40 Degrees South

Forty Degrees South (40°S) is a Sydney-based folk group renowned since 1988 for making a powerful impact when singing unaccompanied traditional songs. The group is made up of strong individual singers and the vigour and interplay of their combined voices make for a distinctive sound. Sea shanties and other songs of maritime and industrial history and union songs feature large in their repertoire, songs with a robust quality that tell of real people, their lives and work. Much of their material has been honed by generations of folk singers; other songs are contemporary – some are accompanied – but composed with respect for the tradition. They enjoy harmonies and encourage audience participation. Members of Forty Degrees South are: Jude Alexander, Don Brian, Tom Hanson, Chris Maltby and Margaret Walters.