Tex Banes was born on February 15, 1917 in Carlton, Victoria.
He was raised in St Paul’s Orphanage and had no relations through life though many good friends.
Tex grew up listening to America’s ‘BlueYodeler’ Jimmie Rodgers. In 1939 Tex learnt to play guitar and competed on Dick Fair’s Amateur Hour in 1942.
In 1945, he formed a Hill-Billy band‘The Hayseeds’ and in 1946 Tex was made president of the Australian Hill Billy Club and held the position for near on 20 years.
In East Melbourne, Tex made his Hoddle Street home a museum. Everywhere you walk there were Country Music memorabilia Australian and American. He had told me once, while on one of my visits that he almost got married, though the woman in question insist on cleaning up the house. It wasn’t longer before Tex showed her the door. His collection of memorabilia was his pride and joy.
Tex was inducted into the Hands of Fame in 1981 and in 1990 he was honoured with a Gold Guitar ‘Country Capital Award’. Another honoury moment for Tex came in 2001 when he was presented the Order of Australia Medal for his contribution to Country Music.
At very young age Reg was given a mouth-organ from his father
which he quickly mastered, along with guitar and banjo. It was a talent show on
Sydney’s radio station 2SM that started this King of Australian Country Music.
He won first prize and a recording session with Rodeo Records, his first single
‘Steamline Yodel’.
Along with fellow artist Slim Dusty and Chad Morgan, Reg was one
of Australia’s most prolific recording artist, and has written more than 500
songs. His biggest success was ‘Armstrong’ which was about Neil Armstrong’s 1969
landing on the moon. The song had been placed in the world’s largest
time-capsule buried at the Johnson Space Centre in Houston, Texas.
His achievements and credits include gold records, and many
‘firsts’. He was the first Aussie to
perform on the Grand Ole Opry and made an honorary citizen of Tennessee in 1968
for promoting Country Music worldwide. He was the first to organize regular
Country Music on Sydney Harbour; first full Country Show to tour the Pacific;
appeared on the first Country Show in the Sydney Opera House; produced some of
the largest ever Country Shows in Australia; recorded the first Country Music LP
record and the first ‘Live’ LP record in Australia; the first Country
entertainer to produce his own national television series . . . and many
more.
His recordings have been released in the USA, New Zealand and
Sweden. In 1968 he was honoured for his worldwide service to Country Music with
an Honorary Citizenship of the State of Tennessee from the Tennessee’s Governor.
In 1989 Reg made a special appearance at
the Honeysuckle/Tidbinbilla 20th Anniversary of Apollo 11 in Canberra
singing ‘Armstrong’.
Hi final recording ‘No Slowing Down’ (album #66) came in October
1994. The album proved to be a success picking up airplay around Australia and
in Japan. Reg almost completed his No Slowing Down when in Tamworth following
January (1995), he collapsed in his motel room suffering from a brain
haemorrhage and was flown to The John Hunter
Hospital.
Reg Lindsay died in Newcastle (NSW) on August 5, 2008 from
pneumonia after suffering a long illness. A true Legend and Pioneer of
Australian Country Music and in the United States where he had also lived
promoting Australian Country Music. It was two days before he died a 4 CD box
set was released ‘No Dress Rehearsal’ which is currently
available.
He was inducted into the Hands of Fame in 1977 and elevated to
Roll of Renown in 1984. Reg had won 3 Gold Guitars in Tamworth, 6 Gold
Records. He was awarded the OAM (Order
of Australia Medal) in 1989 for his service to Country
Music.
In 1947 he won a talent quest on radio 2GZ where he was present
with a little silver cup. He was a fan of Buddy Williams, and it was plain to
see that Country Music was running through his veins. In 1952 he rode to Sydney to audition an
Australian Amateur Hour, although he never won, he was approached by Southern
Music who agreed to publish his songs and a recording contract with Regal
Zonophone was arranged.
His first Regal recording was ‘Rock all Your Babies To Sleep’
backed with Fourteen Carrot Gold’. This gave Nev the taste of stardom and he had
returned to Sydney to do live shows for Tim McNamara and Ted Quigg. He was a
regular artist on the Reg Lindsay shows around Sydney as was Kevin King, Rick
& Thel and Chad Morgan. Country Music in the outback were pulling big crowds
and Nev, Kevin, Chad and Rick & Thel got together with their own All Star
Western Show in 1958.
