimed in Australia and overseas, and within three months of its release his self-titled album had sold more than 40,000 copies.

Praised for their beauty, Yunupingu's lyrics, sung in his native Yolngu, portray life in East Arnhem Land.

"They are richly evocative folk tales in which spirituality seems to be embedded," read a review in The Australian.

Yunupingu, 38, who has been blind since birth and has never learned Braille, is a former member of landmark band Yothu Yindi.

But the fame he attracted in the early 1990s with that band has already been overshadowed by the success of his solo release.

In addition to his three ARIA awards, Yunupingu, who worked on his album for 10 years before its release in May, was named indigenous artist of the year at the 2008 Deadly Awards.

The shy singer asked his collaborator Michael Hohnen to speak on his behalf.

It is Yunupingu's ability to create music that connects with so many Australians - indigenous and non-indigenous - that makes him an ideal candidate for The Australian's Australian of the year.

Nominations are open until January 19 and can be made by going online at theaustralian.com.au or by using the coupon. The winner will be announced on January 24.