The term `Americana’ is used to describe those items that relate to American folklore, custom, history or geography. The term is also used to describe music that relates in same way. Similarly, `Australiana’ describes those items that relate to Australian folklore, custom, history or geography. The term `Australiana’ is rarely used to connect to the music to which it refers; but when it is, the uncrowned king of `Australiana’ music is the current President of the Country Music Association of Australia (CMAA)…….John Williamson.

Born of `The Bush’, John Williamson was born in 1945 and raised in the `Mallee’ Region in the northwest of the Australian State of Victoria – the very fringe of The Outback. To John’s good fortune his family was very musically inclined with his Mom and Dad singing in the local Gilbert & Sullivan productions held in the little town of Quambatook (current population: 340).

In his late teens, the family moved to Croppa Creek in the adjoining State of New South Wales. Croppa Creek was very small ( current population: 198) but it was very near to the large bush township of Moree. In these years, John learned to write songs and play guitar so he soon obtained a job at a local restaurant entertaining the patrons.

One of the songs John wrote at this time was `Old Man Emu’. In 1970 he was chosen to appear on the TV talent show `New Faces’. He sang that song, won the contest and the recording contract that went with it. The result: `Old Man Emu’ hit No.1 on the mainstream charts and achieved `Gold’ status.

The success of `Old Man Emu’ led to John being co-opted to host a new regional television program, `Travellin’ Out West’. This success led John to switch to the bigger Festival Records label where he released the album `True Blue’ in 1981, an album which expressed John’s love of Australiana. This was followed by another album in similar vein `Fair Dinkum JW’. John had begun performing his works in the pubs and clubs around the country and the fan base began to grow.

Over the next few years, John followed his earlier releases with the albums `Singin’ In The Suburbs’, `The Smell of Gum Leaves’ (both live albums), and `Road Thru The Heart’, an album relating John’s impressions and experiences as he travelled and performed in the heart of Australia. This album contained the single `Queen in the Sport of Kings’ which won the Golden Guitar at the 1985 Tamworth Country Music Festival for Song of the Year. The following year, John picked up even more awards at Tamworth – Golden Guitars for the album as well as being chosen as Male Vocalist of the Year.

John’s career had really started to accelerate. In 1986, the song `True Blue’ was selected by the Federal Government as it’s theme song for the `Australian Made’ campaign and was re-released on a new album `Mallee Boy’. As well as being acknowledged in Australia, John was also voted `Best Australian Act’ by the New Zealand Country Music Industry. 

During the ensuing year, `Mallee Boy’ earned Triple Platinum. John received Golden Guitars for best album and again Male Vocalist of the Year. He won the Mo Award for Best Male Country club performances and the ARIA for Best Country album. As well as that, the album won the award for Most Performed Country Work from APRA.

The awards just kept coming: more Golden Guitars for new albums, `Boomerang Café’ and `Warragul’, Heritage Award for `Drover’s Boy’, and more gold and platinum sale awards. John once again received acknowledgement of his work from the Federal government when he was chosen to perform at the opening of the new Parliament House in Australia’s capital, Canberra.

In 1992, John supported Slim Dusty in founding the Country Music Association of Australia (CMAA). He also changed recording companies – to EMI. He had been named Variety Club Entertainer of the Year in 1991, and continued his good work – on releasing `Australia Calling’, he donated his royalties from his single `I’ll be Gone’ to the Salvation Army to help homeless children. John was awarded the Order of Australia by the Federal government for his contribution to Australian country music and also conserving the environment, a cause that John held dear to his heart. Quite a deal of John’s material supported the conservation of the environment, probably none more than his offering, `Rip Rip Woodchip’, which charted very well.

John continued touring Australia. `Australia Calling’ became platinum. He released a new album `Mulga to Mangoes’ and the awards just kept on coming – Golden Guitars, Mo Awards, and record sales awards.

The Australian movie industry also embraced John’s works when they selected two of his songs for the movie `On Our Selection’, including the title song. John still worked at conserving the environment through the government body, Landcare. He was also honoured by appearing on the television show `This Is Your Life’ following the release of his book aptly titled `True Blue’.

In 1996, John hosted his own television show, `True Blue’, and toured Britain. `True Blue’ (the album) gained Triple Platinum and John also gained a Golden Guitar for his album `Mulga to Mangoes’.

The following year,1997, was also a big year for John. At the Australian Country Music Awards in Tamworth that year he was inducted into Australia’s country music hall of fame, the `Roll of Renown’. Furthermore, John was also awarded for his work, `Kitchy Kitchy Koo’, the Children’s Song of the Year.