After his stint with the All Star Western Show, Nev returned to
the Reg Lindsay show until 1961. It wasn’t until 1968 Nev brought his brand of
Country to Sydney’s famous Kings Cross ‘The Texas Tavern’ and stayed for 10
years. Over the years his songs have
been recorded by may high profiled artists including:- Chad Morgan, Frankie
Davidson, Johnny Garfield. His final studio recording came in 1998 a comical
truckies album ‘You Wanna Screw-Driver’ which he recorded with the now late
Lucky Grills.
1975 – Instrumental Award of the Year – with his Country
Playboys
1977 – Hands of Fame, Tamworth
1992 – Roll of Renown, Tamworth
Nev Nicholls has retired from Country Music now, although in
retirement, his albums of truck driving song are still in high demand. They are
his best sellers to date
John Harold Ashe was born on September 4, 1907 at Drummoyne
(Sydney).
Over the years John Ashe has written many Aussie comical songs. He
couldn’t get anyone to record his songs so he decided to record his own songs of
Aussie humour. Many of his songs were well known around Australia including
‘Growin’ The Golden Fleece’.
Over the years John had written hundreds of Aussie comical songs,
although he couldn’t find anyone to record them. Hence the reason he had started
recording his own comedy songs through EMI. His song ‘The Beer, Boys, Is Here
was believed to be the true sequel to ‘A Pub With No Beer’ made famous by the
late Slim Dusty, and like ‘The Pub’ he had also used the old time tune
‘Beautiful Dreamer’.
Around 1960 while holidaying in Sydney, John noticed that a
singing comedian named Chad Morgan had sold many thousand records
through EMI. When ‘The Sheik’ arrived with his show in Townsville, John Ashe had
to see what Morgan was all about. Needless to say, he was impressed and found
Chad to be a first rate Clown. Various songs that John had written suited Chad’s
style and in 1975 Morgan released an LP ‘Chad Morgan Sings John Ashe’ as Slim
Dusty had done previously.
In 1968 he wrote a book of musical poems and became a member of
the International Academy of Poets in Cambridge,
England.
John was inducted into the Hands of Fame in January
1978.
Entertainer/ Story Teller / Hypnotist / Sharp-shooter
‘The Sheik of Scrubby Creek’
They have been calling him ‘The Sheik’for
fifty eight years, and Chad still remains one of Australia’s biggest
crowd pullers. His ‘Sheik of Scrubby Creek’ was one of the biggest hits
sold through EMI Australia, originally released in 1952.
Chadwick William Morgan was born at Wondai,
Queensland on February 12, 1933. It was during his enlistment in Royal
AustralianAir Force Chad entered a talent quest in Brisbane as a dare
and won the Brisbane heat. After wining the semi-finals in Sydney, EMI
agreed to release‘The Sheik of Scrubby Creek on October 24th 1952. It instantly became a huge seller outselling the likes of Rosemary Clooney and Bing Crosby.
Chad’s second recording came in 1955,when he
returned to Sydney. He was in high demand and wherever he went he was
acrowd pleaser. Although his first Country Show appearances were on the
Reg Lindsay Shows, Morgan’s first Country tour was with The Slim Dusty
Show.
In 1958 Chad became part of the All Star
Western Show along with Rick & Thel Carey, Nev Nicholls, Kevin King
and Peter Mollerson. It wasn’t until 1959 Chad had his own touring
show. He became the first mainstream Australian Country Music
entertainer to be released on a 10inch LP, a genuine collector’s item.
The Sheik was not only released inAustralian, but also England and
Ireland. He certainly made a huge impact fromthe very start.
During the last 1970’s he appeared intwo
Aussie films ‘Newsfront & Dimboola’ and had made countless radio
and TV appearances.
As The Sheik entered the ‘New Millennium’ he
decided to record an album as a tribute to his mates of Country Music
which he titled ‘Songs My Old Mates Sang’. The album showed a different
side to the lovable larrikin with songs like – You Only Have One
Mother, The Passing Of Cobber Jack, Pretty Quadroon, The Newsboy’s
Message, Where The LazyMurray River Rolls Along and many others. It
certainly wasn’t the first time Morgan recorded straight Country Songs.
