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   • Reg Lindsay...
2. Reg Lindsay

;Reginald John Lindsay OAM (7 July 1929 – 5 August 2008) was an Australian country music singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer and radio and television personality. He won three Golden Guitar Awards and wrote more than five hundred songs in his fifty-year music career.Contents[show]Early Years

Born in the Sydney suburb of Waverley in 1929, Reg was two years of age when his father gave him a harmonica which he quickly mastered. He then learned how to play the banjo, mandolin, guitar and fiddle. His career ambition was to become a stockman but in 1951 he won a Sydney radio talent quest which launched his career as a singer-songwriter.[1] In a music career of over 50 years he wrote more than 500 songs and hosted various TV shows including The Reg Lindsay Country Hour in 1964 which ran for eight years, followed by his own TV program, Country Homestead, which ran for four years and earned him four Logie Awards.[2]Honours

He became the first Australian to appear at Nashville's Grand Ole Opry in 1974 and is officially recognised with a plaque on Nashville's Walkway of Stars. He was the winner of three Golden Guitar Awards and was inducted into Australia's Country Music Hall of Fame in 1977.[2]In 1989 he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia[3] for his services to Australian music. He was best known for his song Armstrong, a tribute to the historic 1969 moon landing by American astronauts, particularly Neil Armstrong, which is now included in a museum.

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Col Joye

• Col Joye
• Joye started his career as a jewellery salesman, after leaving school, before performing and recording with his backing band, the KJ Quintet, that would become The Joy Boys[2] which included his brothers Kevin and Keith, Joye enjoyed a string of hits on the local and national singles charts of Australia beginning in 1959. Joye's first single, "Stagger Lee" was a cover of the Lloyd Price US original. However, his third single "Bye Bye Baby" reached No.3 on the Australian Kent Music Report charts in 1959, followed by "Rockin Rollin Clementine" also peaking at No.3.[3] His fifth single, "Oh Yeah Uh Huh", became his most successful, peaking at No.1. He also had other charting singles, including "Yes Sir That's My Baby" peaking at No.5 nationally. Joye was an original member of Brian Henderson's Bandstand television program, and appeared regularly on this show for fourteen years. Joye also toured Australia with fellow Bandstand acts, including Judy Stone, The De Kroo Brothers, Sandy Scott, and Little Pattie. Joye's popularity leveled off with the changes to the music scene around the time of the rise of the British invasion, and especially The Beatles, and it was not until 1973 that he had another hit record, with "Heaven Is My Woman's Love" reaching No.1 on the Go-Set charts in 1973.[3]
  Awards and recognition[edit]
  Joye won several music awards, including two ARIA Music Awards, and he earned numerous gold and platinum records. On 8 June 1981, he was appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia for his entertainment and philanthropic work.[5] Joye also continued to perform publicly, including providing entertai

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Barry Thornton...

1934 – Born on June 14th in Junee, N.S.W. the oldest of 16 children.1952 – At the age of 17 purchased his first guitar for 12 pounds while working in Sydney and living with his grandparents. After learning a few basic cords he entered a talent quest at Eden Park near Sydney and came second singing a Wilf Carter song.1954 – While doing the talent quest circuit Barry came to the attention of Slim Dusty and was later invited to tour with the Slim Dusty Show for three months which turned into 19 years. He joined the show as a singer originally but took on the character of Mulga Dan and while he at first showed the signs of a shaky lead guitarist he emerged into one of our most respected instrumentalists with a distinct recognisable sound.1959 – Meets his future wife, Pauline, in Tasmania after she is offered a job as an usherette.1961 – Barry and Pauline marry. They have two children Meryl and Brian.1970 – Barry’s first solo attempt is “Talking Guitar”, one of the first EP’s EMI produced in Australia. On the other side Shorty Ranger released “Winter Winds” which history shows as the most popular Australian Country Instrumental of the time. “Country Guitar” was Barry Thornton’s follow-up EP.1974 – Becoming tired of touring and being away from his family for 11 months of the year he takes a job driving heavy equipment for 12 months east of Lake Eyre. Missed playing his guitar.1979 – Recorded an album with “Capital Country” a Canberra based group for whom he played lead guitar.1980 – Inducted into the Hands of Fame in Tamworth.1981 – Selection Records released “The Country Way” Barry’s first solo album.1982 – Golden Guitar for Instrumental of the Year with “Brian’s Tune” off “The Country Way” album. Barry was to stay with Selection Records for the next 20 years.Barry with wife Pauline, children Meryl and Brian, moved to Queensland‘s Sunshine Coast with Barry becoming heavily involved with The Queensland Champion of Champion Competition, a body he worked for all the way from its inception.1982 – Produced another ten or more solo albums over the next ten years, and at the same time being a session musician on many other albums for other artists while supporting and encouraging new and young artists in their endeavours.1990 – Ill health slows his performing. Has a triple bypass operation.1991 – Barry Thornton was elevated onto the Australian Country Music Roll of Renown at the time of elevation being the only specialist instrumentalist to have received this honour.2002 – Passed away on July 28th at the age of 68. He was one of the legends who will be remembered for originating the lead guitar sound of the Australian Bush Ballad which has helped to give Australian country music its own unique sound since the 1950’s. ..

Barry Thornton

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• Tom T Hall

Biography

• Born
• 25 May 1936 (age 84)
• Born In
• Olive Hill, Carter County, Kentucky, United States

Tom T. Hall (born May 25, 1936 in Olive Hill, Kentucky) is an American country balladeer and songwriter. He has written 11 #1 Hits, with 26 more that hit the Top 10. He was the son of a preacher.

As a teen, Hall put together a band called the Kentucky Travelers that performed before movies for a travelling theater. During a stint in the Army, Hall performed over the Armed Forces Radio Network and wrote comic songs about Army experiences. His early career included being a radio announcer at WRON, a local radio station in Ronceverte, West Virginia.

Hall's big break came in 1963 when singer Jimmy C. Newman recorded his song "DJ For a Day." In 1964 Hall moved to Nashville, TN, and within months had songs climbing the charts. Nicknamed "The Story Teller", he has written songs for dozens of country stars such as Johnny Cash, George Jones, Loretta Lynn, Waylon Jennings, and Alan Jackson.

One of the most popular songs, "Harper Valley PTA", was originally recorded in 1968 by Jeannie C. Riley, sold over six million copies, and won both a Grammy and CMA award. The song later would inspire the motion picture and television program of the same name.

Hall's own recording career took off after that and he had such hits as "A Week in the Country Jail," "Old Dogs, Children and Watermelon Wine," "I Love," "Country Is", "The Year Clayton Delaney Died," "The Old Side of Town," and "I Like Beer." He was also noted for his children's songs, the most popular being "Sneaky Snake".

He also hosted the syndicated country music TV show Pop Goes the Country.

He has a son, Dean Hall, who is also a singer and member of the MuzikMafia.

A hard-rock adaptation of his song I love would later be featured in a series of successful television commercials for Coors beer.

