John Williamson is a well-known Australian country musician who is most known for his album ‘Mallee Boy,’ which is his moniker because he grew up in the same area. This excellent musician began by starting a tiny band in his college after learning to play the ukulele, guitar, and harmonica. Later, he began writing and composing his own songs, which he performed in local pubs. One of the songs, ‘Old Man Emu,’ was particularly popular and drew the attention of Ron Tudor, the owner of ‘Fable Records.’ Despite the success of the song, his first albums failed to chart, and it took a long time for the ambitious musician to obtain notoriety. He formed a new band called ‘Crow,’ which eventually changed its name to ‘Sydney Radio.’ After the band fell apart, Williamson proceeded to play alone, once again at clubs. This time, though, his fan base began to grow, and his popularity skyrocketed. From then, he went on to produce award-winning albums such as ‘Warragul,’ ‘Boomerang Café,’ and ‘Anthems – A Celebration of Australia,’ among many more. He also runs a music production firm called ‘Gumleaf Recordings,’ as well as a merchandise store called ‘The Fair Dinkum Road Co.’ Over the years, this superb artist has garnered several followers, not just in his native country Australia, but all across the globe
Childhood and Adolescence
On November 1, 1945, at Australia’s Kerang Bush Nursing Hospital, John Robert Williamson was born to Keith and Shirley Williamson. Despite being born in Kerang, the youngster was raised in the northern Victorian town of Quambatook. Keith and Shirley, who had five sons, were both farmers and vocalists on occasion.
John was taught the string instrument ukulele by his father, Keith, when he was just seven years old. The young youngster quickly learned the intricacies of playing the guitar and harmonica in just five years. While studying at Melbourne’s ‘Scotch College,’ the musically oriented child created his own music group. After college, he returned home to help his father on the farm. When the family relocated to Croppa Creek in 1965, he began singing at a restaurant.
Career of John Williamson
By 1969, the singer had established himself as a full-fledged musician, penning his first song, “Old Man Emu.” The next year, he played the song on a talent show and won first place. In 1970, he published the song “Old Man Emu” under the label “Fable Records,” which was owned by Ron Tudor. The song was an instant hit, and it was named one of the top songs of the year by the Australian publication ‘Go-Set’.
Soon after, he published his debut album, ‘John Williamson,’ which failed to chart despite including the smash single ‘Old Man Emu.’ The album also includes other singles including ‘Beautiful Sydney’, and ‘Under the Bridge’.
Williamson hosted a television music show in 1973, which featured artists such as Emma Hannah and Ricky & Tammy. In the following years, he issued albums such as ‘The Comic Strip Cowboy,’ ‘Road to Town,’ and a collection called ‘Country Greats,’ all of which failed to chart.
In 1978, the vocalist created a band called ‘Crow,’ which performed regularly in taverns across the country. The band became known as ‘Sydney Radio’ after playing a combination of rock and reggae. The band disbanded soon after, and John began singing solo in taverns in 1981. Meanwhile, he continued to create records, and his song devoted to ‘The Australian and New Zealand Army Corps,’ titled ‘Diggers of the ANZAC (This Is Gallipoli),’ became tremendously famous.
At the same time, he embarked on musical tours with Pixie Jenkins, a well-known fiddler. He also published a song called ‘The Breaker,’ which included actor Charles Tingwell as the narrator. Williamson’s streak of musical failures came to an end with the popularity of the song.
The gifted singer released popular albums like ‘Singing in the Suburbs’ and ‘The Smell of Gum Leaves’ the following year, in 1983. The song ‘I’m Fair Dinkum,’ from the latter, was a huge hit, and he went on to found ‘The Fair Dinkum Road Company,’ which sells products. He started his own record label, Gumleaf Recordings, in 1985, and issued numerous hit albums, including ‘Humble Beginnings,’ ‘Road through the Heart,’ and ‘All the Best, Vol. 1’.
However, it was the record ‘Mallee Boy,’ published in 1986, that gained the popular vocalist newfound fame. The album was followed by two singles, ‘Boomerang Café’ and ‘Warragul,’ both of which got positive reviews.
‘Waratah St,’ ‘J’.Family W.’s Album,’ ‘Australia Calling – All the Best Vol. 2’, ‘Love Is a Good Woman,’ and ‘Pipe Dream,’ among others, were among the acclaimed folk singer’s albums produced between 1990 and 1998. These albums boosted his popularity not only in Australia, but also in the United Kingdom, the United States, and New Zealand.
Williamson formed the ‘Country Music Association of Australia’ with other country singers near the end of 1991, with the goal of bringing more accolades to the country’s folk performers. At the same time, he released the book ‘True Blue: Stories and Songs of Australia,’ which contains the lyrics of songs from the same-named album, as well as their meanings. In 1998, John starred in ‘The Bush Telegraph,’ an Australian television show that aired for a limited time on Channel Seven.
Williamson created the album “Anthems – A Celebration of Australia” in 2000, which is still known for the songs’ tributes to Australia. ‘This Ancient Land,’ a collaboration with aborigine singer Jimmy Little, and ‘The Baggy Green,’ a collaboration with cricketer Steve Waugh, are among the album’s highlights. It also includes a tribute to the country’s rugby side, the ‘Wallabies,’ titled ‘A Number on My Back.’
He went on to release commercially successful albums like ‘Gunya,’ ‘Chandelier of Stars,’ and ‘Hillbilly Road’ during the next few years. Under the umbrella of his own company, ‘Fair Dinkum Road Co.,’ John created a musical in 2008. The musical, titled ‘Quambatook – The Musical,’ was directed by Australian director Bernie Zelvis and featured his own tunes.
The acclaimed musician has recently released albums such as ‘The Absolute Best of John Williamson: 40 Years True Blue,’ ‘The Big Red,’ and ‘Honest People.’ On July 25, 2014, he released his autobiography, which was published by Penguin Books.
Major Projects of John Williamson
Though this Australian artist has produced some of the best songs in the history of country music, it is his album ‘Mallee Boy’, released in 1986, that gave him renown. The following year, at the inaugural ‘ARIA Music Awards,’ this collection was won ‘Best Country Album.’
Achievements & Awards
Williamson received the annual ‘Australasian Performing Right Association’ (‘APRA’) awards three times between 1988 and 1995 for his songs ‘True Blue,’ ‘Rip Rip Woodchip,’ and ‘Tropical Fever.’
At the same time, he has won the ‘Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Music Awards’ on many occasions for the albums ‘Mallee Boy,’ ‘Boomerang Cafe,’ and ‘Warragul.’
For his essential contribution to the nation’s musical history, the Australian government named him a “Member of the Order of Australia” in 1992. The famous vocalist was inducted into the ‘ARIA Music Awards’ ‘Hall of Fame’ after receiving several other nominations.
Personal History and Legacy
In 1973, the singer married Mary-Kay, whom he met in the New South Wales town of Leichhardt. The musician wrote countless love songs for his wife, and the couple had been married for 34 years before deciding to divorce. Georgie and Ami are Mary-Kay and Williamson’s two daughters. The musician married his fiancée Meg Doyle in 2013, and they currently reside in Sydney. This great guitarist was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer, yet he shows no signs of slowing down.
Estimated Net Worth
John Williamson is one of the wealthiest country singers and one of the most popular. John Williamson’s net worth is estimated to be $3.23 million, according to Wikipedia, Forbes, and Business Insider.
Trivia
In 2001, this Australian artist performed a song called “Sir Don” in honor of cricket icon Don Bradman. The lyrics and music are preserved on sheets of paper at the ‘Bradman Museum’ in Bowral, New South Wales.