Mal Bennett

lead vocals

Instruments: guitar, violin, tambourine, bass guitar, mandolin, banjo, ...
dance caller

Mal is a classically trained violinist and former member of the Canberra Youth Orchestra. He started playing fiddle at the age of nine. When he was about 15, Mal discovered his voice and began singing and playing guitar in a school folk band. His early influences included Peter, Paul and Mary, Tom Paxton, Simon and Garfunkel and the Seekers. He has been playing in bands of one type or another ever since.

Mal was a founding member of Paverty in late 1974 and has been a member ever since - singing and playing the fiddle, guitar, bass and mandolin. More recently – much to the consternation of fellow band members – he has realised a long-held ambition and has begun dabbling in the banjo as well.

For many years during the 1970s and early 80s Mal was the resident wandering minstrel and ‘hitchhiker’ at the well known Gundaroo Pub just outside Canberra.

During the late 1980s and 1990s Mal was also kept busy around the Canberra Club scene playing in popular country/rock band ‘Snakes Alive’.

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