Roach's memoir, Tell Me Why: The Story of My Life and My Music, has been shortlisted in the Indigenous Writing category.

It's a powerful recount of Roach's life as a stolen child, musical and lyrical genius, and leader.

Described by Australian singer Paul Kelly as "an inspiring story of survival, grace and generosity" Tell Me Why voices the joy, pain and hope Roach found on his path through song to become the legendary singer-songwriter and storyteller that he is today - beloved by fans worldwide.

It tops off a successful year for the Killarney artist, who won two ARIA awards for best male artist and best contemporary artist last month, won Album of the Year at the National Indigenous Music Awards, was crowned 2020 Victorian Australian of the Year and the launched his Charcoal Lane Youtube series.

Roach, a Gunditjmara and Bundjalung man, was born in Victoria in 1956.

He spent part of his childhood growing up at the Framlingham Aboriginal Mission, before he was forcibly removed from his family at two years of age and placed into foster care.

He started writing songs after meeting his soulmate Ruby Hunter when they were both homeless teenagers. His heartbreaking signature song, 'Took the Children Away', from his 1990 ARIA award-winning debut album Charcoal Lane, has become an anthem for the Stolen Generations.

The song was the first to win an Australian Human Rights Award and the album was featured in US Rolling Stone magazine's Top 50 in 1992, won two ARIA awards and went gold in Australia.

Roach's recording history includes twelve albums, soundtracks, film and theatrical scores and his books include the award-winning memoir Tell Me Why, accompanied by a companion album, and the picture book Took the Children Away, illustrated by Ruby Hunter.

The judge's report for the Victorian Premier's Literary Award nomination describes Roach's memoir as a book "beautifully written with a powerful story told with exquisite tenderness and care.

"When one reads this book Uncle Archie holds your hand with his words and takes you through his life and tells you stories of the past which many may have forgotten."

The Victorian Premier's Literary Awards were inaugurated by the Victorian Government in 1985 to honour literary achievement by Australian writers.

The winners of the main suite of awards - Fiction, Non-Fiction, Drama, Poetry, Prize for Indigenous Writing and Writing for Young Adults - each receive $25,000. The winner of the Award for an Unpublished Manuscript receives $15,000.

The winners of the seven award categories go on to contest the overall Victorian Prize for Literature, worth an additional $100,000. It is the single most valuable literary award in the country.

The winner of the People's Choice Award will be named alongside the general category winners, and will receive $2,000. Voting is open until Monday 18 January 2021.

Winners will be announced at a special digital event on Monday 1 February 2021.

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