Smoky Dawson
Encyclopedia
Smoky Dawson, MBE born Herbert Henry Dawson, was an Australian country music
performer. He was widely touted as Australia's first singing cowboy.
and raised in the rural area of Warrnambool
, his mother died at an early age and his father was prone to violence, resulting in him living for several years in an orphanage.
. In 1941 he signed with Columbia Records
and toured around Australia.
Music was always his way of comforting himself, and during World War II
he took his talent to comfort others, serving with the Australian Entertainment Unit. When he returned from the war he married Florence "Dot" Cheers (in 1944), and they travelled to the United States
to record and play at the Grand Ole Opry
in Nashville
, Tennessee
.
When he returned to Australia in 1952 he starred in his own radio show, echoeing that of Roy Rogers in the United States.—The Adventures of Smoky Dawson—which stayed on the air for ten years. At its peak, the show was broadcast on 69 stations across the country. Dot also had her own radio shows for children.
A long career of recording and performing followed his radio show, and he still enjoyed performing until he died. He has frequently been recognized for his contributions to music and entertainment. In 1978 he was awarded an MBE
for his services to country music. In 1983 he was named on the Australian Country Music Roll of Renown.
In 1988 he appeared in two episodes of A Country Practice
as a drifter who passes through Wandin Valley and proposes to town gossip, Esme Watson. His performance was so popular with viewers that he made another appearance in 1989.
His Famous Palomino TV horse, "Flash", bedecked in more American-style tack than Australian, lived to be 42 years old, and Smokey fed him porridge with a spoon.
In 1988 Smoky and Trevor Knight won The Heritage Golden Guitar with their recording of "The Days of Old Khancoban" (written by Smokey about the droving days of his youth in the Snowy Mountains). Tony Taunton (Vocals & guitar -Nowra) & Debbie Bowen(-Saunders) (Vocals & guitar-Brisbane), ( both formally with Trevor Knight in "the Newport Trio"), were on the same recording, but neither were credited. Tony Taunton, from Nowra, NSW, also recorded & dedicated a song to Smoky, "When Smoky Sings" that same year, recalling his own childhood growing up with Smoky as his radio hero, and then the pride in playing with him. Debbie & Tony & Trevor were also on another recording of one of Smokys compositions: "The Last of the Wild-West Shows", mourning the loss of the Wild-West tent shows that Smoky ran for around 10 yrs (?) both in Australia & America following the agricultural exhibition/show circuit with Dot, where he was a sharp-shooter, guitar/singer, Lasso, trick rider & had trick horses, including "Boxer", a big heavy half-draught who would 'fall down dead' when trick-shot. The following year Trevor and Smoky followed up that success with a 2nd Golden Guitar for their song "High Country" (best vocal duo or group)
In 2005 he was inducted into the Australian Record Industry Association Hall of Fame
. He has also been recognized in the United States, and received the Honor Award of the Grand Ole Opry
. In April 2007 he donated his first electric guitar to the Australian Stockman's Hall of Fame
Dawson was a Freemason.
His recording career spanned more than six decades. His last album, was released in 2005, at which point he became the oldest recording artist in the world.
.
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
performer. He was widely touted as Australia's first singing cowboy.
Biography
Born in Collingwood, VictoriaCollingwood, Victoria
Collingwood is an inner city suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Yarra...
and raised in the rural area of Warrnambool
Warrnambool, Victoria
-Cityscape:The original City of Warrnambool was a 4x8 grid, with boundaries of Lava Street , Japan Street , Merri Street and Henna Street . In the nineteenth century, it was intended that Fairy Street – with its proximity to the Warrnambool Railway Station – would be the main street of...
, his mother died at an early age and his father was prone to violence, resulting in him living for several years in an orphanage.
Music career
In 1934 he formed a Western group and appeared on radio 3UZ3UZ
3UZ is the official callsign of a medium-wave radio station in Melbourne, Australia which broadcasts under the name Radio Sport National.-History:...
. In 1941 he signed with Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
and toured around Australia.
Music was always his way of comforting himself, and during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he took his talent to comfort others, serving with the Australian Entertainment Unit. When he returned from the war he married Florence "Dot" Cheers (in 1944), and they travelled to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to record and play at the Grand Ole Opry
Grand Ole Opry
The Grand Ole Opry is a weekly country music stage concert in Nashville, Tennessee, that has presented the biggest stars of that genre since 1925. It is also among the longest-running broadcasts in history since its beginnings as a one-hour radio "barn dance" on WSM-AM...
in Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
.