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2. Slim Dusty

Slim Dusty was one of the greatest country artists of all time. The reason that that statement would seem insane to many music fans is due to the fact that they've probably never heard of him. Dusty (real name David Gordon Kirkpatrick) was an Australian who released more than 100 albums in a 60-year recording career while garnering a swag of gold and platinum records, awards, and honors and becoming a reluctant legend in his own lifetime. (Upon his death on September 19, 2003, at age 76, Dusty was accorded a state funeral.) It is fitting, then, that such a career be summed up in a greatest-hits collection and The Very Best of Slim Dusty does an admirable job, considering the vast wealth of material available to draw from. Dusty's best-loved numbers are here, including his signature song and sole international hit, "A Pub with No Beer." Other highlights include his last prominent song "Looking Forward, Looking Back" (penned by Don Walker, keyboard player for famed Aussie rockers Cold Chisel), the mateship number "Duncan," the Aussie-lingo lesson of "G'day G'day," and Slim's version of Australia's unofficial national anthem, "Waltzing Matilda." Then there's the trucker song "Lights on the Hill," the catchy black-sheep tale "The Biggest Disappointment," and the infectiously upbeat "Cunnamulla Fella." Much of this music derives from traditional American country music, but all of it has been indubitably seared with an Australian branding iron. The stories -- or "yarns," to use the Aussie vernacular -- are replete with the images and idiosyncrasies of the "Sunburnt Country" and its people, and delivered with a wink and a smile. Dusty's songs not only reflect Australian culture, they are Australian culture. A plain-looking, plain-voiced gentleman in an Akubra hat with a downturned brim, Slim Dusty knew the rhythm of the Australian pulse. His is inclusive music, all-inclusive -- you don't need to know the songs or the places they speak of to feel moved. The melodies are sometimes sweet, sometimes salty, and the language is that of the "everyman." In iconic terms, it would not be incorrect to say that Slim Dusty was, and is, Australia's Elvis. The Very Best of Slim Dusty is more tha

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• Early life and career[edit]
  Stafford was born in Latrobe, Tasmania in 1950 and grew up at small town called Meander in a one-room shack along with her mother, stepfather and six cousins. In 1962, at the age of 12, Stafford made her first public appearance on a program called "ShowTime," a popular series from TNT-9 Launceston during that time. After leaving school, Stafford worked at a hotel as a kitchen hand in a nearby town of Deloraine for five dollars a week. While performing at local dances on weekends, she began to learn her craft as a professional singer.
  Initially Stafford's recording career began in 1965 at the age of 15, singing a duet with Dusty Rankin called "Promised to John" produced by Eric Scott for Hadley Recording Company. In 1973, winning first prize in a "country music talent quest" in Launceston, Tasmania, she received a five-album deal with Hadley Records that put her on the road to stardom. Stafford's debut album "Flowers for Mama" recorded in Tamworth was released in 1974 and gained her Australia-wide recognition winning her first Golden Guitar Award in 1975 at Tamworth for Female Vocalist Of the year. Her second Golden Guitar came in 1980 with Hello Love.
  In 1981, Stafford won her third Golden Guitar Award for "That Glory Bound Train," a song from her final album with Hadley Records entitled "Born Again". Shortly after her contract ended that same year, Stafford moved from Tasmania to Sydney and signed a contract with EMI Music Australia releasing her first commercial album on a major record label "The Way I Feel Inside". Stafford was asked by her band members to write some songs for them; after hearing what she had written they advised her to record the songs herself. She took the songs to EMI and in 1982 the release of "Someday I’ll Take Home The Roses" became her most popular written song to this date. Early life and career[edit]
  Stafford was born in Latrobe, Tasmania in 1950 and grew up at a small town called Meander in a one-room shack along with her mother, stepfather and six cousins. In 1962, at the age of 12, Stafford made her first public appearance on a program called "ShowTime," a popular series from TNT-9 Launceston during that time. After leaving school, Stafford worked at a hotel as a kitchen hand in a nearby town of Deloraine for five dollars a week. While performing at a lo

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Rick and Thel Carey were both born in New South Wales, Australia, Rick a city boy from Sydney, and Thel a fair dinkum farm girl from Glossodia near Windsor. Rick's love of country music grew from the hillbilly radio programmes that in the days of his childhood were firm favourites in the city as well as the country. Of course, Thel's rural upbringing ensured that she too came to love the earthy songs that reflected the daily way of life that she shared with millions of other Australians.

Thel was a self-taught guitarist, and her music eventually brought her to the "Bar-20 hillbilly Shows" at Eden Park and then appearances on the Reg Lindsay and Slim Dusty Shows. It was at the Bar 20 shows that Rick and Thel met. Rick had acquired a good guitar from his prisoner of war father, and during his term with the Royal Australian Air Force Rick had been taught the instrument by a musical friend. Armed thus with their respective musical talents and country and western backgrounds, Rick and Thel began a musical and family partnership from which evolved one of the top three Australian country music travelling shows of the 1960s through to the mid-1980s. They had a very successful 25-year recording history with Regal Zonophone and EMI from 1954, and further successful recordings with Hadley Records in Tamworth from 1978. They were honoured with the Roll of Renown in 1985 in Tamworth. Rick Carey died in July 2017.

Rick and Thel Carey

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Glen Campbell
Glen Campbell BiographySinger (1936–2017)

Glen Campbell was a country music legend known for such hits as "Rhinestone Cowboy," "Wichita Lineman" and "By the Time I Get to Phoenix."

Who Was Glen Campbell?

Born in 1936 in Arkansas, Glen Campbell began his musical career as a songwriter and sideman to some of the biggest stars of the 1960s. He achieved success on both the country and pop charts late in the decade through tracks like "Gentle on My Mind," and the 1970s he cemented his status as a crossover star with the No. 1 hits "Rhinestone Cowboy" and "Southern Nights." Campbell was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2005, and earned a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012. Following a public battle with Alzheimer's disease, the country music legend died on August 8, 2017, at the age of 81.

Early Life

Glen Travis Campbell was born on April 22, 1936, on a family farm between Billstown and Delight, Arkansas. The son of Wesley, a sharecropper, and Carrie Dell, Campbell was one of 12 children. The family faced financial hard times—all the Campbell children pitched in to help pick cotton—but they were extremely musical, and Glen displayed early promise in that area. At the age of 4, his father bought him a $5 Sears and Roebuck guitar; within a few years, Campbell was appearing as a paid act and performing guest spots on local radio stations.

At age 14, Campbell dropped out of school to embark on a music career. He soon joined his uncle Dick Bills as part of the Sandia Mountain Boys, a band that enjoyed some success out of New Mexico. In 1958, Campbell put together his own group, the Western Wranglers.

Session Guitarist

Shortly thereafter, Campbell relocated to Los Angeles. He took a job at the American Music Company, a small publishing house that employed a staff of songwriters. In 1961, at the age of 24, Campbell recorded the single "Turn Around, Look at Me." Its modest success caught the attention of Capitol Records, which signed the young artist to its roster.

With Capitol, Campbell became known as a skilled session guitarist and finger-picker. He worked alongside such chart-topping artists as Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Merle Haggard, Dean Martin, Nat King Cole, the Righteous Brothers, and the Monkees, and joined prominent producers Phil Spector and Jimmy Bowen for their recordings. Additionally, following Brian Wilson's retreat from the public eye, Campbell was invited to tour with the Beach Boys in 1964.

"Gentle on My Mind" & Other Early Hits

By 1967, Campbell was finally earning acclaim for his own work. "Gentle on My Mind" found its way onto bo

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• Slim Dusty

Slim Dusty, AO MBE (born David Gordon Kirkpatrick; 13 June 1927 – 19 September 2003) was an Australian country music singer-songwriter, guitarist and producer. He was an Australian cultural icon and one of the country's most awarded stars, with a career spanning nearly seven decades and producing numerous recordings. He was known to record songs in the legacy of Australia, particularly of bush life and renowned Australian bush poets Henry Lawson and Banjo Paterson that represented the lifestyle. Dusty was the first Australian to have a No. 1 international hit song, with a version of Gordon Parsons' "A Pub with No Beer".[1] He received an unequalled 45 Golden Guitar and an Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) award. He was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame and Australian Roll of Renown. At the time of his death, at the age of 76, Dusty had been working on his 106th album for EMI Records. In 2007, his domestic record sales in Australia surpassed seven million. During his lifetime, Dusty was considered an Australian National Treasure. He performed "Waltzing Matilda", a very famous song in Australia, at the closing ceremony of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.

David Gordon Kirkpatrick was born on 13 June 1927 in Nulla Nulla Creek west of Kempsey, New South Wales,

The following January, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for his service to the entertainment industry.[10]

Dusty recorded and released his 100th album, Looking Forward, Looking Back, in 2000 and became the first artist in worldwide commercial recording history to do so; second was Cliff R

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• 1. PETER COAD & THE COAD SISTERS
     Peter Coad; - Vol 1, (Released 1987), (Cassette) (* N/A)

  Peter Coad - Requested (Released 1988) (Cassette) (* N/A)

  Barcaldine cassette – (Released 1991) (* N/A)

  Peter Coad - Rainbow Road (Released 1993), (CD) (* N/A)

  Peter Coad - Bush Verse (Released 1997), (CD)

  Peter Coad - Face of Australia (Released 1999), (CD)

  Peter Coad - Outback Chapters (Released May 2007) (CD)

  Peter Coad - Old Bush Mates (Released April 2011) (CD)The album picked up 3 TSA awards in January 2012 and was awarded "Album Of The Year" at the Bungendore Stan Coster Bush Ballad Awards in February 2012.

