Tex Morton

Bust of Tex Morton, Bicentennial Park, Tamworth, NSW.

Tex Morton (born Robert William Lane in Nelson, New Zealand, also credited as Robert Tex Morton 30 August 1916; died 23 July 1983) was a pioneer of New Zealand and Australian country and western music, vaudevillian, actor and circus performer

Early life

Morton was born to Bernard William Lane, a postal clerk and Mildred Eastgate and attended Nelson College between 1930 and 1931.[1] At age 15 he left home to launch himself into show business. His first attempts to run away and join the circus ended in him being found busking by police and he was promptly returned home.

1930s & 1940s

About 1934, he recorded some "hillbilly" songs privately. He later claimed that these were played on New Zealand radio, though this is perhaps unlikely. Some of these recordings have recently come to light, though they have not been commercially reissued. About 1934 (the exact date is uncertain - Morton himself also claimed it was 1932), he emigrated to Australia, apparently intent on a recording career. On 25 February 1936, he recorded four songs for the Columbia Graphophone Company in Sydney, Australia.[2]

Polling booth queue with Tex Morton in full cowboy rig and guitar, Sydney Town Hall.

Between 1936 and 1943, Morton recorded 93 songs, accompanying himself on an acoustic guitar for most tracks, for Columbia's Regal Zonophone label. On some later tracks, he was accompanied by his band, The Rough Riders, and a female singer 'Sister' Dorrie (real name Dorothy Carroll). In 1943, he left Columbia following a dispute with Arch Kerr, the Record Sales Manager, probably over the company's reluctance to use The Rough Riders. He was billed as 'The Yodelling Boundary Rider' on records, though he apparently didn't approve of the name.[3]

During the 1930s and 1940s, he gradually incorporated Australian themes and motifs into some of the songs he wrote. This approach was followed by other Australian country artists who followed in his footsteps, such as Buddy Williams and Slim Dusty, leading to a particular genre of country music - the Australian bush ballad, which was also influenced by the turn-of-the-century poetry of 'Banjo' Paterson and Henry Lawson.

1950s

In 1949 and 1950, he recorded more sides in Sydney and possibly New Zealand. These were released on the Rodeo and Tasman labels; some songs were probably recorded at the instigation of Ralph Peer, who visited Sydney in 1949 and met Morton.

From 1950 to 1959, Morton was in Canada and the United States. He toured with Pee Wee King in 1952 and recorded in Nashville in March 1953. Morton toured Canada and the United States as a stage hypnotist, memory expert, whip cracker and sharpshooter, and was associated for some time with the Canadian country singer, 'Dixie' Bill Hilton. He claimed to have toured for six months as an opening act for Hank Williams, but this is extremely unlikely, though he may have met Williams in late 1952 through Oscar Davis, who was Morton's manager and Williams's last manager, or he might have been part of Hilton's opening act for Williams in one of Williams' concerts in Canada..[4]

He returned to Australia in 1959 with a Grand Ole Opry show, featuring Roy Acuff, the Wilburn Brothers and June Webb, but the show was not popular with Australian audiences and the tour had to be called off.[5]

In one of his acts, he asked the audience to give him 100 words. He'd recount them back in order, "forgetting" one of them around the 50th word only to suddenly remember the word when he had almost finished his act.

1960s & 1970s

Morton continued to record during the 1960s and 1970s, and had a surprise hit with 'Goondiwindi Grey' on the Australian Singles Charts (Go-Set), reaching No. 5 in June 1973.[6] The fiddle accompaniment on the track was provided by long-time friend and veteran of the Sydney entertainment scene comedian/violinist George Raymond.

During this period, Morton showed an increasing interest in acting. He appeared in Australian television shows and feature movies (such as "We Of The Never Never"). He was the first inductee into Australia's country music Roll of Renown in 1976, recognising his pivotal role in the development of country music in Australia and New Zealand.

Style

Morton, in his career, capitalized on American cowboy and "Wild West" images, and was sometimes billed as "The Singing Cowboy Sensation," performing for rodeos, and singing in a yodeling style that drew heavily on those of American singers such as Jimmie Rodgers. His yodelling was influenced by Rodgers, Goebel Reeves and the British Alpine yodeller, Harry Torrani.[7] Although Morton chose to sing in an American (rather than Australian) accent and sang many songs with American subject matter, several of his recorded songs (such as "The Ned Kelly Song," "Beautiful Queensland," and "Murrumbidgee Jack") feature Australian themes. ("Beautiful Queensland" was a simple re-write of W. Lee O'Daniel's "Beautiful Texas", however.)

Personal

He lived his later years in Manly, and was a dedicated and well-known amateur radio (ham radio) user with contacts all over the world - including the US Navy. His broadcast handle was VK2AHZ.

Morton died in Sydney's Royal North Shore Hospital on 23 July 1983, after a short battle with lung cancer. His long-time partner, Kath, was by his side.

There is a collection of bronze busts in Bicentennial Park, Tamworth that includes Shirley Thoms, Stan Coster, Tex Morton, Gordon Parsons, Barry Thornton and Buddy Williams.[8]

Further reading

References

  1. ↑ Nelson College Old Boys' Register, 1856–2006, 6th edition
  2. ↑ Smith, A (2002). "Tex Morton and His Influence on Country Music". Country Music Annual 2002.
  3. ↑ Smith, A (2002). "Tex Morton and His Influence on Country Music". Country Music Annual 2002.
  4. ↑ Smith, A (2005). "Tex Morton: A Biographical Note". Markets & Margins (AICM).
  5. ↑ Smith, A (2005). "Tex Morton: A Biographical Note". Markets & Margins (AICM).
  6. ↑ http://www.poparchives.com.au/gosetcharts/1973/19730609.html
  7. ↑ Smith, A (1991). "Cowboys And Hillbillies Down Under: The First Wave of Australian Country Music". Journal of Country Music (USA) vol 13 no 2.
  8. ↑ "Female pioneer honoured in bronze". Tamworth City News. Retrieved 13 August 2011.
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