During the late seventies he recorded Cobb & Co written by the late
TexHamilton and also a love ballad ‘I’m Pleading Tonight’ which he had
penned himself.
It 1982 – EMI Music released an album
consisting of 20 of Morgan’s biggest hits “Sheilas Drongos Dills &
Other Geezers”. It outsold the King of Country Music (Slim Dusty). It
immediately gone Gold in sales and Platinum shortly followed and had
gone straight to No. 1on the National Country Music Charts.
Unfortunately the album was never recognized – which otherwise could
have secured a Golden Guitar being the first ever for the Sheik.
It is strange how someone as popular as our
first Clown Prince of Country Music had never received a Golden Guitar
inTamworth Country Music Awards. One thing that cannot be taken away is
the many loyal fans across Australia and overseas.
Entertainer/ Story Teller / Hypnotist / Sharp-shooter Tex(Robert William Lane) Morton was born in Nelson, New Zealand on August 30,1916.
American style and later writing and established a style
uniquely his own. On February 25, 1936 Tex recorded his first two songs
for the famous Regal Zonophone (EMI) label and another 4 tracks within a
fortnight. It’s believed between 1936 and 1943 Morton recorded93 78-rpm
records for Columbia, on later recordings he was backed by his
band‘Roughriders’ and recording duos with Sister Dorrie.
He traveled across Australia on various Traveling Shows and
had gained experience while traveling with Lance Skuthorpe’s Traveling
Rodeo Show. He learnt the showman’s craftsmanship and by1938 he started
his own Wild West Rodeo. During the War years, Morton’sWild West Rodeo
was forced off the circuit and Tex settled in a Dude Ranch in Penrith
NSW until after the war. He would eventually sell out to Ashton
Circusin 1949 and decided trying his luck in North America. It was not
going well ashe was given his marching orders by immigration officers.
He crossed over toCanada with his unique traveling show of singing,
hypnotism, magic and sharp-shooting act.
Around 1959, Tex returned to Australia although it seemed
that he was no longer attracting audiences he once did in the past. He
disappeared off the scene in outback Australia for about 5years after
which he made a recording comeback with the ‘Cat Came Back’. Hewould
sing the song wherever he performed in that magical Tex Morton style.
In1967 he left Australia once again, this time he went back to New
Zealand and hosted the television show ‘Country Touch’. Returning to
Australia onceagain in the early 1970’s Morton continued writing and
recording songs.
Throughout the late 1970’s Mortonalso appeared in various
television shows, and featured in movies ‘We of the Never Never, Stir
and Waterloo Station. In January 1976, he was the firstto be elevated
to the Roll of Renown in Tamworth.
Tex Morton died in Sydney on July23, 1983. His was laid to rest in Nelson NZ, alongside his parent’s grave. Atrue Showman and Entertainer.
Buddy Williams was the first Australian to help pioneer
Country Music in Australia. Like old Tex, Buddy started writing songs of
rodeo and also started his own Travelling Rodeo Show. It became a rivalry between Buddy and Tex.
He was born Harold Taylor in Newtown (Sydney) on September
5, 1918. He spent his youth in an orphanage until he was sent to live
with foster parents in Dorrigo.After running away at the age of 15 he
worked in various jobs, and started to busk in the streets. While
pursuing odd jobs, Buddy busked his way to Sydney where he ended up at
Columbia Records.
His first commercial recording came September 7, 1939 where
he recorded six songs for the Regal Zonophone label. His second
recording came eight months later.During World War II, he enlisted and
was badly wounded only weeks before the end of the war.
Buddy met Grace Maidment in 1945 and they were married in
Brisbane in 1947. They had four children Donita, Harold, Kaye and
Karen. While on tour in Scottsdale,Tasmania in 1948, their daughter
Dontia was tragically taken from this world atage of 1 year and 9
months. Buddy wrote at least three songs about his daughter‘Little Red
Bonnet’, ‘Another Angel Lost in Heaven’ and later he recorded ‘OurSweet
Little Girl’.