  Peter Coad - Music Highway (released August 2014)

  Coad Sisters – Endless Highway. Released February 2012 (CD)
  (FINALISTS >> COAD SISTERS - Jimmie Rodger Blues (from the 'Endless Highway' album) FINALIST - GROUP/DUO SECTION. & Anzac's Song - FINALIST INSTRUMENTAL SECTION - TIARA AWARDS 2012 & GIDGEE COAL AWARDS.)

  Coad Sisters - The Journey - March 2019 (CD).
  PETER COAD & THE COAD SISTERS;-

  PETER COAD & the COAD SISTERS – ‘Home Again’ (Released August 2003.) with four finalists’ tracks featuring in 2004 T.I.A.R.A, TSA and Bungendore Stan Coster Memorial Bush Ballad awards.February 2004 saw COAD SISTERS unique version of the classic bush ballad "Ballad of Camooweal" from the "Home Again" album take home the prestigious Instrumental/Vocal/Group/Duo Award at the Bungendore Awards.

  PETER COAD & the COAD SISTERS - 'The Road We Travel'. (Released April 2005) which scored Finalist spots in the New Zealand/Tasmanian Songwriters Awards 2006, Bungendore Awards 2006 and the Bush Ballad section of the Victorian Awards 2006.

  PETER COAD & THE COAD SISTERS – ‘The Road Of Song’. Released March 2013
  Winner of Bungendore Awards 2012 – ‘Album Of The Year’ @ Gidgee Coal Bush Ballad Award.

  PETER COAD & THE COAD SISTERS - '25 Years Revisited' - Released 29th of July 2013.
  Containing a selection of tracks from album and singles, mostly not available any more.

  PETER COAD & THE COAD SISTERS released a combined album 'Banjo & Henry' December 2015. featuring the songs and poems of Henry Lawson and Banjo Patterson,

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• Born. Edwin Haberfield, 9 October 1925, Kempsey, New South Wales, Australia, Died. 22 June 2007. He grew up on the adjoining farm at Nulla Nulla Creek to that occupied by the family of Slim Dusty. After first meeting at school, they became firm friends with a mutual love of music. Especially attracted to the songs and yodels that they heard on the recordings of artists such as Wilf Carter and Tex Morton, they aimed at a singing career. They learned to play the guitar and, performing as a duo, at one time briefly as Buddy Bluebird and Buddy Blackbird, they entertained in their local area. During the 40s, they toured further afield, including Adelaide and Sydney, without lasting success. Although their careers separated in 1951, their friendship continued throughout the years. Shorty gained recognition and a recording contract with Rodeo Records that year, by virtue of his appearance on a national talent show organized by Tim McNamara, and Slim went on to international stardom.
  Shorty married in 1952 and the following year, when the first of four sons and two daughters arrived, he decided to concentrate on his family. From the mid-50s through to the early 70s, limiting his personal appearances, he made some recordings but mainly concentrated on his songwriting. In 1969, the legendary Australian singer Buddy Williams, who recorded almost 50 of Shorty’s songs, released a tribute album called Buddy And Shorty. After 1973, with his family grown, he became more active both as a performer and recording artist. He released six albums on Hadley and later a series of 12 on his own Wildwood label. During the late 80s, he suffered a stroke and also a period of ill health as a result of poisoning from pest control chemicals. He survived and in 1989, he won the Songmaker Of The Year award at the prestigious Tamworth Country Music Awards. In 1992, he celebrated 50 years of country by appearing on stage with old friend Slim Dusty. His health caused concern again in August 1994, which led to a brief hospital stay. In October, he was involved in a serious road accident, but by December, he was working on his first CD release.
  Since 1942, Shorty Ranger wrote over 360 other songs, many of which have been recorded by other artists. ‘Winter Winds’, written in 1943, is undoubtedly the best known, owing to its use as his signature tune and to Slim Dusty’s 1957 recording of it. The song, now rated as an Australian country classic, won Shorty a gold award in 1992. Over the years, he received many other awards including a Golden Guitar. He was honoured several times as a Pioneer Of Country Music in Australia and in 1993, he was elected to the Australian Country Music Roll of Renown. Shorty Ranger

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3. Daniel ODonnell...
4. Daniel O'Donald

Born: Dungloe, Co Donegal, Ireland 12th December 1961
Daniel O`Donnell popular Irish Country/Celtic Singer since 1991. Has had 20 top 40 albums in the UK/Ireland and 15 top 40 hit singles and 4 top 20 singles in UK/Ireland to date. Overall he has had nearly 30 albums to date.

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LOCAL favourite Peter Horan will be the feature act at Bathurst RSL’s free Sunday session this weekend.
Horan is particularly popular with older audiences, playing a wide range of piano favourites from classical to country and everything in between

Peter Horan

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• 1. Smoky Dawson AM MBE, born as Herbert Henry Brown, was an Australian country music performer, radio star, entertainer, and icon. He was widely touted as Australia's first singing cowboy complete with acoustic steel string guitar and yodel, in the style of American Gene Autry: Dawson had an extraordinarily long and prolific career, releasing his first single in 1941 and his last album in 2005, aged 92, making him at the time the world's oldest recording artist. Through his high-rating syndicated radio serials, television appearances, comic books and songs he created the persona of a happy-go-lucky singing cowboy. An Australian institution, he continued to perform and march in annual ANZAC day ceremonies right up to his death a month shy of his 95th birthday.
• Smokery Dawson

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2. Deniese Morrison...
3. New South Wales was not the only state to have Deniese flogging the country music vibe. South Australia and Victoria also had Deniese promoting the genre. If singing in front of Slim, The Prime Minister and Allan Caswell wasn’t enough, she got to sing in front of The Pope.
   1987 – Returned to Tamworth for the 1987 festival. Golden Guitar for Female Vocalist of the Year with “Now I’m Easy”. Invitation to perform with Slim and Joy, Anne, Heather McKean , Gordon Parsons, Mary Schneider and Syd Heylen on the Slim Dusty Show at Mike Walsh’s Regent Theatre in Richmond.
   1988 – Performed at the official opening of the Tamworth’s Bicentennial Park
   1989 – Hosted the 17th Country Music Awards live across Australia on Channel 7 with Johnny Chester. Golden Guitar for Female Vocalist of the Year with “Battle Hymn of Love”. Mo Awards for Female Country Performer.
   1990 – Golden Guitar for Female Vocalist of the Year with “You’ve Gotta Learn to Dance”. Joined forces with Allan Caswell and produced “Unfinished Business”. Mo Awards for Female Country Performer. South Australian Country Music Festival Awards- Inducted into the Hall of Fame.
   1990 and 1991- Hosted the live 1 ½ hour televised Country Music Awards.
   1991 – Won third Golden Guitar.
   1990’s – began working with BP Australia opening their new truck stops around Australia and decided to record an album as part of the project, “SINCE I FOUND YOU”. First heard a very young Beccy Sturtzel (Cole) singing with her mum, Carole.
   1992 – A founding member of the CMAA was on the board from it’s inception in 1992 until 1996. (The CMAA was formed after major changes occurred to the awards presentation the previous year)
   1993 – Adelaide Music Fiesta the ‘Schnitzel Sisters’ were created. The founding members are myself, Beccy, Margi Miller and Tracy Coster. Later my sister Lyn was added to this auspicious little secret society and the bond remains today.
   1995 – On tour with Freddie Fender, Johnny Chester, Augie Meyers, the Alan Rich Band and Mick Hamilton.
   1997 – First College of Country Music under the guidance of Peter Winkler. For the next four years Deniese was both tutor and the College ‘Mum’. Inducted into the Wall of Fame “A Tribute to the Women of Country Music” for outstanding achievement and contribution to the country music industry. Originally present by the South Tamworth Bowling Club.Deniese Morrison...ll” is now housed at the Hall of Fame.