When he returned to Australia in 1952 he starred in his own radio show, echoeing that of Roy Rogers in the United States.—The Adventures of Smoky Dawson—which stayed on the air for ten years. At its peak, the show was broadcast on 69 stations across the country. Dot also had her own radio shows for children.
A long career of recording and performing followed his radio show, and he still enjoyed performing until he died. He has frequently been recognized for his contributions to music and entertainment. In 1978 he was awarded an MBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
for his services to country music. In 1983 he was named on the Australian Country Music Roll of Renown.
In 1988 he appeared in two episodes of A Country Practice
A Country Practice
A Country Practice is an Australian television drama series. One of the longest-running of its kind, produced by James Davern of JNP Productions, it ran on the Seven Network for 1,058 episodes from 18 November 1981 to 22 November 1993. It was produced in ATN-7's production facility at Epping,...
as a drifter who passes through Wandin Valley and proposes to town gossip, Esme Watson. His performance was so popular with viewers that he made another appearance in 1989.
His Famous Palomino TV horse, "Flash", bedecked in more American-style tack than Australian, lived to be 42 years old, and Smokey fed him porridge with a spoon.
In 1988 Smoky and Trevor Knight won The Heritage Golden Guitar with their recording of "The Days of Old Khancoban" (written by Smokey about the droving days of his youth in the Snowy Mountains). Tony Taunton (Vocals & guitar -Nowra) & Debbie Bowen(-Saunders) (Vocals & guitar-Brisbane), ( both formally with Trevor Knight in "the Newport Trio"), were on the same recording, but neither were credited. Tony Taunton, from Nowra, NSW, also recorded & dedicated a song to Smoky, "When Smoky Sings" that same year, recalling his own childhood growing up with Smoky as his radio hero, and then the pride in playing with him. Debbie & Tony & Trevor were also on another recording of one of Smokys compositions: "The Last of the Wild-West Shows", mourning the loss of the Wild-West tent shows that Smoky ran for around 10 yrs (?) both in Australia & America following the agricultural exhibition/show circuit with Dot, where he was a sharp-shooter, guitar/singer, Lasso, trick rider & had trick horses, including "Boxer", a big heavy half-draught who would 'fall down dead' when trick-shot. The following year Trevor and Smoky followed up that success with a 2nd Golden Guitar for their song "High Country" (best vocal duo or group)
In 2005 he was inducted into the Australian Record Industry Association Hall of Fame
ARIA Hall of Fame
Since 1988 the Australian Recording Industry Association has inducted artists into its ARIA Hall of Fame. While most have been recognised at the annual ARIA Music Awards, in 2005 ARIA sought to create a separate standalone "ARIA Icons: Hall of Fame" event as only one or two acts could be inducted...
. He has also been recognized in the United States, and received the Honor Award of the Grand Ole Opry
Grand Ole Opry
The Grand Ole Opry is a weekly country music stage concert in Nashville, Tennessee, that has presented the biggest stars of that genre since 1925. It is also among the longest-running broadcasts in history since its beginnings as a one-hour radio "barn dance" on WSM-AM...
. In April 2007 he donated his first electric guitar to the Australian Stockman's Hall of Fame
Australian Stockman's Hall of Fame
The Australian Stockman's Hall of Fame is a museum located in Longreach, Queensland, Australia, which pays tribute to pioneers of the Australian outback...
Dawson was a Freemason.
His recording career spanned more than six decades. His last album, was released in 2005, at which point he became the oldest recording artist in the world.
Legacy
Smoky's Bar and Grill was opened in his name in 2005 at the West Diggers Club in TamworthTamworth, New South Wales
Tamworth is a city in the New England region of New South Wales, Australia. Straddling the Peel River, Tamworth, which contains an estimated population of 47,595 people, is the major regional centre for southern New England and in the local government area of Tamworth Regional Council. The city...
.
Death
He died on 13 February 2008 after a short illness, a month short of his 95th birthday. He was survived by his wife, Dot Cheers, who died herself on 27 October 2010 at 104 years of age.External links
- Smoky Dawson at the National Film and Sound Archive
- Report on death
- Radioinfo's report on his death
- Australian Biography entry
- Listen to an excerpt of 'Smokey Dawson and the Smoking Bullet' on australianscreen online
- 'Smokey Dawson and the Smoking Bullet' was added to the National Film and Sound Archive's Sounds of Australia Registry in 2009