Playing professionally since 1974, Pixie Jenkins is still one of the hardest working solo acts in the business racking up millions of miles travelling to and performing over 200 shows per year. He also performed as a backing musician, supported and recorded with some of the biggest names in show business from around the world.
Bob Dylan to Cher
John Williamson to Jimmy Barnes
This video biography is set out in chronological order. As more videos come to light and are digitised they will be placed on this timeline. If you know of a video of Pixie that is not listed here, please contact him directly at pixiejenkins@me.com. Thanking you.
PIXIE JENKINS IN 60 SECONDS
1979
Pixie Jenkins has been a part of the music industry since the mid 1970s. His first ‘big break’ was in 1979 when asked to be the fiddler on the road with the father of Australian country music, ‘The Singing Jackeroo’ – Buddy Williams. This video was part of documentary produced by a flegling cub reporter by the name of John Singleton for Buddy’s 40th year recording in Australia.
1981
While playing with Saltcreek Bluegrass Band, Pixie gave Gene Simmons from KISS the bands autograph. KISS walked out to the Sydney Town Hall balcony to wave to thousands of fans, while Saltcreek was performing inside the hall to, well, less people.
1984
Pixie was asked to join Bullamakanka of ‘Home Amongst The Gum Trees’ fame replacing there original fiddler Stuart Watson. Pixie’s dynamic fiddle playing changed the direction of band and put them back on the charts again. Sadly in 1985, the band was in volved in a head-on collision on the expressway north of Sydney. Rex Radonich the bands banjo player, died in the accident.
1985
Playing the song ‘Homeward Bound’ on ‘Midday with Ray Martin’ a month before the fatal road smash.
1987
Pixie performs an original composition ‘Raindance’ on ‘Australia’s New Faces’ with Darryl Summers as host and judges Ernie Sigley and James Morrison.
1991
On Ch10’s Morning Show with Jo – I think she liked the performance!
1993
This wonderful piece of fiddling was written by the late great Stephan Grappelli who played with Django Rhienhardt’s ‘Hot Club Quintette’ at the now infamous ‘Hot Club Du Paris’ in the 1930’s. Here Pixie does his version and most people in Australia recognise the tune from a national television ad in Australia.
1994
Controversy happened when JW and Pixie performed RIP RIP WOODCHIP at the 1994 Footy Grand Final in Sydney. Little tree seedlings were also handed out, The duo actually had bomb threats from people who obviously wanted the right to chop down our native virgin forests.
1996
PART 1: The very first year at PIXIELAND 1996. Pixie wrote a show based around the dance hall days of his youth and invented a character called DENVER DARLING.
PART 2: “The write-your-own country song chocolate cha-cha wheel of fortune” as an audience participation piece where Pixie gets someone up from the audience to spin the wheel for a word to complete a line in a country song that the audience actually writes and performs.
PART 3: Pixieland Country Theatre – 1996.
1997
The second year at Pixieland in Tamworth during the 1997 country music festival created a huge response as not only did Pixie write a brand new show but it was presented in way that was original and unique and left audiences breathless. Pixie orchestrated Buddy’s yodels in 3 part fiddle harmony performed live with 2 young ladies from Tamworth playing the other 2 parts over Pixie’s lead and the stage was 3D in that in the front was a burnt out homestead complete with smoking wood oven looking through onto a lush bucolic scene (Thanks to Barry Nagle for his brilliant set design).
Enjoy this rare footage of ‘Under Western Skies’ – The story of Buddy Williams, The singing Jackaroo from me Pixieland Country Theatre show of 1997.
1998
Pat 1: Pixie pulled off the hat trick in Tamworth when he returned a third year in a row with another hit show. Pixie Jenkins can make an audience laugh, of that there was no doubt, but could he pull their heart strings – for a whole show.
Part 2: This is the only surviving record of ‘The Last ANZAC’. A show that Pix had taken the previous 8 months to put together, written as an extremely personal performance, literally asking the question, live on stage, “What does the ANZAC legend mean to me?”. Enjoy!
1998
Here Pixie plays his version of the NUTCRACKER on national television. This time with the vivacious Kerry Ann on the long running MIDDAY SHOW.
1999
Eric Bogle wrote this moving ANZAC song and here Pixie does his memorable take on this one of Australia’s great war songs.
2000
The Tamworth Regional Enteratinment and Conference Centre opened in 2000 to mixed reviews but is now the home of not only the ‘Golden Guitar Awards’ but many great shows, conferences and exhibitions throughout the year. Pixie was asked to be apart of the opening ceremony so he did it in style with two great performances with the help of some very special guests such as Gina Jeffries and a young Beccy Cole.
Introduced by Aussie country music radio Legend, John “Mr.Hoedown” Minson, here Pixie presents his controversial song (complete with the rathe gay chorus) with the aid of a couple of very tall and broad shouldered young bootscooting cowboys. As always, this penultimate showmen struts his stuff to match them.
COOL TO BE A COWBOY
© P Jenkins/A Caswell
THE DEVIL WENT DOWN TO GEORGIA
© C Daniels
2000
Pixie Recorded his first DVD release in 2000 (although he had a video released in 1993 called LARGER THAN LIVE to coincide with his debut album release of the same name)
2001
A lot of people have paid tribute to the songwriting of John Williamson, but not many have paid homage to the melodies that have carried those words into hearts and minds of millions. Here Pixie presents a track from his TRUE BLUE CLASSICS album – A celebration of the music of John Williamson with the ADELAIDE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA. The haunting COOTAMUNDRA WATTLE.
2003
The Australian Club Entertainment Awards 2003. Here Pixie becomes the street urchin fiddler in a huge production for the awards ceremony. Dancing while playing the fiddle is no mean feat.
If anyone has any footage of Pixie playing some where, please email him at pixiejenkins@me.com
just caught yourgig on facebook, I’m alate stater. I said it before and i’ll say it again, you are a true entertainer. your old set designer – bazza. cheers mate
Thanks old mate. Lovely to hear from you. Hope everything is ok there. I’m up in bloody Brisbane at University for god sake. Give me a call sometime 0423611424
Thanks old mate. Lovely to hear from you. Hope everything is ok there. I’m up in bloody Brisbane at University for god sake. Give me a call sometime.