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2. Del Shannon

Born Charles Westover in Coopersville, Michigan, on December 30, 1934, rocker Del Shannon claimed legendary country-western singer Hank Williams as an early influence, but his first record was unadulterated rock: the classic "Runaway" in 1961, highlighted by Shannon's falsetto and keyboardist Max Crook's wailing Musitron (an invention of his). It shot to #1 in both the US and the UK. He had several follow-up hits, including "Hats Off to Larry" and "Little Town Flirt", but his last big hit came in 1965, with "Keep Searchin' ". His career decline didn't keep him from working, however, and he had a few modest hits, notably a cover of Bobby Freeman's "Do You Wanna Dance?". Shannon spent much of the late 1960s and early 1970s touring Great Britain, where he found a more receptive and admiring audience than he did in the US. In 1985 he had a minor hit on the US country music charts with "In My Arms Again". Shortly afterwards he began touring in rock-n-roll revival shows. On February 8, 1990, after battling a combination of drugs, alcohol and depression for years, he shot himself to death.

|

Del Shannon

Del Shannon

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• would like to hear from you. Stan CosterA monument commemorates Country and Western singer songwriter, Stan Coster. The Stan Coster Show first started playing the Tenthill Hotel in the 1980s, the crowd swelling to the point that the hotel couldn’t hold the people.

Stan Coster OAM (1930 – 1997) was an Australian country music singer-songwriter. His songs were regularly performed by Slim Dusty and other singers.

In 1987, Coster won another Golden Guitar for APRA Song of the Year for “He’s a Good Bloke When He’s Sober”. In 1989 he was awarded an OAM for "Services to Country Music" and was in 1990 inducted into the Roll of Renown at Tamworth. He won the 1995 Golden Guitar (Heritage Award) for Bush Ballad Song of the Year with “Lawson’s Loaded Dog” and in 1996 released his last album “Come Back to the Bush”.

Stan Coster died from cancer on 25 March 1997.

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3. FANS of country music will converge on Tamworth to celebrate the genre and our best local talent, some of whom have made a name for themselves overseas. But they all owe a debt to our first successful country music exports — the LeGarde Twins.
   Tom and Ted LeGarde found fame in Australia in the 1950s before heading to the US where they met stars such as Gene Autry, Roy Rogers and Johnny Cash. They appeared on variety shows, performed sold-out concerts and did guest roles in TV series Daniel Boone and Star Trek.
   Now in their 80s, they have recounted stories of their rise to fame in a self-published book Showbiz Hustlers. It tells of how two rough and to tumble boys from a Queensland sugar cane farm became country music stars.
   Born Thomas and Edward LeGarde on March 15, 1931, on a farm in Habana, near Mackay, in Queensland, their mother was an English migrant and their father Ernie LeGarde a hard man with a murky past who ran away from an orphanage at 14 to become a farmer.

media_cameraTed and Tom the LeGarde Twins on 1963 TV show Country Style. News Archives

At seven Ted and Tom’s older brother George brought home a wind-up gramophone and played them the country song Waitin’ For a Train by Jimmie Rodgers. The boys were “hooked” and when George later bought a guitar, Ted and Tom began singing country music. Shortly after, their mother also took them to their first movie. It starred William Boyd as Hopalong Cassidy, afterwards they told their mother that they wanted to be cowboys.

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2. Johnny Chester...
3. Johnny Chester

John Howard Chester (born 26 December 1941) is an Australian singer-songwriter, who started his career in October 1959 singing rock'n'roll and in 1969 changed to country music. He has toured nationally with the Beatles, Roy Orbison, the Everly Brothers, Kenny Rogers, Johnny Cash, Tammy Wynette and Charley Pride. During his career he has led various groups including Johnny Chester and The Chessmen, Johnny Chester and Jigsaw, Johnny Chester and Hotspur. With Jigsaw he had five top 30 hit singles, "Gwen (Congratulations)" (1971), "Shame and Scandal", "Midnight Bus" (both 1972), "World's Greatest Mum" (No. 9, 1973) and "She's My Kind of Woman" (1974).

Chester has hosted various TV series: Teen Time on Ten (GLV-10, Gippsland, 1963–64), Teen Scene (ABC TV, 1964–65) and Country Road (ABC TV, 1977–78). He has worked as a radio announcer on Melbourne radio station 3UZ and Radio Australia. He wrote a musical comedy, Rebound, that opened in Wagga Wagga. Chester has won Golden Guitars at the Country Music Awards of Australia for best selling track in 1975 and for Male Vocalist of the Year in 1981, 1982 and 1983. In 1994 he was awarded the Songmaker of the Year Award from the Tamworth Songwriters Association. According to Australian rock music historian Ian McFarlane, he is "one of Melbourne's first and best rock'n'roll singers of the early 1960s".[citation needed] Music journalist Ed Nimmervoll acknowledges Chester's "essential inclusion on any major national rock package coming into Melbourne" and later he "helped bring Australian country music to pop respectability.

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Chadwick William "Chad" Morgan

Chadwick William "Chad" Morgan OAM (born 11 February 1933) is an Australian country music singer and guitarist known for his vaudeville style of comic country and western songs, his prominent teeth and goofy stage persona. In reference to his first recording, he is known as "The Sheik of Scrubby Creek".

Biography[edit]

Morgan was born in Wondai, Queensland, the eldest of 14 children to Dave and Ivy Morgan.[3] From an early age he was raised by his grandparents, Bill and Eva Hopkins. After his grandfather died in 1945, he and his grandmother moved back to Scrubby Creek to live with his parents and siblings. Morgan left school at age 12 and found work cutting timber.[3]

Morgan was discovered through Australia's Amateur Hour, a radio talent contest, where he sang his original song "The Sheik of Scrubby Creek" and was a finalist.[3][4] He began recording with Regal Zonophone Records (a subsidiary of EMI) in 1952, while completing his national service obligation in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).[4]

Morgan's songs are peppered with Australian slang; one CD compilation is called Sheilas, Drongos, Dills and Geezers.

Morgan's first wife was Pam Mitchell, with whom he had three children - Allan, Chad Jr. and Janelle.

Morgan married again on 14 September 1985 to Joanie, whom he had met the year before. After their marriage Morgan gave up drinking and smoking completely.

Morgan has toured extensively, including with the Slim Dusty Show, the All Star Western Show and his own Chad Morgan Show. He has been prolific in his recorded output and live performances.

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Stan Costerb. 27 Might 1930, Gambling establishment, New South Wales, Australia, d. 25 March 1997. A favorite songwriter and vocalist Coster quit college at 14 and travelled around Australia. He done many careers, including fencer, slaughterman, horsebreaker, kangaroo shooter, bulldozer drivers and, at once, was a tough rider having a traveling rodeo. He started to create tunes in 1956, using his encounters of life on the path to provide the tales of and motivation for his tunes. His success like a songwriter was covered in 1962, when Slim Dusty documented his first track ‘Return FROM THE Stockman’. Dusty offers since documented a lot more than 60 of Coster’s tunes that have also drawn the eye of additional Australian celebrities including Pal Williams (Dusty and Coster mixed their writing abilities to co-write ‘By A Fireplace Of Gidgee Coal’, today a vintage Australian country tune). In 1979, Coster produced his initial recordings and in addition formed his very own roadshow, which toured thoroughly in various expresses. His little girl Tracy (b. 12 Apr 1966, Winton, Queensland, Australia) joined up with his present at age 13, playing bass and performing with his clothing, the Blue Gum Music group. Coster was more popular as Australia’s best bush ballad article writer and a lot more than 100 of his music have been documented. In 1977, ‘Three Streams Hotel’ gained him a fantastic guitar for Greatest Composition within the Australian Nation Music Honours and in 1982, he found the very first ever Tune Maker Of THE ENTIRE YEAR award on the prestigious Tamworth Nation Music Honours. He was honored the Australasian Nation Music Move of Renown in 1990. Coster passed away in March 1997.

