ARTIST BIO

SIXTH-generation Tasmanian musician and singer-songwriter Jonathon Coleman is preparing to release the debut album by his musical alter ego, Bully Hay.

Set for release in 2024, Black Dogs and Songbirds features 11 original tracks written and arranged by Coleman before being produced, recorded and mixed by Jeff Martin from acclaimed Canadian rock trio The Tea Party.

“What Jonno has accomplished – which is very rare – is that he can go from tender ballads in the style of Jeff Buckley, to country rock which reminds the listener of vintage Eagles, to these epic rock opuses,” – Jeff Martin

A self-taught musician (guitar, bass, ukulele, mandolin, Irish bouzouki and harmonica), Bully Hay has been writing and performing music since he was a teenager, playing solo and amongst various bands, including a family band (The Colemans) alongside his brother Christopher Coleman, John (Father) and sister Susannah.

In late 2022 Coleman was introduced to one of his musical idols – Jeff Martin, the frontman of Canadian rock band The Tea Party, who offered to produce, record and perform on Bully Hay’s debut album.

“As a producer it’s an incredible experience when you’re working with a singer and don’t have to use any of those evils like Autotune because the guy has perfect pitch every single time. And harmonies he comes up with … I couldn’t even do that!” Martin says.

He has toured the East Coast of Australia and performed at events including the Festival of Voices, the Taste of Tasmania and Mona Foma, and supported the likes of Monique Brumby, Dead Letter Circus, Ash Grunwald and The Wolfe Brothers.
However, with a young family and business commitments, Coleman had to put music on the backburner for a while.

Now he’s back, having matured as a musician and found his own true sound as Bully Hay – the name is a tribute to his great-uncle, who was one of the Rats of Tobruk in World War II.

Mastered by Grammy nominated Joe Carra at Crystal Mastering (Teskey Brothers 2020 Grammy Awards – Best Engineered Album); The diverse songs on Black Dogs and Songbirds are firmly anchored in the Tasmanian landscape and sensibility, with a unifying lyrical thread that reflects Coleman’s deep love of the state’s coastal areas, particularly the south-east.