‘Pithy, poignant, and provocative, Don Walker is the Poet Laureate of Australian rock 'n’ roll.’ —Mandy Sayer
‘Pithy, acerbic, dry and deeper than a drought-ridden dam. Don’s words are truly a thing of wonder.’ —Peter Garrett
‘As ever, the doyen to the rest of us. Beauty, humour and pathos coexist in his songs. Any time I try to write, the voice of The Don is in my head: “You sure you wanna do that?” Consistently, persistently, the master.’ —Tim Rogers
‘The thinking man’s poet. He delivers lyrics that paint true pictures of life in detail, and melodies that have been a part of our musical fabric as long as I can remember.’ —Troy Cassar-Daley
‘The stories in Don's songs open up to wider stories back and beyond. His lyrics are lean, clear-eyed, love-thirsty and lonesome. A bulls-eye straight to the human heart.’ —Paul Kelly
‘Don’s ability to get at the miniature of any subtle emotion and gently turn it out for you to see is amazing.’ —Ian Moss
‘One of the great poets of the Australian experience. His lyrics speak of and to an Australia that is too rarely glimpsed in song, giving voice to the forgotten and dispossessed, and transforming the currents of grief and love and tenderness that run through even the most ordinary of lives into something universal.’ —James Bradley
‘A jewel of a songwriter. When Slim asked for something special for his 100th album, Don didn’t let him down: he sent Slim the unforgettable “Looking Forward, Looking Back”. This song has become a theme for so many people, in a totally different field of music from Don’s regular form. He creates treasures of words and music.’ —Joy McKean
‘A mountain of songwriting genius, Mr Walker's tales and tunes are interwoven into the very fabric of Australia. The melodies alone conjure up magical memories of times shared, be it tragedy or joy. I cannot imagine this country without these evocative, rockin and memorable songs.’ —Phil Jamieson
‘Don has always been the true artist, standing on the outside, observing, responding. And his response has been the soundtrack, the hopes and the hopelessness, the dreams and the disillusionment of generations of listeners. —Ben Quilty
‘I’d heard “Flame Trees” on the radio many times when I was a kid, but it wasn’t until I was asked to perform a cover version in my twenties that I really got to know it. In the process of learning the song, the honesty and deeply evocative nature of Don’s lyrics shone through. The song laid bare, his skill as a writer came alive to me and I was awed.’ —Sarah Blasko
‘There’s a Don Walker song for every emotion – love, loss, longing, optimism, despair (the list is endless) – and often several emotions twist around each other in the same song. If insight is a product of experience, judging by Don’s lyrics, his life continues to be one hell of an experience.’ —Graeme Connors
‘Don Walker writes with grace, perception and clarity. His is a finely tuned observational voice that is distinctly his own. He can also be very funny – in a sardonic, droll and dry kind of way.’ —Stuart Coupe
‘Walker is one of our great storytellers. As much a keeper of the flame as Lawson, Carey or White. But he cuts to the burning heart with far fewer words.’ —John Birmingham
