Johnny Anscombe and the Rubber Band have been named the 2023 Koroit Irish Festival Artist of the Year.

Johnny Anscombe and the Rubber Band have been named the 2023 Koroit Irish Festival Artist of the Year.

This intriguing group of musicians ranges at any given time to number between two and 15 people.

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The Rubber Band has been around since the late 1970s and is made up of members from across Victoria.

"For the bigger festival's like Koroit and Port Fairy we get members from as far away as Dimboola, Beaufort, Stawell and Ararat," band leader Johnny Anscombe said.

It was Mr Anscombe who was the original source of the band. The singer-guitarist was playing a show in Allansford in the late 1970s with the late Prop and Maureen Heazelwood also on the bill.

The three got talking and decided they would make a good combination, and the Rubber Band was born.

Other musicians soon joined and the Rubber Band became a regular on the south-west music circuit.

The main gig for the band was playing at charity shows, helping raise money in particular for the district's hospitals.

It is a badge of honour for band members that they never get paid for their time, with all money from performances going to the chosen charity of the day.

The band has raised tens of thousands of dollars over the years.

Mr Anscombe said it was an honour to be named as Artist of the Year. "It is a real privilege, we are thrilled," he said.

"Koroit has always been a special place for us to play, there are a lot of characters there and we always get people stopping in for a sing-along.

"The late Kevin Bowman was a great friend of mine and an amazing performer and he used to join us for Koroit each year. He knew all the Irish songs of course which added to it.

"A few like Kevin and Prop and Maureen have unfortunately passed but we still have a good crew and we can't wait for the festival."

Festival tickets are now on sale at www.koroitirishfestival.com.au

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