The Albany Shantymen

The Albany Shantymen are a folk and shanty group from Albany, Western Australia. They formed in 2016 after Gary "Grizz" Greenwald moved to town, went looking for a local shanty singing group and found there wasn't one. He gathered a core crew of mates, and the group quickly grew to 15 members on a simple premise: good friends getting together weekly for a rousing singalong. Audiences enjoy relaxed performances where singing and foot-tapping along is encouraged.

Their profile rose when Scottish postman Nathan Evans heard their rendition of The Wellerman and covered it on TikTok. His version went viral and drew coverage from Rolling Stone, which mentioned the Albany group. Calls followed from across Western Australia and beyond. They have since been interviewed on Channel 10's The Sunday Project, appeared on ABC TV's Australian Story, and performed outside Optus Stadium at an AFL grand final and before a Fremantle Dockers game.

Their albums are Old Rope and Wet Canvas (2017, recorded at the historic Albany Convict Gaol), The Men of the Cheynes (2020, named for those who worked at the Cheynes Beach Whaling Station), Are You With Me Lads? (2020, recorded during COVID-19 isolation), Live at the Town Hall (2022) and Sailors Die Quite Often (2026), an album of originals by Mal Hatwell. Several members now write their own songs, and several have chosen to separate their art from alcohol. Their performance remains rambunctious, with a taste of history from Western Australia's second oldest European settlement.