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   • .
   • Judy Stone

Judith Anne Stone AM (born 1 January 1942) is an Australian pop and country music singer. For much of the 1960s she was a regular performer on the music variety Bandstand, Stone's top 20 singles on the national charts are "I'll Step Down" (No. 19, February 1962), "4,003,221 Tears from Now" (April 1964), "Born a Woman" (No. 3, September 1966) and "Would You Lay with Me" (No. 2, June 1974). On the Queen's Birthday Honours List of June 2006, Stone was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia, with the citation, "For service to the community as an entertainer at fundraising events for a range of charitable organisations, and as a singer."[1]

Judy grew up in the Sydney suburb of Granville.[1][2][3] She has two younger sisters, Joyce and Janice.[4] From a young age she sang country music at home and her parents bought her a guitar, which she learned to play.[3]

In her early teens Stone entered and won a local talent contest and was noticed by an attendee, Reg Lindsay. By November 1956 she had joined his touring performance troupe, the Reg Lindsay Show, and stayed for 18 months.[3][5] In July 1957 a reviewer of Lindsay's show in Cabramatta for The Biz wrote that "Little Judy Stone, of Granville, was very pleasing in her turn."[6]
Judy hired Kevin Jacobsen as her talent agent.[3][4] She described meeting him, "I used to sing, with a heavy guitar, Western style numbers. Once I met Kevin he gave me one instruction: 'Throw that guitar out the window.' Although I did not throw it out any window, I am now singing without any of my own musical accompaniment.

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2. | Don Williams..Williams performing in 2006

Background information
Birth name | Donald Ray Williams
Also known as | Gentle Giant
Born | (1939-05-27)May 27, 1939
Floydada, Texas, U.S.
Died | September 8, 2017(2017-09-08) (aged 78)
Mobile, Alabama, U.S.
Genres | Country
Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter
Instruments | Vocals, guitar, piano,
Years active | 1964–2006
2010–2016
Donald Ray Williams (May 27, 1939 – September 8, 2017) was an American country singer, songwriter, and 2010 inductee to the Country Music Hall of Fame. He began his solo career in 1971, singing popular ballads and amassing 17 number one country hits. His straightforward yet smooth bass-baritone voice, soft tones, and imposing build earned him the nickname: "Gentle Giant" of country music.[1] He was also noted for his "velvet voice". Williams has had a strong influence over a variety of recording artists of different genres. ] His music is also popular internationally, including the UK, Australia, Ireland, Ukraine, India, Cameroon, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, South Africa, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Namibia and Zimbabwe.[3] In 2010, the Country Music Association inducted Don Williams into the Country Music Hall of Fame.[4] This is considered to be the Country music industry's highest honor to bestow upon an artist.

Early years Williams was born the youngest of three sons on May 27, 1939, in Floydada, Texas. His parents were Loveta Mae (née Lambert; 1914 – 2007) and James Andrew "Jim" Williams (1898 – 1982).[6] He grew up in Portland, Texas, and graduated from Gregory-Portland High School in 1958. After Williams' parents divorced, Loveta Williams remarried, first to Chester Lang and then to Robert Bevers.[7]

On Ju

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• • • Johnny Ashcroft

JOHNNY ASHCROFT

• 1927 – Born in North Sydney on February 1. Lived at Mt Pritchard NSW on a small farm.1941- First instrument: A combination banjo, mandolin and guitar with correspondence music lessons.1942 – First guitar: Acoustic Hawaiian lap steel. Wrote his first factual song “Lonesome Pal”. He sings at a youth concert “SwaneeRiver” and “Comin’ in on A Wind and A Prayer”.The concert led to an engagement to sing at matinee’s in local picture theatres.1944 – Took wool classing course at East Sydney Technical College. Performed “Lonesome Pal” on nationally broadcast Australia’s Amateur Hour–came second. Becomes more serious about show business and is given a trial at the Leichhardt Stadium by persuasion of legendary female impersonator “Nellie Small”.1946 – Performed the “Overlander Trail” on Australia’s Amateur Hour–came first. First recording: “When I Waltzed My Matilda Away”, a one-sided 78rpm for radio only. First road shows: the Spastic Centre Show and Jerry Hartley and His Serenaders.1947 – First major road show: the 2000-seat “Great Levante Show”, the biggest ever vaudeville outfit in Australia. He had his own singing spot but was also expected to work on skits, magician’s assistant, pantomimes, and anything else that might crop up.As well as help with the tent set up and pull down.1948 – Worked on showboats on the harbour and made 2 appearances on Australia Amateur Hour. First overseas show: toured New Zealand with “Varieties of 1948”. First radio production: Roundup Time, an 8-programme series rebroadcast for three years, aired through New Zealand’s National Radio Network emanating from 2YA Wellington. Married first wife, New Zealander Shirley Williams. Three children–John, Tracey and Mark.1952-1955 – He did not tour due to marriage and commitments.He often took the “flyer” to Newcastle to do a show.Once to Moree by train – quick trips to Newcastle and Wollongong were quite common.His son born in 1954 same day his song “Castaway” is first aired on radio.Later he tours with Slim Dusty.1953 – Wrote and performed series for ABC Radio, “Songs Of The Homestead”, produced by Kay Kinane.1954 – First commercial recordings: Six sides for Rodeo Records, recorded in Radio 2UE’s studios, Sydney. Performed in the first in-house experimental pre-TV test at Frenchs Forest, Sydney.1955 – Wrote Australia’s first trucking song, “Highway 31”.1956 – Released very first Australian vinyl micro-groove country and western album, “Songs Of The Western Trail” (Phillips). One of the first artists and the first country and western artist to appear on Australian television (ABC Channel 2 Sydney with Gordon Chater). Also wrote show’s theme, Crazy (Kings) Cross.1958 – First Dixieland record: with Graeme Bell. Recorded his first R&B song “Bouquet For The Bride” and his first rock song “Buzz, Buzz, Buzz”. First hit: “They’re A Weird Mob” recorded in skiffle style.1960 –

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Graeme Connors

Graeme Connors (born 29 April 1956) is an Australian country music singer, songwriter, and performer. He is best known for the hits A Little Further North and Let The Canefields Burn. Throughout his music career Graeme has released over fourteen albums and to date has received fourteen Golden Guitar awards among other prestige Australian country music awards. He wrote the lyrics for the Paralympic Anthem. Most recently, he was awarded Album of the Year at the 2011 Tamworth Country Music Festival for Still Walking.
In 2009 as part of the Q150 celebrations, Graeme Connors was announced as one of the Q150 Icons of Queensland for his role as an "Influential Artists".
In 2016, Connors was inducted into the Australian Roll of Renown.

• Graeme Connors

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2. John Minson moved from Tamworth to Coffs Harbour in 1987. His home was a few yards from ours in Azalea Av, Coffs Harbour. We had barbeques together and played in bands in Nursing Homes together. We would sometimes visit other Country Music performers like Wally McQuacker, Bill Shipman for a cuppa and a yarn. Lots of laughs. They were great times and I certainly miss John Minson.........Graham Bell

John Minson was born in Sydney in 1927. In 1961, he moved to Tamworth, working as an announcer and copywriter at local station 2TM.

In the mid-60s he launched his nightly country music show, Hoedown.

2TM's signal was powerful, especially at night, and the show took off; "Mr Hoedown" regularly got request letters from around Australia and as far afield as New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. On the show, John highlighted emerging Australian artists, a choice that gave them exposure that might never otherwise have come their way. He launched careers and made people famous.

In 1969, John was one of the group that began Tamworth's "country music capital" push. The Tamworth Country Music Festival grew from a talent quest on the Australia Day long weekend to being the second-biggest country music festival in the world, beaten only by Nashville.

John was awarded a Golden Guitar in 1978 for his service to the industry. In 1987, he retired from the Hoedown broadcast and was included in the Gallery of Stars at the wax museum. He was inducted into Tamworth's Roll of Renown in 1988, the South Australian Country Music Festival's Hall of Fame in 1992, and into Tamworth's Hands of Fame in 1994.

In 1998, he was awarded an AM (Member of the Order of Australia) for service to country music and the entertainment industry, and for his contribution in establishing Tamworth as Australia's Country Music Capital.

