The great Slim Dusty may no longer be with us, but the iconic country music veteran is in no way forgotten, with a new concert being announced in celebration of what would have been his 100th birthday.
Slim was born David Gordon Kirkpatrick on June 13th, 1927, writing his first song at the age of 10, and adopting his famous moniker the following year. By the time he was 18, he was already releasing music, and in 1951, he married Joy McKean, whose songwriting prowess helped aid in Slim's career in reaching heights unlike any previously seen in local country music.
With millions of records sold throughout his nearly 60-year career, over 100albums, and myriad Golden Guitar awards, he's one of the most iconic names in Australian music – country or not – and his passed in September 2003 at the age of 76 was a black day for local music.
Now, almost 23 years on, a musical celebration of Slim’s life has been announced to take place as part of the Tamworth Country Music Festival.
Fittingly dubbed Slim Dusty 100, the event will take place on January 22nd at the Tamworth Town Hall, and will be a true family affair.
Alongside children Anne Kirkpatrick and David Kirkpatrick, the evening will also include Slim's Travelling Country Band alongside the next generation of the family in Small Town Romance (which includes grandson James Arneman and his wife, Flora Smith).
Additionally, David Kirkpatrick's band, Two Tone Pony, will also make a special appearance on the night.
Together, the familial affair will perform songs and hits from the catalogue of Slim and McKean, along with never-before-seen archival footage, while Anne and David share “the stories and adventures of a shy country boy from a dairy farm in the Nulla Valley, just outside Kempsey, NSW, who rose to unparalleled success across a remarkable seven-decade career.”
Tickets to Slim Dusty 100 are on sale now.
Slim Dusty 100
Anne Kirkpatrick
David Kirkpatrick
Small Town Romance
Slim's Travelling Country Band
Two Tone Pony
Friday, January 22nd, 2027 – Tamworth Town Hall, Tamworth, NSW
Countrytown brings you Australia’s best country music news, interviews, charts and more every week! This post was authored by Countrytown and originally published on the Countrytown website. It has been re-published with permission.
