Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu

Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu (22 January 1971 – 25 July 2017), commonly known as Gurrumul and also referred to since his death as Dr G. Yunupingu, was a Yolŋu Aboriginal Australian musician. A multi-instrumentalist, he played drums, keyboards, guitar (a right-hand-strung guitar played left-handed) and didgeridoo, but is best known for the clarity of his singing voice. He sang stories of his land both in Yolŋu languages, such as Gaalpu, Gumatj, or Djambarrpuynu (related to Gumatj), and in English. He began his career as a member of Yothu Yindi and later Saltwater Band, and his solo career brought him wider acclaim; he was the most commercially successful Aboriginal Australian musician at the time of his death. As of 2020, it is estimated that Yunupingu has sold half a million records globally. Yunupingu performed for Queen Elizabeth II, US President Barack Obama, Prince Charles, Prince William and Catherine Middleton, and Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark. He was one of only two Australian performers at the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Concert at Buckingham Palace in 2012. At the 2026 ARIA Music Awards he will be inducted in the ARIA Hall of Fame.