About Colin Buchanan
Born 1964. Colin Buchanan is an Australian songwriter, television actor and composer.
Colin Buchanan (born 23 May 1964) is an Australian singer, songwriter, entertainer and multi-instrumentalist.
Early life Colin moved with his family to Melbourne, Australia, as a six-year-old, and then Peakhurst, Sydney, before moving to the outback in 1988 with his wife for a couple of years, studying with Cornerstone Community. This included a year in Bourke, in the corner country of New South Wales, and another in Grenfell, New South Wales.
Career Colin has won ten Golden Guitar Australian Country Music Awards and has written songs with Lee Kernaghan, Adam Brand and Troy Cassar-Daley. His song "Hat Town", written with Lee Kernaghan, won an APRA Award, while his Christmas album, recorded with Greg Champion, has become an Australian classic, in particular his "Aussie Jingle Bells", now a staple at school end-of-year concerts. He was nominated for four ARIA Awards in 1993 for Best Country Album for Hard Times (lost to Lee Kernaghan for The Outback Club), in 1994 for Best Children's Album for I Want My Mummy (lost to Mic Conway for Whoopee), in 1998 for Best Country Album for Edge of the Kimberley (lost to Shanley Del for My Own Sweet Time) and in 2013 for Best Comedy Release for The TGIF Songs of Colin Buchanan (lost to Tom & Alex for The Bits We're Least Ashamed of).
Colin was a regular presenter on ABC TV's Play School from 1992 to 1999, when the program was revamped. More recently he appeared on Playhouse Disney, a co-production between Australia's Seven Network and Disney Channel. He appeared with Monica Trapaga each year representing Seven and Disney on Carols in the Domain. For 20 years he hosted Qantas' in-flight audio entertainment, predominantly "Big Country", pioneering the guest co-host format eventually adopted across all Qantas in-flight audio channels.
Since the mid-1990s, Colin has devoted much of his time to producing Christian albums. In particular, his children's albums are popular across Australia, United Kingdom and in parts of the United States. Colin is often named as the most prominent Christian Kids songwriter. A former school teacher at several schools, his songs can be heard playing in many a primary classroom and Sunday School.
Personal life Colin and his wife Robyn have four children; Elliot, Laura, Emily and Riley.
Discography Studio albums YearAlbum detailsPeak chart positionsCertifications(sales thresholds) AUS Galahs in the Gidgee Released: 1991 Label: Australian Broadcasting Corporation - Hard Times Released: 1992 Label: Australian Broadcasting Corporation - The Measure of a Man Released: 1994 Label: Australian Broadcasting Corporation - Aussie Christmas with Bucko & Champs (with Greg Champion – as Bucko & Champs) Released: 1995 Label: Massive (7310782) 39 AUS: Gold Edge of the Kimberley Released: April 1998 Label: EastWest 98 Aussie Christmas with Bucko & Champs 2 (with Greg Champion – as Bucko & Champs) Released: 1998 Label: EastWest (3984254762) 67 AUS: Platinum Real Hope Released: 2000 Label: Wanaaring Road Music - Land of the Getaway Released: 2001 Label: Wanaaring Road Music - God of Wonders Released: 2003 Label: Wanaaring Road Music - Take 2 Released: November 2003 Label: Wanaaring Road Music 89 The Songwriter Sessions Released: 2012 Label: Ambition Records - Calvary Road Released: 2017 Label: Three Seventeen Trust - Memory Town Released: August 2024 Label: Compass Brothers Records -
Compilation albums Bourke To Beaconsfield (2006) The TGIF Songs of Colin Buchanan (Double CD) (2013)
Religious Children's albums I Want My Mummy (1993) Remember the Lord (1996) Practise Being Godly (1997) Follow the Saviour (1998) Live in the Big Tent (2000) Special Edition Volume # 1 (compilation of demos) (2001) 10, 9, 8... God Is Great (2002) Baa Baa Doo Baa Baa (compilation) (2003) Jesus Rocks the World (2004) King of Christmas (Double CD) (2005) Nicky Nacky Nocky Noo (2006) Colin's Favourites (Compilation) (2007) Super Saviour (2008) Boom Chicka Boom (2009) God Rock (2011) Live in the Big Tent (Special Edition) (2010) King of the Jungle (2013) The Jesus Hokey Pokey (2014) Jingle Jingle Jesus (2015) Boss of the Cross (2016) Colin's Crackers Favourites Vol 2 (2016) Living on the Rock (2016) Colin's New Testament Big Bible Story Songs (2017) Jesus The Game Changer (2017) Fam Bam Bible Jam! (2018) Catechismo Kids (2019) Colin Buchanan's Old Testament Sing-A-Long (2020)
Charted and certified singles +List of charted and certified singles, with selected chart positions Title Year Peak chart positions Certification Album AUS "Aussie Jingle Bells" 1995 - ARIA: Gold Aussie Christmas with Bucko & Champs
Awards and nominations APRA Music Awards
ARIA Music Awards The ARIA Music Awards are a set of annual ceremonies presented by Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), which recognise excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of the music of Australia. They commenced in 1987.
Country Music Awards of Australia The Country Music Awards of Australia (CMAA) (also known as the Golden Guitar Awards) is an annual awards night held in January during the Tamworth Country Music Festival, celebrating recording excellence in the Australian country music industry. They have been held annually since 1973. Buchanan has won seven awards and two as a songwriter. (wins only) 1992 Colin Buchanan – "Galahs in the Gidgee" New Talent of the Year 1993 "A Drover's Wife" Heritage Award 1998 "Edge of the Kimberley" Heritage Song of the Year
"Tough Job" (with Lee Kernaghan) Vocal Collaboration of the Year "That Old Caravan" Bush Ballad of the Year 2000 "They Don't Make 'em Like That Anymore" APRA Song of the Year 2005 "Missin' Slim" (with Lee Kernaghan)
2007 "Close As a Whisper (The Gift)" (performed by Lee Kernaghan – written by Lee Kernaghan, Garth Porter & Colin Buchanan) 2010 "The Road to Thargomindah" (performed by The Bushwackers – written by Colin Buchanan) Bush Ballad of the Year 2025 "Laura & Giselle" Bush Ballad of the Year
Tamworth Songwriters Awards The Tamworth Songwriters Association (TSA) is an annual songwriting contest for original country songs, awarded in January at the Tamworth Country Music Festival. They commenced in 1986. Colin Buchanan has won six awards. (wins only) 1990 "Up to Their Eyeballs" by Colin Buchanan Amateur Traditional Award 1991 "Debutantes Ball" by Colin Buchanan Professional Traditional Award 1994 "Dem Doggies Don't Care" by Colin Buchanan
2003 "Jesus Is No Fairytale" by Colin Buchanan 2006 "King of Christmas" by Colin Buchanan 2015 Colin Buchanan Songmaker Award
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Important facts
People in Colin Buchanan's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Colin Buchanan's
Frequently asked questions
Who is Colin Buchanan?
Australian singer
When was Colin Buchanan born?
Colin Buchanan was born in 1964 in Dublin.
What is Colin Buchanan's occupation?
Colin Buchanan is a songwriter, television actor and composer.
What nationality is Colin Buchanan?
Colin Buchanan is Australian.
Sources & further reading
· DBpedia: Colin Buchanan (musician)
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Colin Buchanan. https://biography.guide/colin-buchanan-songwriter/
MLA: "Colin Buchanan." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/colin-buchanan-songwriter/.
Chicago: "Colin Buchanan." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/colin-buchanan-songwriter/.
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