John’s career went from strength to strength. The Olympic Games were to be hosted by the city of Sydney in 2000, so John became involved in the initial fund raising events. Over the next two years John received awards for: his album `Pipe Dream’ – a Golden Guitar, `Old Farts in Caravan Parks’ – Novelty Song of the Year, as well as the Deadly Sounds Indigenous Award for his wonderful rendition of `Raining on the Rock’ with fellow artist Warren H. Williams.

The success continued. In 1999, John’s album `The Way It Is’ went platinum, and John received special recognition from EMI for topping sales of 2.5 million in Australia. John also became involved with the sports scene. He initiated the singing of `Waltzing Matilda’ at home Rugby matches, performing that song in front of the 107,000 crowd before the kick off for the match between Australia and the fearsome All Blacks. Australia went on to become the next Rugby world champion, with John singing `Waltzing Matilda’ as the Australian team ran their victory lap in Cardiff, Wales. The tradition continues to this day and, following this success, John followed up by singing `True Blue’ to welcome home the Australian world champion cricket team after they also won the World Cup in their sport. John went on to record the Australian Rugby Anthem `A Number On My Back’. He followed this with the cricketing song `The Baggy Green’ which he recorded with Australia’s cricket captain, Steve Waugh.

But away from sport. John toured Britain again and also toured New Zealand. He performed at the Slim Dusty tribute concert and received a bagful of Golden Guitars: `The Way It Is’ – Best Selling Album, `Campfire on the Road’ – Heritage Song of the Year, and `Three Sons’ – Bush Ballad of the Year. But the highlight was performing at the Opening Ceremony of the 2000 Olympics. U.S. television network, NBC, also had John perform `Waltzing Matilda’ for the U.S. audience of their Today Show.

Year 2001 was the Centenerary  of the federation of Australian States. John performed at this ceremony and followed this by travelling to Canada to perform in Ottawa at the Opening Ceremony of Winterlude.

John succeeded the late Slim Dusty as President of the CMAA (Country Music Association of Australia) in 2002 and, the following year, received the Centenerary Medal from the Australian government for his services to country music and the community.

In 2004, John teamed with female country artist Sara Storer to record `Raining on the Plains’ which won the Golden Guitar at Tamworth for both Single of the Year and Vocal Collaboration of the Year.

On the road, John teamed with fellow artists Warren H. Williams and ace electric fiddler Pixie Jenkins to take their True Blue Reunion Tour to the fans. They played to fans all over Australia as well as New Zealand and even the USA. The show was so popular that both a live DVD and CD were released for the fans. The tour continued under the new name `Mates on the Road’.

In 2005, John Williamson recorded his top selling album `Chandelier of Stars’ which won the Golden Guitar at Tamworth for 2006 Album of the Year as well as being the Top Selling album of the Year. `Sing You The Outback’, written by John, was chosen as the official song for 2006 - The Year of the Outback. Another of his songs, `Bells in a Bushman’s Ear’ was nominated as Bush Ballad of the Year.

On a more sombre note, in 2006 John was chosen to sing at the public ceremony celebrating the life of Australia’s best known crocodile hunter and wildlife  conservationist, the late Steve Irwin. The chosen song….`True Blue’ of course. John sang it twice, at both the beginning and end of the ceremony. John also led the crowd singing `Home Among the Gum Trees’ to celebrate the `Australiana’ that Steve so loved, and of which he was so much a part. I guess if Steve could say for us what we all thought of him, it would be `Crikey! That bloke was fair dinkum True Blue.’

True Blue? That’s genuine, original, honest, truthful, patriotic, really Australian. Yep, that sure sums up Steve Irwin alright. May God bless and protect the family that Steve left behind: his wife, Terri (originally from Oregon), daughter Bindi, and son Bob. They are fair dinkum True Blue too.

Bush Ballad…….Australiana…….John Williamson…….all are synonymous. John Williamson’s distinctive style ensures that the sound of `True Blue’ Australia is not lost in the mix of the more `pop’ renditions of country music. So, if you come on down to Oz, make sure you catch the campfire on stage. Join John - and Warren and Pixie too - in the vocal renditions of many a song favoured in the Australian bush………then maybe, just maybe, you too could become `True Blue’ too. And that very fact is fair dinkum. Dinky-di! You better believe it. That’s ridgey-didge.

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True Blue: http://www.malleeboy.com/html/music.html Listen in to some of John’s hits.

Prime information source: John Williamson’s very own website - http://www.malleeboy.com/