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• 1. Slim Whitman
  2. Singer
  3. Ottis Dewey Whitman Jr., professionally known by the stage name Slim Whitman, was an American country music, western music and folk music artist singer-songwriter and instrumentalist known for his yodeling abilities and his smooth, high, three-octave-range falsetto in a style christened as "countrypolitan". He personally stated that he had sold in excess of 120 million records, although the recorded sales figures give 70 million, during a career that spanned over seven decades, and consisted of a prolific output of over 100 albums and around 500 recorded songs, that not only consisted of country music, but also of contemporary gospel, Broadway show tunes, love songs and standards. In the 1950s, Whitman toured with Elvis Presley as the opening act. In the 1990s and 2000s a new generation was exposed to Whitman through his songs featured in the film Mars Attacks!; his famed "Indian Love Call" would kill the invading Martians every time the record was played and in Rob Zombies House of 1000 Corpses, his rendition of I Remember You...

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CounCountry singer, songwriter and recording artist Trevor Day has died, aged 87.Born at Lorne on the NSW mid north coast, Trevor moved to Sydney in the mid 1950s where he met Les Partell and Pat Ware and sang at a number of suburban hotels.

Trever DayHe made regular appearances on the old Harbour Showboat “Kalang” and Radio 2SM's "On the Trail" program and toured with the Reg Lindsay, Chad Morgan and Rick & Thel Shows.In 1959, Trevor recorded four songs with EMI, the most memorable being The Boy Soldier which retained its popularity for several decades.After a hiatus of 10 years or so, Trevor signed with the Country Music Capital based Hadley label where he released four EPs and, later, an album.He was inducted into the Country Music Hands of Fame in 1978 and was also awarded the South Australian Living Legend Award for his contribution to country music.In 1996, Trevor was awarded the Norm Scott Pioneer Award in Sydney and the Kempsey Country Music Australasian Country Music Living Legend Award.In 2008, he won two awards at Bungendore, the Songwriter going for An Empty Plate and Comedy Song with The Homemade Chair.Trevor died yesterdaytry singer, songwriter and recording artist Trevor Day has died, aged 87.Born at Lorne on the NSW mid north coast, Trevor moved to Sydney in the mid 1950s where he met Les Partell and Pat Ware and sang at a number of suburban hotels.He made regular appearances on the old Harbour Showboat “Kalang” and Radio 2SM's "On the Trail" program and toured with the Reg Lindsay, Chad Morgan and Rick & Thel Shows.In 1959, Trevor recorded four songs with EMI, the most memorable being The Boy Soldier which retained its popularity for several decades.After a hiatus of 10 years or so, Trevor signed with the Country Music Capital based Hadley label where he released four EPs and, later, an album.He was inducted into the Country Music Hands of Fame in 1978 and was also awarded the South Australian Living Legend Award for his contribution to country music.In 1996, Trevor was awarded the Norm Scott Pioneer Award in Sydney and the Kempsey Country Music Australasian Country Music Living Legend Award.In 2008, he won two awards at Bungendore, the Songwriter going for An Empty Plate and Comedy Song with The Homemade Chair.Trevor died yesterday

Trevor Day is one of the pioneers of Country Music in Australia. His achievements as a songwriter and entertainer are widely praised. His songs have been recorded by many artists, including Chad Morgan. He has achieved more than some worthy artists already on the roll.
Trevor Day has been overlooked for too long and it would be a reward for many years of contributions to Australian Country Music to see his name on the Roll of Renown.
A small example of Trevor's Songs: The Boy Soldier, The Old Man's Kingdom. A Mug of Billy Tea. An Empty Plate. The Red-Headed Kid. This list could go on as Trevor has written and recorded in excess of 200 songs.

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Noel “Poley” Everett | HISTORY |
| Noel 'Poley' Everett's grandmother and grandfather were born and raised in the Salisbury Valley west of Dungog in 1859 and 1874. Grandmother was Henrietta Deards and her mother Eliza Edwards, who were pioneers of the area.In 1890, Henrietta at the age of 16, and her mother who was a bush nurse, rode side saddle over the Gloucester Tops from Salisbury to Barrington to take care of people ill with the plague. At the time, Henrietta noted the good land on the Barrington River.In 1891, Henrietta married John Everett, settling on a 1200 acre property on the Upper Williams River working hard for several years until they came to Barrington.Some 20 years later, in 1910, John and Henrietta Everett bought the property "Myrtle Vale" for £5 per acre. (now Norma Everett's). Then in 1920, they bought the property (now known as Poley's Place) from the original settlers. The price was £15 per acre, three times as much as that paid for "Myrtle Vale" and no doubt directly attributed to the coming of the railway in 1913.They milked cows for a living.In 1917, Henrietta was deeply grieved by the loss of her eldest son, Herb, who was killed in action in France in World War 1. In 1923 her husband died. She raised her family, rode many miles to assist neighbors and friends in times of sickness, and still enjoyed riding until the age of 81, when she fell and broke her hip. She had two other sons, Eric (Poley's father) and Albert and a daughter Olive.The current homestead was built 1923 from timber milled from the property, with much of the lining cedar and rosewood, for a cost of £8600.Pit sawn slabs from the original homestead cut in 1856 are still in good condition and were used in 1978 to erect the 'Miner's Hut' which is still in use today.Eric married Ruby Atkins, and together had four children - John, Noel, Kevin and Annette.Their income was derived from dairying, selling home grown vegetables and rabbiting. In 1937, Eric formed 'Meadowbank Guernsey Stud', with five cows, which then became the largest Guernsey Stud in Australia, and in 1964 he had about 320 head on 1000 acres and sold cattle throughout Australia.Poley married Rosemary Ninness in 1977, and together developed the property as a country music entertainment, camping and recreation farm and tourist attraction in conjunction with a Simmental Stud in 1978. They built facilities and conducted three country music hoedowns each year as well as catering for coach tours, school excursions and many private campers with Rosemary cooking country meals and riding side saddle while Poley sang his beloved country music.Poley recorded over 60 songs on five albums of mostly his own writings in Tamworth. These have recently been digitally recorded into a boxed set of three CD's.Although, Poley suffered from Muscular Dystrophy he continued dairying until 1974, when it became too difficult for him to continue. He bought his first guitar in Maitland when he was 18.&

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• 1958 was the year Rock'n'Roll started in Australia as it was the year Johnny O'keefe became the first Aussie Rock'n'Roller to record, The first year Lee Gordon brought American stars to the Stadium and Festival Halls, and the year TV started to shows bits and pieces of the new Rock'n'Roll stars. Country music had its very small following in Sydney with radio 2KY leading the charge with the Reg Lindsay Show and the McKeon Sisters being amongst the most popular. Slim Dusty, Rick and Thel, Tex Morton, Buddy Williams and the like, crisscrossed the Australian outback non-stop without hardly touching a capital city. While he was working on the property Lonnie kept up his singing and writing and sang at local shows in places like Rowena, Collarenebri, Walgett and Narrabri. Frank Burke and his famous White Rose to his Orchestra even offered him to be a Special Guest on a yearly tour. He declined as the music style was not to his liking. | In late December 1958, he returned to Sydney and within a few weeks had started another band. Over the next few months, they played at many places adding fans with every appearance. By mid-1959 he had a fan club and was on his way to performing on Australia's first Rock'n'Roll TV show, Six O'clock Rock and recording his first record for Leedon Records. From now on his career would slant towards to the new pop music yet most everything he recorded had a country-rockabilly feel to it. Over the period 1959 to 1964, he had 8 #1 Records, 5 Gold and a bag full of awards and accolades. He was one of Australia's 3 top Super Stars of that first era having more hits here than Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry or Jerry Lee Lewis. | In 1964 the English music invasion had started and radio was starting to play that style of music rather than what they had been playing the previous 5 years. Lonnie went back to his roots and released some country style songs. Unfortunately as country music was not played in the city and country radio mainly played Australia bush ballad style of country music, Lonnie's efforts were in vain.Meanwhile, the executives at EMI Records were thinking of how they could get a popular music star, record some country songs and try and break country into the city radio markets. They decided to offer Lonnie a contract to record on the HMV label which he accepted and for the next few years he recorded in the country and rockabilly style. His album, 'A Country Boy at Heart', was the first full stereo album to be recorded in Australia. It was recorded with The Leemen of the time at the large EMI Studious at 301 Castlereagh street and it was engineered by Bill Armstrong who later went on to be the Bee Gees engineer.As well as the album, he wrote and recorded several singles, but unfortunately the city was not ready to play country music even if it was recorded by a well known pop star, and country radio was not ready to play modern US style country or rockabilly in its country programs.Lonnie was 30 years too early for both these scenarios to seriously take place in major city Australia.After this strong effort to get country music accepted in the cites failed, Lonnie decided to leave Australia for the European cabaret circuits where he stayed for a few years. Even then he would always feature his favourite country songs in the shows.