Buddy wrote songs about what he knew and through life
experiences. His inspirations included, his family, his mother, war and
the love of his country. He continued writing and recording for EMI
until 1965 when he began to record for RCA. In 1972 Buddy joined forces
with Tex Morton touring the eastern states. It wasan historical event,
for nearly everyone in the music industry thought the two(Williams
& Morton) were less than mates. They sure proved them wrong.
They(Buddy & Tex) recorded a song together with Sister Dorrie
titled ‘I LoveCountry Music’.
In1977 he was elevated to the Roll of Renown and with Tex
and Smoky, was thefirst inductee into the Hands of Fame, corner stone,
in Tamworth. In 1980he won the Heritage Award for his "What a Dreary
Old World it Would Be". He finally stopped touring after heart
attacks in 1977and 1978, and toured extensively from 1979.
Buddy died in Brisbane on December 12, 1986. He was laid
to rest alongside his daughter Dontia at Lutwyche Cemetery, Queensland.
He was later joined by his wife Grace in 1995.
Shirley Thomas was born in Toowoomba(Queensland) on January 12, 1925.
She started her career singing and yodeling Tex Morton songs. After
winning a Talent Quest in Bundaburg singing‘Mocking Bird Yodel’ (a
Harry Torrani song) Shirley was encouraged to write her own songs and
learn to play guitar.
On May 25th 1941, Shirley recordedher first 6 songs for
Regal Zonophone. She became the first female solo act to recordCountry
Music in Australia. During the War years she toured with various
variety shows.
It was during this period she keep onwriting and recording and later
toured with Sole Brother’s Circus where she mether first husband, John
Sole. Shirley soon decided to give up on show business for home and
family.
After years of absents, Shirley was courage to come out of
retirement in 1970, to appear on an All Star cast at the Tamworth Town
Hall. She was greeted with a thunderous applause. She recorded her
final two LPs(1970 – 1972) for Hadley Records, Tamworth, and
re-released all her old 78’s.
Shirley was inducted into the Hands ofFame and elevated to the Roll of Renown in 1980.
Lenore Miller-Somerset was born in Queensland on February 17, 1931.
It was at a very early age Lenore learnt to play guitar and made her
first recordings in 1945 with her uncle, the Yodeling Jackaroo ‘Buddy
Williams’ these early recordings include; Bushland Paradise and Brown
Eyed Sweetheart of Mine. She was known as Queensland’s Yodeling
Jillaroo.
Around 1958, she moved to Melbourne withher husband and their son.
It was with her husband’s encouragement Lenore resumed singing lessons
and started performing again. Her love was folk music and she made
numerous appearances including Reg Lindsay’s Country and Western Hour
and Graham Kennedy. She recorded her first LP titled ‘Australia Past’
in1965 for W&G Records, Melbourne.
In 1967 Lenore was invited to entertain along side Patti Newton,
Denise Drysdale and The Strangers in Vietnam. The concerts were held
throughout southern Vietnam for the Australian troops at Nui Dat,right
up to Pleiku for the American Defense Forces.
January 2006, Lenore was delighted to be inducted into the Hands of
Fame. In Sydney she was to do an album with the help of fellow musician
Doug Owen although it was never meant to be.
The eldest of six children, EdwinHaberfeild was born in October 1925.
In 1951 he became a finalist in the
TimMcNamara Show at Sydney Town Hall and received a contract to record
for the Rodeo label. When he married his wife, Ruby and started a
family, he insisted of being a family man. Although he wasn’t in the
position to tour like hispeers, his love for song writing continued.
It’s believed that Shorty had written near
five hundred songs some of which have been recorded by more prominent
artists like Buddy Williams, Reg Lindsay, Rick & Thel and Slim
Dusty.
In 1976, Shorty recorded for Hadley Records
and later formed his own label ‘Wildwood Records’ to continue to
release his own recordings.
It was 2001 Shorty had his wish come true –
when invited to record with his old Nulla Nulla Creek mate, Slim
Dusty.The album titled ‘Men From The Nulla Nulla’ bearing 22 tracks
including Shorty’s famous ‘Winter Winds’ was worth waiting for.
He was inducted into the Hands of Famein 1977
and elevated to the Roll of Renown in 1993. In 2003 Shorty received the
Order of Australia Medal for his service to Country Music.
