Slim Dusty - King of Australian Country Music
Slim Dusty (1927-2003) was Australias most Prolific Recording Artist
Jun 19, 2009
Slim Dusty was born as David Gordon Kirkpatrick in Kempsey, New South Wales on 13 June 1927. He wrote his first song “The Way the Cowboy Dies” at the age of 10, and a year later he changed his name to Slim Dusty. In an amazing career spanning over six decades he recorded a string of hits and took his music to people all around Australia.
His weather-worn face topped by an akubra hat was recognized by millions of Australians and his achievements were many. He was so popular that when he died from cancer on 19 September 2003 he was honoured with a State Funeral in Sydney on 26 September that was attended by thousands of mourners. His daughter Anne Kirkpatrick is also an award-winning country singer.
Slim Dustys Music
Slim wrote songs about real Australians and the people and places of the bush and outback Australia. Through his ballads and personality he captured much of the quintessential features of the Australian spirit and the outback landscapes. He had a quirky sense of humour and an ability to portray characters with a sense of compassion that ordinary Australians could relate to.
He became the first Australian to have an international hit with his "Pub with No Beer". He wrote many of his own songs but also recorded songs written by other Australian performers. He also wrote tunes for classic poems written by Australians Henry Lawson and Banjo Patterson to introduce the old bush ballads to a younger generation such as Paterson’s “The Man From Snowy River”.
A Few of Slim Dusty’s Many Achievements
Slim Dusty was the first Australian recording artist to receive a gold record (for “A Pub with No Beer” in 1957), the first Australian entertainer to be granted an MBE (1970), and the first country music performer to appear at the Sydney Opera House (1978). He sang “Waltzing Matilda” at the closing ceremony of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games with the whole stadium singing along with him.
He won an unequalled 37 Golden Guitar Awards, two ARIAs (Australian Recording Industry Association awards), was named Australia's Father of the Year and Senior Australian of the Year in 1999, and was awarded an Order of Australia. He was the first artist broadcast from space in 1981 when astronauts played his rendition of "Waltzing Matilda" from the Space Shuttle Columbia as it passed over Australia on its maiden flight.
He was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame, the Australian Country Music Roll of Renown and wrote an autobiography, Walk a Country Mile. He achieved many Gold and Platinum Awards for sales of his singles, eight-tracks, cassettes, CDs, videos and DVDs. He recorded for EMI from 1946 until his 106th album just before his death. This is the longest any performer has been with the same record label. There were many more achievements.
Slim Dusty is Gone but not Forgotten
Over 7 million Slim Dusty albums have been sold in Australia alone, and although he is gone he is certainly not forgotten. A Slim Dusty Museum is being built on the southern side of Kempsey where the exhibits will include a collection of his akubra hats. Any internet search will reveal a range of Slim Dusty ringtones, books, CDs, MP3 downloads, lyrics, songs and the Slim Dusty autobiography on sale.
As Slim often said at the end of his concerts “Goodbye, God bless and many happy campfires”.
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