Leslie Massey
Australian country music is a genre that blends traditional country sounds with modern pop influences. It is characterised by twangy guitars, upbeat rhythms, and catchy melodies, with lyrics about love, family, and the Australian way of life. The genre has gained popularity in recent years, with many talented artists emerging from the scene. Some of the most famous Australian country singers include Keith Urban, Olivia Newton-John, Slim Dusty, Smoky Dawson, and Joy McKean.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Country music artists | Keith Urban, Slim Dusty, Joy McKean, Adam Harvey, Adam Brand, Amber Lawrence, Kirsty Lee Akers, Steve Forde, Travis Collins, Smoky Dawson, Olivia Newton-John, Lee Kernaghan, Beccy Cole, Reg Lindsay, Chad Morgan, Frank Ifield |
| Slim Dusty's popular songs | "A Pub With No Beer", "True Blue", "Rip Rip Woodchip", "Lights on the Hill", "Walk a Country Mile" |
| Joy McKean's popular songs | "Gymkhana Yodel", "Yodel Down The Valley" |
| Keith Urban's popular songs | "For You", "You Look Good in My Shirt", "Days Go By", "Stupid Boy", "Somebody Like You" |
| Awards won by Australian country artists | ARIA Hall of Fame, Australian Role of Renown, Golden Guitars, Mo Awards, Tamworth Awards, Grammys, Academy of Country Music Awards, CMA Awards, ARIA Music Awards |
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What You'll Learn
Slim Dusty, the 'King of Australian Country Music'
Slim Dusty, born David Gordon Kirkpatrick, was an Australian country music singer-songwriter and producer. He was known as the "King of Country" and was regarded as a cultural icon in Australia. Slim Dusty was born on June 13, 1927, in Kempsey, New South Wales, and passed away on September 19, 2003, in Sydney, Australia, at the age of 76.
Slim Dusty grew up on a dairy ranch and wrote his first song, "The Way the Cowboy Dies," at the age of 10. He took the stage name Slim Dusty in 1938 at the age of 11. He began his musical career in 1940, singing on the radio with his then-partner Shorty Ranger. In 1942, he recorded his first record, the patriotic "Song for the Aussies," and signed his first recording contract in 1946. Slim Dusty continued to work part-time as a ranch stockman until 1954 when he formed the Slim Dusty Travelling Show with his wife, Joy McKean, and other family members.
Slim Dusty and Joy McKean had two children, Anne Kirkpatrick and David Kirkpatrick, who are also accomplished singer-songwriters. McKean wrote several of Slim Dusty's most popular songs, including "Lights On The Hill," "Walk a Country Mile," "Indian Pacific," and "Kelly's Offsider." In 1973, Slim Dusty won Best Single at the inaugural Country Music Awards of Australia at the Tamworth Country Music Festival, while McKean won Song of the Year as the writer of "Lights on the Hill."
During his lifetime, Slim Dusty released more than 100 albums and sold over seven million records, earning numerous awards and certifications. He received 44 Golden Guitars, two ARIA Awards, and was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame. He was also the first Australian recording artist to receive a gold record for his hit song "A Pub With No Beer" in 1957. Slim Dusty was recognised not only for his music but also for his contributions to documenting Australia's unique spirit and history through his songs. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia and chosen as an Australian National Living Treasure by public vote.
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Keith Urban, a Grammy-winning singer-songwriter
Keith Urban is a Grammy-winning singer-songwriter. He is a citizen of both Australia and the United States. Born in New Zealand, Urban is recognised as one of the leading examples of world-famous Australian country singers. Many people outside Australia assume he is American, owing to his Nashville vibe and all-American country star image.
Urban has released 11 studio albums, one of which was released only in Australia, and another with the Ranch. He has charted 37 singles on the US Hot Country Songs chart, with 18 of those reaching number one. He has also worked with artists from other genres, including Pink, Nelly Furtado, and Jason Derulo.
Urban's 1999 self-titled debut studio album produced his first hits to crack the Top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100: "But For The Grace of God" and "Where The Blacktop Ends". His next album, 2002's The Golden Road, peaked at No. 11 on the Billboard 200. "Somebody Like You", a track from that album, was named the No. 1 country song of the 2000s by Billboard. At the 48th Grammy Awards, Urban earned his first Grammy Award for Best Male Country Vocal Performance for "You'll Think Of Me". He has since won three more Grammy Awards, including one for "Stupid Boy" from his third American album, Be Here, which became his highest-selling album.
In addition to his Grammy Awards, Urban has received numerous other accolades. He has won 15 Academy of Country Music Awards, 13 CMA Awards, six ARIA Music Awards, a People's Choice Award, and an American Music Award. In 2009, he was named the year's most-played country artist on the radio. Urban was appointed Officer of the Order of Australia at the 2020 Australia Day Honours for "distinguished service to the performing arts as a singer and songwriter, and to charitable organisations".
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Smoky Dawson, Australia's first 'singing cowboy'
Smoky Dawson, born Herbert Henry Brown, was an Australian singer-songwriter and musician who performed western and folk music with a tinge of country. He was widely regarded as Australia's first singing cowboy, complete with an acoustic steel-string guitar and yodelling, in the style of Americans Gene Autry and Roy Rogers.
Dawson had an extraordinarily long and prolific career, performing professionally from 1932 until his last album release in 2005, at the age of 92. Through his high-rating syndicated radio serials, television appearances, comic books, and songs, he created the persona of a happy-go-lucky singing cowboy. His radio show, The Adventures of Smoky Dawson, aired for ten years, from 1952 to 1962. He also performed at rodeos, circuses, and country shows, showcasing his skills in knife-throwing and trick riding on his palomino horse, Flash.