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• Foster and Allen
  | Foster and Allen began in 1975 when they were playing in country music bands around Ireland.[1] Soon after they formed a small group and went over to the UK to work the Irish music venues on a short tour. At this stage they had the idea of working together as a duo, playing easy listening music with traditional Irish instrumentals.
  When their UK tour finished, they decided to let the band return to Ireland whilst they stayed behind to try to break into the public eye. They played several venues in the London area and the reaction was favourable; they decided to remain as a duo, and Foster and Allen was formed. After a time working around the circuit in the UK and Ireland, they released their first single, "The Rambles of Spring".[1] This made an impact on the Irish market and Foster and Allen were soon in demand for cabaret venues all over Ireland.
  At the end of 1979, Foster and Allen released the single, "A Bunch of Thyme" in Ireland, and it entered the Irish chart. Despite the romance and charm of the music and lyrics the song is in reality a warning to young women to protect their virginity. The girl in the song ultimately ignores the warnings and becomes infected with syphilis. It became their first number one single, and stayed on the chart for 40 weeks.[2] It was not until 1982 that this single was released in the UK. It was played by all the radio stations in Britain, and peaked at No. 18 in the UK Singles Chart.[3] At the time, Foster and Allen were in the United States on a tour. They were contacted and told to fly back to the UK to appear on BBC Television's Top of the Pops.
  Demand for Foster and Allen's services at venues all over Ireland and the UK increased. They released another single, "Old Flames", which peaked at No. 51 in the UK chart. They undertook their first concert tour of the UK in 1983, and this tour was boosted by the release of another single "Maggie". This reached No.27 in the UK Singles Chart and became a No.1 in New Zealand for four weeks.
  Foster and Allen have toured Ireland, the UK, the US, Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. They have also had their own TV series on RTÉ Television in Ireland.
  In the early days, Mick Foster and Ton

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Peter Coad & The Coad SistersInfo & Members - Versatile multi-instrumentalists, vocalists originally from the isolated northern outback of South Australia, Peter Coad & The Coad Sisters now reside in New South Wales. Peter was originally part of the popular Coad Brothers and is a founding member of The Australian Bush Balladeers Association. Together with his sisters Virginia and Lynette (The Coad Sisters), they make up Peter Coad & The Coad Sisters, full-time professional entertainers with over 20 years experience working in the music industry. Multi-talented musicians and songwriters, Virginia and Lynette started performing as The Coad Sisters in 1989 as a popular duo act who then joined their brother Peter Coad to become Peter Coad & The Coad Sisters in 1991. The Coad Sisters still perform as a duo occasionally. Their music includes "traditional" country style, ballads, originals, "standards", yodelling, touching on contemporary music, Irish and other influences, with a bit of bush poetry and comedy are thrown in as well. A full show features the group playing the drums, bass, lead, and rhythm guitar, mandolin, fiddle, keyboards, harmonica and harmonies.

Virginia Coad...

Virginia Coad...

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CASH BACKMAN
My Girl Bill

Australia 1974

8 Sydney #9 Melbourne #3 Brisbane #3 Adelaide #5 Perth

Description

Cash Backman grew up in the Melbourne suburb of Ascot Vale. His first job was in a timber mill in Eastern Victoria. The musical side of Cash started when he was 15 and he would sing at parties and began to write songs. His vocal abilities came to the fore in 1974 with a cover version of Jim Stafford’s hit "My Girl Bill". This song was about a two young men friends about a girl they both loved.. The following year 1975 Cash recorded a revival hit by Jim Reeves "He'll have to go". He has released a number of other albums with a different label with many songs written by him he has not had the success those first two songs had. Cash Backman Although without further success on national charts Cash Backman he continues to be a top country seller and a popular touring artist.

Australian country singer-songwriter Cash Backman seems to have been everywhere and appeared with everyone during a long career that continues to this day with appearances at clubs and festivals around Australia.Cash Backman's album Thirty Years On was completed in the early 2000s with producer Mick Hamilton(ex-Vibrants), but it had been a work in progress since the 1960s.

• Cash Backman

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• Paul McCloud

Paul released his first album in August 1982 titled “The Sensitive Sound of Paul McCloud” which was recorded at Hadley Studios in Tamworth. He followed that release the same month with an appearance on the “Must Be Country” television show out of Tamworth, hosted by the legendary Terry Gordon.

During the 1980s Paul released a total of seven albums on LP and cassette. By 1985 with three successful albums to his credit, and accompanied by his wife Hele, he pioneered shopping centre promotions around Australia, singing live and selling thousands of record albums. This resulted in a solid base of fans and supporters which allowed him to tour successfully in concert, bringing his music to wider audiences throughout the country.

Although the pigs have long since gone, the property Hartwood is now the setting for one of the most popular country music festivals in Australia, held over the Easter long weekend. People come from all across the country to camp on the property for up to 2 weeks and enjoy the friendships, camaraderie and the music.

Paul, with his parents and wife Hele, started the festival on the family property in 1988 and it has grown steadily, through word of mouth, to become one of the most popular festivals on the country music calendar. Hartwood is now owned by Chrys and Maria Kelly, who with Tom and Lyn Maxwell and many volunteers, keep the festival going from strength to strength.

From 1982 through to early 1995, Paul and Hele were often accompanied by Paul’s father and mother affectionately known as The Roadie and The Shirtmaker. A song by that title was written by Paul as a tribute to his parents following their passing in the late 1990ies, which has become a special favourite with fans that knew th

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Freddy Fender

Freddy FenderFreddy Fender performing in 1977

Freddy Fender made his debut radio performance at age 10 on radio station KGBT, Fender dropped out of high school at age 16 in 1953, and when he turned 17, he enlisted for three years in the U.S. Marine Corps.[1] He returned to Texas and played nightclubs, bars, and honky-tonks. In 1957,

. In 1958 he legally changed his name to Freddy Fender. He took the name Fender from the guitar and amplifier,

In 1959 Fender recorded the blues ballad "Wasted Days and Wasted Nights." The song was a hit, By the end of the 1960s, Fender was back in, Texas, working as a mechanic and attending local college,

Number one on pop and country charts

In 1974 Fender recorded "Before the Next Teardrop Falls." The single was selected for national distribution and became a number-one hit on the Billboard Country and Pop charts. It sold over a million copies and was awarded a gold disc by the RIAA in May 1975.[4] His next three singles, "Secret Love," "You'll Lose a Good Thing," and a remake of "Wasted Days and Wasted Nights," all reached number one on the Billboard Country charts. Between 1975 and 1983 Fender charted 21 country hits, including "Since I Met You Baby," "Vaya con Dios," "Livin' It Down," and "The Rains Came." "Wasted Days and Wasted Nights" became Fender's second million-selling single, with the gold disc presentation taking place in September 1975.[4]

In 2001 Fender made his final studio recording, a collection of classic Mexican.
Freddy Fender passed away from cancer in 2006. He was 69 years old.

