Kavisha Mazzella AM and Aria award winner, describes herself as a singer, songwriter, community choir leader and sound healer. But she is so much more than that simple sentence conveys.

Kavisha leads singing tours of Italy, collaborates with visiting performers and continues to encourage the musical spirit in all those she meets (visit her website here).

I first became aware of Kavisha’s work with community choirs through the album La Voce della Luna. On the album Kavisha and John Norton lead Italian women, particularly in Melbourne in singing classics such as ‘Bella Ragazza’, ‘Angellare’ and ‘La Fisarmonica’. She has also been a stalwart member of I Viaggiatori. Kavisha does a great version of the classic ‘Bella Ciao’. Various versions of the song feature on the homepage of the Italian site.

At the Illawarra Folk Festival shortly after the death of singer-songwriter John Dengate, Kavisha made kind comments about my song ‘Our Champion Has Gone Aloft’. Kavisha is like that – she always finds something positive and encouraging to say to other performers.

At the same festival, I was able to tell Kavisha that her rendition of ‘Mamma Mia Dammi Cento Lire’ brought a lump to my throat. The poignant song tells of a young woman who asks her mother for money to start a new life in Australia. The young woman embarks on a vessel which proves unseaworthy and she drowns.

Recently at the 2024 Cobargo Folk Festival I was playing some Irish tunes on tin whistle for a woman named Bridget when Kavisha – a festival headliner – appeared. When she stopped with a smile, I said that I would sing for her ‘Oh, I’m in love with my roadie’. Since spinal issues have made me reliant on a wheelie walker, I depend on my partner/ carer/ roadie Gene to get me going when busking, which is an important part of my life. We raise a bit of money for the Leukaemia Foundation that way.

I got Gene the book Loud which is a memoir of the roadie days of Australian woman Tana Douglas. Then I thought that the world needed a song about people in this important role, so I wrote one. Here are the lyrics:

Oh, I’m in love with my roadie

© 2023 Tony Smith

Oh, I’m in love with my roadie/ I love her every move

Yes. I’m in love with my roadie/ As this song will surely prove

I could not gig without her aid, I would not be in tune

She’s earns every dollar of her pay, I might tell her one day soon

She knows my needs before I do, She must have second sight

She works as hard as a whole crew, All day and every night

(must surely prove)

She’s patient and forgives me, If I should lose my cool

She keeps me on an even keel, So I don’t act the fool

She has muscles in all the right places, Her figure is trim and neat

A beautiful smile adorns her face, She’s perfect from head to feet

(does surely prove)

She hefts those heavy cases, Tucks leads well out of the way

Keeps those pesky groupies at bay, Oh, what more can I say

So next time you see some musos, And think how clever they be

Just spare a thought for the roadie, Who toils behind the scenes

(last chorus: did surely prove)

The tune is a variant of ‘When Irish Eyes Are Smiling’ which seems appropriate given that my roadie is Irish. I have not made a decent recording of the song yet. I made a clumsy draft and have not erased it because a butcherbird came and sat on the window ledge during the recording and joined in the final chorus.

Gene and I agree that when we attend festivals, Kavisha impresses with her supportive attitude to fellow performers. Both Kavisha and Bridget picked up the tune of my song quickly and joined in the choruses. This was the highlight of my festival. Folkies should be like this. Not all are so friendly and supportive. But Kavisha embodies the folk spirit perfectly.

The Roadie:

Lead photo by Ali on StockSnap.

Dr Tony Smith is a former academic who now spends time busking and writing songs and reviews. He lives in the bush in the NSW Central West.