Delaney Davidson

Delaney F. Davidson (born 15 December 1972 in Auckland) with influences from European folk music, Switzerland's "blues trash scene," He is a three-time winner of the Best Country Music Song Award at the APRAs (2012, 2014, 2023) and Glyn Ellen Abbott. His mother came to New Zealand from England with her parents as a child. He was educated at the Christchurch Rudolf Steiner School and played in several punk and blues bands before being expelled from school for having a "bad attitude" and moving to Melbourne. He was particularly influential to Marlon Williams, who has referred to him as a mentor figure, and has been collaborating with him extensively since they met in the early 2010s. In 2011, following the Christchurch earthquake, he and other Lyttelton artists formed the music collective Harbour Union. Proceeds from their album went 100% to charities working to rebuild the city.

In 2011, Davidson released three collaboration albums with Marlon Williams. In 2013, he and Williams released Sad But True – The Secret History of Country Music Songwriting Volume 1, which won them the New Zealand Music Awards' Country Music Album of the Year and an APRA for Best Country Music Song ("Bloodletter"). In 2014, he co-wrote "Whiskey & Kisses" with Tami Neilson, which was subsequently chosen as Best Country Music Song at the APRAs. He also co-produced her album Don't Be Afraid (2015). Davidson followed up the first volume of Sad But True with two more instalments, the second self-released during the Grand Ole Hayride Tour.

In 2015, Davidson's album Lucky Guy reached the Top 40 Albums in the New Zealand Music Charts, peaking at number 24. In 2017, he started on his Magic Lightbox tour, an expansive 31-city tour that combined live performance and film. He went on another Magic Lightbox tour in 2018 to present the second instalment of his films, Ship of Dreams. He wrote the majority of this album during the COVID-19 lockdown period. This project was pitched by Davidson, who wanted to continue Hirini Melbourne's tradition of writing waiata about New Zealand's birds. That September, he was announced as the musical director of the 2025 APRA Silver Scroll Awards.

Davidson has collaborated widely throughout his career. In addition to his frequent collaborators, Tami Neilson and Marlon Williams, Reb Fountain, Reverend Beat-Man,

In addition to music, Davidson is also an exhibiting visual artist.

Discography With the Dead Brothers: 2004: Flammend Herz (Voodoo Rhythm Records) 2006: WunderKammer (Voodoo Rhythm Records)

Delaney Davidson: 2007: Rough Diamond (Stink Magnetic) 2011: The Harbour Union, featuring Davidson, The Eastern, Lindon Puffin, Al Park, The Unfaithful Ways, Tiny Lies and Runaround Sue 2013: Sad But True Volume Two (as "The Grand Ole Hayride" with Tami Neilson, Marlon Williams and Dave Khan) (self-released) 2014: Sad But True Volume 3 – Juke-Box B-Sides (with Marlon Williams) (Lyttelton Records) 2014: Swim Down Low (Southbound Records) 2015: Diamond Dozen (Squoodge Records) 2015: Lucky Guy (Rough Diamond Records/Southbound Music) 2019: One Hand Loose (with Bruce Russell) (Ilam Press Records) 2024: Out Of My Head (Rough Diamond Inc) 2024: Happiness Is Near (with Barry Saunders)

Produced: 2014: Produced Dynamite! for Tami Neilson 2015: Produced Don't Be Afraid for Tami Neilson 2020: Co-produced Chickaboom! with Tami Neilson< 2021: Co-produced Black Sea Golden Ladder with Troy Kingi

Film The Dead Brothers (2006) as himself Voodoo Rhythm: The Gospel of Primitive Rock N' Roll (2006) as himself The Road to Nod (2007) as Parrish Prime Rocks: The New Sound of Country Music (2016) as himself Devil In The Parlour (2016) as himself Hellhound On My Trail (2017) as himself

Awards and honours Year Award Awarding body Work Outcome Notes Ref(s) 2010 Sad Song Competition In Berlin 2011 One Man Band Competition In Zurich 2012 Best Country Music Song Award "You're A Loser" 2013 "Bloodletter" With Marlon Williams Country Music Album of the Year Recorded Music NZ Sad But True – The Secret History of Country Music Songwriting Volume 1 2022 Artist-in-Residence Massey University Stoddart Cottage-Purau Residency Stoddard Cottage Gallery 2025 Taite Music Prize Independent Music New Zealand Out of My Head