Rita, born on January 24, 1928 / Mary, born on October 25, 1932
The Schneider Sisters started as a country comical act in 1945
appearing on Australian Amateur Hour and recording for Regal Zonophone
in 1950. As a duo Rita and Mary toured extensively in Australia also
touring Asia during the 1950 and 1960’s. It was during the 1970’s they
went their separate musical ways.
Rita would soon become Australia’s Loony Lady releasing comical albums (listed) which arecurrently available:-
RitaRaves On
NuttyAs A Fruit Cake
Dingbats
KeepOn Larfin’
BirdbrainBallads
BigBelly Laughs
Rita has collected various Awards for hercomical songs, and in 2008,
she was awarded a TSA Award for Children Song of the Year with “Why
Does A Cow Go Moo?” At times Mary would join Rita in a recording
session also Mary’s daughter Melinda.The late Smoky Dawson could also
be heard singing along with Rita.
Mary went on becoming Australia’s Queen of
Yodeling. She is loved in Australia, America and Europe. In 2002, Mary
released a CD titled ‘The Ultimate Collection’ which consists of 25
greatest hits with her wonderful yodeling. Mary has also collected
various Awards for her outstanding singing and songwriting talents.
Her albums to date include:-
YodelingThe Classics
YodelingThe Classics 2
SoundOf Yodeling
TheUltimate Collection
TheMagic Of Yodeling
Mary’s CDs are currently available and for more information
regarding the career of Mary Schneider and tour dates visit:-
www.maryschneider.com.au
The Schneider Sisters were honoured tobe elevated to the Roll of
Renown. In 2005 Rita and Mary also awarded the Lifetime Achievement
Award (Ace Awards).
His first recording session for EMI wasin
1959. His notable recording of that particular session was ‘The Boy
Solider’,it retained its popularity for at least four decades and
people still requestthe song. In the early 1960’s he toured with The
Chad Morgan Show and today still maintains his friendship with the
daring ‘Sheik’.
Trevor has written and recorded many songs
over the past fifty years that everyone can relate to. One song that
waswritten about the changing of our national flag surely was a funny
song, in acomical way of what would happen if the Flag was changed. His
songs have beenrecorded by Buddy Williams, Chad Morgan and Reg Poole.
In 2007, Trevor released a CD titled ‘DoIt
All Over Again’ containing twelve tracks, seven were self-written. The
titletrack was a duo with fellow artist Kevin King. Also in 2007
Bellbird Music released a CD containing 18 tracks ofTrevor’s greatest
songs from the Hadley Masters which is currently available.
Trevor is one Country Artist who canreally
tell a story in a song, he has kept the tradition of the old
balladeers which nowadays are truly numbered.
Trevor has a few accolades under hisbelt – they include:-
1978 - Hand of Fame
1996 - Norm Scott Pioneer Award
1996 - Australian Country Music Living LegendAward (Kempsey)
2004 - TSA – Comedy/ Novelty Song of the YearAward
Kevin Harrison King was born the youngest of three children, in Roseville (Sydney)
At the age of 15, Kevin learnt to playguitar, three years
later he won a heat of Tim McNamara’s 2SM Talent Quest in Sydney. Kevin
was playing Hawaiian steel guitar although it seemed that he was
convinced to change it for Spanish guitar.
He first came into prominence in Country Music with his
smash-hit “Rub-a-Dub-Dub” selling around 20,000 copies. He
wastwenty-one at the time, and it was his first recording for EMI Music
which was released February 1954.
Kevin started to appear as a regular on the Ted Quigg and Tim
McNamara shows, and when on a short tour with Reg Lindsay. It was
March 1958 he went on tour with the All Star Western Show – with Chad
Morgan, Nev Nicholls, Rick and Thel Carey andCanadian Peter Mollerson
on the fiddle. This tour lasted 14 months sand eventually going out as
the Chad Morgan Show. Kevin returned to the Reg Lindsay show, being
married and a decision tosettle down which prevented him doing anything
other than short tours.
During the early 1970’s Kevin was thrilled when asked by
Slim Dusty to join him and his family on their show in New Guinea,
which also included Michael Cook and Barry Thornton.
He was inducted into the Hands of Famein 1977. These days in retirement, Kevin and his wife Pat live in Queen
Kevin Harrison King was born the youngest of three children, in Roseville (Sydney)
Country Music Legends
Country Music Legends