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• Graham Bell Website... www.gbellmedia2.com
• Email....grahambell.coffs@gmail.com would like to hear from you.
• Jade Hurley
• John Anthony Patrick Hurley OAM (born 17 June 1943), who performs as Jade Hurley, is an Australian country music singer-songwriter and pianist. Hurley's hit singles are "How I Lied" (1965), "Down in the Riverina" (1974) and "Another Saturday Night" (1982). He was a regular performer on TV including on The Mike Walsh Show in the 1970s to early 1980s. In June 1998 he was awarded the Order of Australia Medal, "for service to the entertainment industry and to the community, particularly in the area of fund raising for groups including the arthritis foundation of NSW, the Australian Cancer Foundation for medical research and Camp Quality."
  Hurley had started his music career at the age of 14 with his first band, the Rockin' Rebels, in Sydney.[7] He went solo, with the help of O'Keefe, appearing on the latter's TV show – including his debut in 1960 – on Six O'Clock Rock.[4] Hurley was dubbed "Australia's King of Country Rock" by O'Keefe and was a support act on O'Keefe's live performances.[7][8] He also appeared on Australia's version of Bandstand.[9]
  His country-pop vocals were combined with the melodic and rhythmic feel of the current beat era.[10] With the exception of his cover version of "Gold and Silver" (1966),[10] his charting singles were his own compositions: "My Baby Judy" (1965), "I'm Ashamed of You" (1966) and "Down in the Riverina" (1974).[10][11] Later Hurley changed over to country music although his live shows also included rock and roll favourites.
  Hurley worked on The Mike Walsh Show from the 1970s to early 1980s, with his "Golden Oldens" music segment, where he performed cover versions of songs from the 1950s and 1960s.[9][12] Due to the show he was, "identified with MOR performers rather than as a rocker" and by 1981 he was described as a "grannies' heart-throb" but he explained, "When I do live shows, the audience is usually made up of housewives who have seen me on the Walsh show. They bring their husbands along to the

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Bill is now in his 90s and is still writing songs and performing.

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• been performing country music for more than 50 years.

About Desree-Ilona CrawfordBorn in Bundaberg, Queensland on January 4th 1945. Desree was entertaining from a young age. At the age of 4 she joined family members as a member of The Melody Kids on Radio 4BU, Bundaberg.

She taught herself to play guitar at the age of 11 which accompanied her singing and yodelling skills. Her mother Eileen (Peg) Crawford was also musically minded and would teach her new chords as she progressed. Desree - Ilona Crawford also learnt classical music on piano from the age of 6.

During WWII her father (a bomber pilot) was posted at Amberley, where the family moved and continued entertaining at Poultry Shows, Concert parties, Police Club Fundraisers and many more. Performing as part of the Amberley Entertainers (concert parties) she raised monies for various charities, including but not limited to The Spastic Children’s TV Marathon and Miss Australia Contest.

The Bee Gees had worked on one of Crawford’s Town Hall Shows, when they recorded ‘My Old Man’s A Dustman’ which was aired across various television networks. Desree would also train youngsters ‘Amberley Twisters’ to dance on TV, when a new dance craze came out on the Charts.

She was also part of ‘We Three’ where she teamed up with her Mother and Brother Donny and also became a regular on Gerry Gibson Tonight - The Warana Festival TV Show. Once Crawford left high school, she worked in Clubs and Hotels across Brisbane Sydney and Melbourne showcasing her talent throughout Australia, Desree performed in the ‘Walton’s Five Star Radio talent quest and came second singing her version of Lover’s Hill unfortunately she was beaten by a tenor from Bundaberg ‘Donald Shanks’ who went on to become an international Opera singer.

In 1966 Desree married, however her entertaining continued. She would work 6 nights a week in cabaret, Police Balls, RAAF Balls and sang with old time dance bands.

Her first single was recorded in 1970 for the Dayman’s Sunshine Label (Festival) titles ‘Mama Sang A Song / Washed My Face In The Morning Dew’. It was backed by an 8 piece Country Music Show Group ‘Desree Crawford & The High Chapparalls. The single immediately hit the Top 30 in Brisbane and continued to gain momentum as the months went by.

Awards / Accolades: Please note: There are many more Accolades to Desree Ilona Crawford.

Desree’s Band started in Melbourne – They had been booked as a support act for the ‘Platters’ who didn't show up. The Group scored a 6 month contract playing floor shows every Saturday night, where they were fortunate enough to play alongside Roy Orbison, Johnny O’Keefe, Lonnie Lee, Digger Revell, Reg Lindsay, Frankie Johns, Mick Finn, John Williamson, Slim Whitman (on his Australian tour) and many more.

Desree released another single in 1971 ‘Letter To Santa / Mistletoe Kiss’ which also made it in the Top 30 throughout Australia.

In 1978 Desree released her first s

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About MeDrawing on Australian country and American bluegrass roots, singer and multi-instrumentalist, CHRIS COOK has performed around Australia for over 35 years, both solo and with different line-ups. Chris’s ability to entertain an audience with guitar, banjo, fiddle, original songs (his “Diggin’ a Hole in My Guitar,” “When the Country’s Wet” and “Rollin’ Down the Road” were recorded by Slim Dusty) and a seemingly limitless repertoire of covers both popular and obscure prove his versatility. Chris has played at most major East Coast Festivals and has made a number of recordings over the years. He has released  Tributes to Slim Dusty called “Dustier than Ever” – Volumes 1, 2 & 3 and a number of other albums including “Now and Then,” a retrospective of 30 years in the recording industry and “Thanks a Lot” a Tribute to Johnny Cash, released in 2012.  The Chris Cook Band  released  “Brand Old Country” a  CD of 16 tracks in 2013. Chris Cook is both well-known and well-respected around the Northern Rivers of NSW where he has been based in recent years.

Details of James Cantwell and Rob Renfrew (other Band members) are in the Chris Cook Band information.

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Career OverviewShaza Leigh is the epitome of success in the Australian country music business; Singer, Songwriter, Musician, Presenter, Producer, Compere, Photographer, and Manager.

Shaza generously donates her time as patron to many industry organisations and groups and has an ingrained belief that we should all 'serve' the industry that serves us and we should always give more than we take. This ensures a thriving platform for those who follow in our footsteps.

SHAZA LEIGH OWB - was honoured with 'The Order Of The Wattle Blossom' at the 2020 'National Australian Awards.'
The Citation - 'For excellence in the writing and performance of music reflecting Australia's unique cultural heritage, and love for our Native Land.'

Career BiographyShaza Leigh is one of Australia’s finest singer/songwriters. She’s an exciting “live” performer, never afraid to stretch the boundaries of tradition in her music and presentation having recorded and released 15 career albums.

Shaza Leigh was inducted onto ‘The Women’s Wall Of Fame’- (2001); ‘The Australian Country Music Wall of Honour’- (2004); 'The Hands of Fame' - (2006) in Tamworth and has received numerous singing and song writing awards throughout her career including 12 'Qld Female Vocalist of the Year' titles and 'National Female Artist of the Year on Radio' 5 of those years at The Gold Medallion Media Awards plus 'National Songwriter of the Year' (2019 & 2020) and 'National Composer of the Year (2019).
Shaza is a unique talent with the ability to perform all genres of Country Music, from contemporary ballads, through Bush Ballads, Gospel and Country Rock. Her diverse vocal and musical talent has allowed her to musically explore all styles of material on her albums released throughout her recording career resulting in consistent chart success and a significant collection of awards and accolades.

Her undisputed professionalism is largely due to the vast experience she has as a touring performer and musician. For more than three decades she has been “paying her dues” all over Australia, with a formidable touring schedule. Having spent several valuable years touring with The Brian Young Outback Tours, and the past 25 years working with guitar legend and record producer Lindsay Butler, she’s travelled and performed from the remotest areas of Australia, to every city.

Shaza has appeared with most of the great Australian Country Music performers, starred at all major Country Music festivals, had a string of radio hits from numerous albums, been a finalist and winner of many industry awards and appeared on countless radio and TV shows. She’s also appeared internationally – in Nashville USA during Fan Fair, and at several New Zealand Country Music festivals.

As one of our first female contemporary performers, Shaza is also a recognised songwriter, after her self-penned debut single was a national top 10 hit in 1990. She now has a catalogue of over 300 songs recorded by herself and other leading recording artists resulting in numerous award winning hit songs. Shaza also enjoys co-writing and has been fortunate to write with some of the best in the business.

As well as maintaining a high work level and performer profile, Shaza has always been heavily involved behind the scenes. As a partner in the LBS Music group, she helps develop other Australian talent, and was hono