Eric Bogle, born on September 23, 1944, in Peebles, Scotland, is an Australian folk singer-songwriter. Bogle began writing poetry at age eight and later taught himself guitar. After emigrating to Australia in 1969, Bogle joined the folk music scene in Canberra. Bogle released the debut studio album Now I'm Easy (1980), followed by Plain & Simple (1981) with John Munro, and the live album Vol. 1 – Live in Person (1977). Bogle wrote the song “And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda” in 1971, which was named one of the Top 30 Australian songs of all time by the Australasian Performing Right Association in 2001. Subsequent studio albums include When the Wind Blows (1984), Singing the Spirit Home (1986), and The Dreamer (2009). Bogle's songs were covered by artists including Joan Baez and the Pogues. Bogle toured extensively in the United Kingdom and Australia, and became a Member of the Order of Australia in 1987.
