HILLBILLY HITS OF THE 1950s
The Ringers Pick
Glenhaughton Ringers Top 10 Country Music Artists
Australia 1957. A nation rebuilding, recovering still from the devastation of WWII, just a decade earlier.
It was a time of hope, mateship, and deep appreciation of those sacrifices made. The life of freedom afforded the young carefree stockmen now, living rough and working hard in the remote Australian bush, was not lost on the Glenhaughton ringers.
The Carefree Ringers Life
MUSIC soothed the soul and set the mood for the day ahead. Hillbilly tunes crackled from a portable radio, the first sounds to be heard as the sun breached the horizon and the birds began to sing.
In 1957, Glenhaughton Station Taroom was a 900 square mile holding, where many wild cattle roamed in and around the Expedition Ranges of Central Queensland. Two teams of stockmen worked in mustering camps on out-stations, supplies carried on packhorses for up to a dozen men camping out for weeks at a time. Game young Ringers mustered the station cattle, risking life, and limb every day as they captured and tied the wild cleanskins.
LIFE WAS SIMPLE – NO DIGITAL MEDIA OR INTERNET
HILLBILLY MUSIC was the genre of choice – folk music combined with elements of popular music originating in the mountain regions of southern USA; Country-and-western music with banjo, fiddle, and guitar.
Artists sang of country life, cowboys, and love, telling stories that resonated with the young Australian bushmen. The country music scene was developing in Australia, and the patriotic ringers began to favour the old and emerging Australian artists, each becoming more popular as they gained airtime on the early morning radio shows, starting from 3 or 4 am, playing proper Hillbilly music.
RECEPTION at Glenhaughton was hard to find, static drowning out the sound, until an insulated wire was weighted with a rock or piece of hard wood (about a foot long) and slung over the highest branch of the nearest tree – as high as the ringers could toss it. This acted as an aerial for the Masters Voice Wireless, and on clear, still days, 2 or 3 stations could be found:
2TM Tamworth “Hillbilly Hour” and
2WG Wagga “Melody Trail” (with the McKean Sisters Joy & Heather) were favourites with the men.
AT NIGHT, radio serials such as Dad and Dave could be heard as long as there were no storms around. Occasionally 4ZR Roma, just over the ranges, could be picked up through the static when the men were back at the station or at the TIN HUT in the AMPHITHEATRE – the most distant mustering camp from the homestead, which could be reached by Land Rover, packed up with supplies and the radio.
1. Tex Morton
Tex Morton was the most popular of all Hillbilly artists. He was born in New Zealand Robert William Lane (30/08/1916-23/07/1983). Singer-songwriter, actor, TV host, circus performer.
Popular songs: The Goondiwindi Grey; Old Man Duff; The Cat Came Back; Beautiful Queensland; Wrap me up with my Stockwhip and Blanket; The Big Rock Candy Mountain [source: Wikipedia]
2. Buddy Williams
The Yodelling Jackaroo, Buddy Williams was born Harry Taylor, also known as Harold Williams, Sydney Newtown (05/09/1918-12/12/1986). Placed in Orphanage, many failed escapes, eventually fostered to dairy farmer family in Dorigo where he was poorly treated. At 15 he ran away, busking around north coast NSW dodging police until he started singing professionally at 18 years (1936). Popular songs: Overlander Trail; There’s a Bridle Hanging on the Wall; I’m going back to where I came from. [source: Wikipedia]
3. Slim Dusty
David Gordon Kirkpatrick became known as Slim Dusty (AO MBE) when he was 11. He wrote and recorded his first hit at 19: When the Rain Tumbles Down in July. Slim released more than 100 albums. He was the first Australian to have a No.1 international hit in 1957 with A Pub with no Beer, written by Gordon Parsons. The Glenhaughton ringers wore out the record from overuse. All Slim Dusty songs were popular, some favourites: Saddle Boy; Leave him in the Longyard. [source Wikipedia]
4. Dusty Rankin
Aust, singer-songwriter Dusty Rankin was born Roger Hogan in Birchip Victoria (08/02/1924 -24/09/2015). At 16 he began writing songs, at 19 he learnt guitar copying movie star Gene Autry. A popular song was Aeroplane about famous buckjumper from Auburn station where the Glenhaughton horses came from. Other songs: Tell me Tonight that you Still Love Me; Come in Spinner; Out on the Queensland Ranges. [source: History of Aussie Music]
Rick & Thel Carey
Singing Sweethearts, Richard Carey (13/09/1927-28/07/2017) married Thelma Hoctor (09/10/1929 – 02/10/1998). Popular country duo, Rick and Thel’s many hits included: Highway Hobo; She was Happy Till She Met You’ Looking Back to See; You Can Say That Again; Fourteen Red Roses for Jenny; I’ll Take the Dog; You Thought I Thought; Rusted Love. [source: Wikipedia]
6. Hank Williams
Hiram Hank Williams (17/09/1923-01/01/1953) American singer-songwriter, extremely popular with Australian stockmen with many songs, including: Jambalaya; Hey Good Looking; Your Cheating Heart; Honky Tonk Blues; Howling at the Moon; I Can’t Help it if I’m Still in Love with You; I’ll Never Get Out of the World Alive; Move it on Over; Lovesick Blues; I’m so Lonesome I Could Cry. [source: Wikipedia]
7. Chad Morgan
Aust country music singer-comedian Chadwick Chad Morgan OAM (born Wondai, Qld 11/02/1933). Known for prominent teeth and goofy stage personality. Discovered on Australia’s Amateur Hour, a radio talent show, with original: The Sheik of Scrubby Creek. Other hits: The Fatal Wedding; Shotgun Wedding; I’m my Own Grandpa; Oh So Nice in the Nuthouse; Women Do Funny Things to Me; You’re Getting Old Son; Farmyard Yodel; Nothing now Stirs at the Farmhouse. [source: Wikipedia]
8. Reg Lindsay
Reginald John Lindsay, born Sydney (07/07/1929) Was discovered in Sydney Talent Quest 1950. Had his own radio show on 2CH, released first album 1952. Hit songs include: Chainsaw; Down by the Old Sliprails; Nobody Knows but Me; If You’ve Got the Money, I’ve Got the Time; Tom Dooley; The Ghost of Tom Dooley; Country Mile. [source Reg Lindsay Official Website]
9. Wilf Carter
Canadian born Wilfred Carter (18/12/1904-05/12/1996) professionally known as Wilf Carter in Canada; and Montana Slim in USA. Singer, songwriter, guitarist, and yodeller. He wrote over 500 songs, including the popular: Ghost Riders in the Sky; Two Little Girls in Blue; Home on the Range; There’s a Bluebird on your Windowsill; Come a Ti Yi Yippi Yi Yo; You are my Sunshine; There’s a Fool Such as I; Blue Canadian Rockies. [source: Wikipedia]
10. Johnny Cash
American country singer-songwriter John R Cash (26/02/1932-12/09/2003) known for deep, calm, bass-baritone voice, and his sombre, humble character. Johnny was popular with hits: I Walk the Line; Ring of Fire; Folsom Prison Blues; A Boy Named Sue; Don’t Take Your Guns to Town. One of the bestselling artists of all time, he grew up in the Depression and had a lifelong sympathy for the poor and working class, inspiration for many of his songs. [source: Wikipedia]
‘I’m gonna straddle my bronc and I ain’t gonna rest till I’m back once more a way out west, where the cattle prowl and the dingoes howl, out on the Queensland Ranges‘
– from Dusty Rankin’s Out on the Queensland Ranges
Click on SPOTIFY LINK to play sample of the Ringer’s favourite songs in 1957
