Sammy Tjapanangka Butcher is anPitjantjatjara–Warlpiri musician who formed theWarumpi Band.
Butcher was born atPapunya, Northern Territory inCentral Australia.
His mother's side is from the south, thePitjantjatjara tribe and his father's side from theWalpiri fromPikilyi, near Yinjirrimardi area.[1]
He formed theWarumpi Band withGeorge Burarrwanga,Neil Murray and Gordon Butcher in the late 1970s.[citation needed]
Butcher released a solo albumDesert Surf Guitar onCAAMA music.[2] The album's name was inspired by the sand hills surrounding Papunya, "you can imagine them as being huge red waves on the ocean"[3] He was the subject of the documentarySammy Butcher, Out of the Shadows, part of theNganampa Anwernekenhe series. The documentary looks at his life after the Warumpi Band.[4]
He is renowned as one of the bestguitar players to come out of Central Australia. He now lives inPapunya, 250 kilometres (160 mi) west ofAlice Springs.[1]
In 2024 Butcher cowrote the musicalBig name, No blankets with Andrea James and his daughter Anyupa Butcher.[5] The musical is semi-autobiographical and told from the perspective of Butcher and his two younger brother's Gordon and Brian Butcher, which differs other versions which tend to focus on another founding memberNeil Murray. In the play Butcher is played byBaykali Ganambarr.[6][7]
TheNational Indigenous Music Awards recognise excellence, innovation and leadership among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander musicians from throughout Australia. They commenced in 2004.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Sammy Butcher | Hall of Fame | inducted | [8] |
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