Slim Dusty, born David Gordon Kirkpatrick, (June 13, 1927 - September 19, 2003) was an Australian country music singer and songwriter. He has sold more than five million records in Australia, which is a significant number of records in a country of a population of 20 million.

Kirkpatrick was born in Kempsey, New South Wales, he adopted the stage name "Slim Dusty" in 1938, and released his first record in 1943. His 1957 hit "A Pub With No Beer" was the biggest-selling record by an Australian to that time, and the first Australian single to go gold. Over the course of his career, he has collected more gold and platinum albums than any other Australian artist. (The "Pub With No Beer" is a real place, in Taylors Arm, New South Wales, not far from Kempsey where Slim Dusty was born).

In 1970, in the days when Australians still received British honours, he was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire for services to music. In 1971 he won Best LP and Best EP or Single at the inaugural Australasian Country Music Awards in Tamworth (and his wife won Song of the Year as writer of the song for which he won best single). In all, he won a record 36 "Golden Guitars" over the years. In 1979 he was elevated to the Country Music Roll of Renown. In 1998 he was made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO).

Slim Dusty, with wife Joy McKean, were patrons of the National truck drivers' memorial located at Tarcutta, New South Wales.

When he died, he had been working on his 106th album, for EMI Records. The album Columbia Lane - the Last Sessions debuted at number 5 in the Australian album charts and number one on the country charts on March 8 2004. It went gold after being on sale for less than two weeks. The first single "Answer to Billy" was receiving more airplay than any other country song in the same period.

Slim Dusty was best known overseas for his moving rendition of Waltzing Matilda to close the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. His daughter Anne Kirkpatrick is also an award-winning country singer.

See also: Slim Dusty discography

External links

• Slim Dusty web page