David Gordon “Slim Dusty” Kirkpatrick AO, MBE (Kempsey, New South Wales, 13 June 1927 – Sydney (new South Wales), 19 September 2003) was a singer-songwriter Australian. During his career, sold more than five million albums in Australia.
Early years
Slim was born on June 13, 1927 in Kempsey (new South Wales), son of livestock. Adopted the name art Slim Dusty in 1938 at the age of eleven. Among the musicians who influenced him is Jimmie Rodgers. Slim released its first recording in 1945 at the age of 18. In 1946, he signed a contract with Columbia Graphophone Company for the Regal Zonophone Records label.
Career
In 1951, Slim Dusty married singer-songwriter Joy McKean. In 1954, both were devoted by completed their careers, making the Slim Dusty Travelling Show. His 1957 hit “A Pub with No Beer” was the best-selling single of Australia at that time, the first single Australian get Certified Gold, and the first and only vinyl recording to achieve this distinction.
During the course of his career, Dusty won more gold and platinum disc than any other Australian artist. In 1959 and 1960, a cover of “A Pub with No Beer”, played by Bobbejaan Schoepen, reached early popularity Belgium, Austria Germany posts.
In 1964, Slim Dusty did a tour around Australia, touring 48.280 km over a period of 10 months.
Dusty was not limited to record songs written by himself or other Australian musicians, but it also recorded Australian classic poems of Henry Lawson and Banjo Paterson with new rhythms. An example of this is The Man from Snowy River.
In 1970, was appointed Member of the order of the British Empire for services to music. In 1971, won the prize to the best single in the Country Music Awards of Australia Tamworth Country Music Festival (Festival of country music in Tamworth). Throughout his career he won 35 of these awards.
In 1997, general manager of the Grand Ole Opry radio program invited Slim and his wife to perform a concert in Nashville (Tennessee), recognizing his contributions to country music. In January the following year, was appointed Officer of the order of Australia for his services to the entertainment industry.
Slim had the honour of singing “Waltzing Matilda” in the closing ceremony of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.
Death
When he died in 2003, Slim had been working on his album 106 °, Columbia Lane – the Last Sessions. It debuted in fifth place in the Australian charts and became gold in less than two weeks. Slim died at his home in St Ives (NSW) 76 years after a long battle with cancer
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