In addition to his entertainment career, Dawson served in the army during World War II as a non-combatant nursing orderly. He was also recognised for his contributions to country music, receiving honours such as the Australian Role of Renown and induction into the ARIA Hall of Fame. His recording career spanned more than six decades, and his music continues to resonate with Australians, capturing the spirit of the Australian landscape and rural life.
Smoky Dawson, or Herbert Henry Brown, was not just a singer but also a radio and television presenter, entertainer, and songwriter. He was a pioneer of Australian country music and is remembered as a legend among Australian country music artists. His distinctive voice, yodelling, and musical style captivated audiences both in Australia and the United States, where he was often likened to the "Singing Cowboy" figures of the genre.
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Joy McKean, a songwriter and performer
Joy McKean, born Mildred Geraldine Joy McKean, was an Australian country music singer-songwriter, widely recognised as a pioneer in the Australian music industry. She was born in Singleton, New South Wales, on 14 January 1930, and passed away on 25 May 2023, at the age of 93.
McKean's interest in music was encouraged by her parents from a young age. Her father was a country school teacher, and her mother's family lived on a dairy farm. McKean learned to play the accordion, piano, and steel guitar, while her younger sister, Heather McKean, learned the ukulele, and both sisters took up yodelling. McKean contracted polio as a child and was treated in Sydney. At around the age of 10, she performed on the radio for the first time on Sydney's 2GB radio station. Later, while a student at Sydney University, McKean and her sister sang for the Sydney University Revue.
By the age of 18, McKean and her sister were performing live on their own half-hour Saturday radio show on 2KY, noted for their yodelling harmonies. The Melody Trail, starring the two sisters, ran from 1949 until 1956. The McKeans began recording, and from 1951 with Rodeo Label they cut trademark hits such as "Gymkhana Yodel" and "Yodel Down The Valley". During this time, McKean met Slim Dusty (real name David Kirkpatrick), whom she married in 1951, becoming Mrs Kirkpatrick but retaining Joy McKean as her stage name.
McKean was Dusty's wife and manager for over 50 years, creating a hugely successful body of work. She wrote several of Slim Dusty's most popular songs, including "Lights on the Hill", for which McKean was awarded the first-ever Golden Guitar award in 1973. Other popular songs written by McKean for her husband include "Walk A Country Mile", "Indian Pacific", "Kelly's Offsider", "The Angel of Goulburn Hill", and "The Biggest Disappointment". Together, they produced more than 100 albums, sold eight million records in Australia alone, and earned 45 Golden Guitars. McKean is remembered as the "Queen of Australian country music" and recognised as one of Australia's leading songwriters and bush balladeers.
Over her career, McKean earned many awards, including an APRA, Australian Roll of Renown induction, an Australian Women in Music Award, several Country Music Awards, and a few Tamworth Songwriters Awards. She was also recognised twice by the Australian Roll of Renown, once as part of The McKean Sisters and individually in 2020.
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Adam Harvey, an Australian country music singer
Adam Harvey, born on December 21, 1974, in Geelong, Australia, is a renowned country music singer. Before venturing into the music industry, Harvey worked as a truck driver. He began his musical journey at a young age, learning country classics on the guitar and performing at the age of ten. During his school years, he performed rock covers at a club and was discovered, which led to him going on tour as a supporting act for Tania Kernaghan.
Harvey's career in the country music industry took off in the mid-1990s, and he has since sold over half a million records. His music often reflects a breezy style reminiscent of '70s pop-country, and his conversational midrange voice blends seamlessly with his gentle twang. Harvey's talent and hard work have earned him numerous accolades. He has been nominated five times for an ARIA Music Award and has won nine golden guitars at the Country Music Awards of Australia.
In 1998, Harvey won his first Country Music (CMAA) Award for 'Vocal Collaboration of the Year' with Tanya Self for their song "Drive Away". He continued his success by winning another CMAA Award in 2001 for 'Vocal Collaboration of the Year', this time with Beccy Cole, Darren Coggan, and Felicity for "Do I Ever Cross Your Mind". The following year, in 2002, Harvey added two more CMAA Awards to his collection, winning 'Album of the Year' and 'Male Vocalist of the Year' for his work on "Workin' Overtime".
Harvey has collaborated with various artists throughout his career. In 2009, he released a duets album titled "Both Sides Now," featuring some of the biggest names in Australian music. He also embarked on a series of Great Country Songbook records, working with artists like Troy Cassar-Daley and Beccy Cole. In 2013, his collaboration with Troy Cassar-Daley resulted in "The Great Country Songbook," which debuted at number 2 on the ARIA Charts. Additionally, Harvey has explored the American country music scene, recording "The Nashville Tapes" in 2018 with local session players.
Beyond his musical endeavours, Harvey has also performed the Australian national anthem before the Australia vs. New Zealand rugby league test match in 2009. His music resonates with Australians from diverse backgrounds, reflecting his authenticity and patriotic themes. Harvey's impact on the country music landscape in Australia has solidified his place in the nation's musical history.
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Frequently asked questions
Slim Dusty, born David Gordon Kirkpatrick, is considered the "King of Australian Country Music". He had a successful career that spanned almost six decades, and his music focused on the Australian outback and rural life.
Smoky Dawson is known for his "American West" style and is touted as Australia's first singing cowboy. He was often likened to the "Singing Cowboy" figures of the genre.
Keith Urban is an Australian and American country singer-songwriter and guitarist. He is also an accomplished actor, starring in the 2020 Australian documentary film "Slim and I".
