Chad Morgan

Chadwick William Morgan (11 February 1933 – 1 January 2025) was an Australian country music singer and guitarist known for his vaudeville style of comic country and western and folk songs, his prominent teeth and goofy stage persona. In reference to his first recording, he was known as " The Sheik of Scrubby Creek".

In February 2024, Morgan announced his retirement after his final performance of the Farewell to Australia tour on 21 April 2024, at age 91.

Early life

Chadwick William Morgan was born on 11 February 1933 in Wondai, Queensland as the eldest of 14 children, to Dave and Ivy Morgan. From an early age he was raised by his grandparents, Bill and Eva Hopkins. After his grandfather died in 1947, with his grandmother, he moved back to Scrubby Creek to live with his mother and siblings. Both parents were amateur musicians; his father played accordion and his mother accordion and mandolin, while Morgan learned guitar. He left school at age 14 and found work cutting timber.

According to Morgan, he made a dentist appointment to remove his protruding teeth. "I was tormented so much... But the farm truck broke down." He later reflected that he was glad he never made another appointment.

Career

From 1948, he worked on cattle farms near Rockhampton and began composing music. Morgan's lyrics use Australian slang including , , and . He was discovered through '' Australia's Amateur Hour'', a radio talent contest, where he sang his original song " The Sheik of Scrubby Creek" and became a national finalist. By November 1952 he had recorded that track together with "You Can Keep Your Wimmln and I'll Stick to My Beer". He signed with Regal Zonophone Records (a subsidiary of EMI), which issued his debut single, "The Sheik of Scrubby Creek", in December. He was described as a "Queensland hillbilly" with a "deadpan, bumpkin style". He also undertook national service with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) at Amberley Base.

Morgan toured extensively during his career, including with the Slim Dusty Show, the All Star Western Show and the Chad Morgan Show. He released 18 studio albums and undertook regular live performances. At the 1987 Country Music Awards of Australia he was inducted into the Australian Roll of Renown, and was awarded an OAM on Australia Day (26 January) in 2004 for "service to country music." Morgan appeared in the films ''Newsfront'' (1978) and '' Dimboola'' (1979). In the former film he provided a cameo as " Redex singer". For the latter film he depicted Bayonet with "the full force of his unusual personality... ndthe lustre of his success in the entertainment world."

Morgan contributed one verse to the Gordon Parsons song " A Pub with No Beer". He was dubbed the "clown prince of comedy" by Slim Dusty. He recorded a duet with John Williamson, "A Country Balladeer". He had platinum and gold album sales, and is one of Australia's most popular country music artists. Morgan performed at Sydney Opera House with Slim Dusty in April 1978. An album of the concert was released three years later, as ''On & Off the Road''. It was released the same year as ''Sheilas, Drongos, Dills & Other Geezers'', which contained 20 of Morgan's hits from the 1950s and 1960s. In 2009 he wrote a song about his Aboriginal heritage, dedicated to his grandparents who raised him as a child, "The Ballad of Bill and Eva". It was recorded with his granddaughter, Caitlin Morgan.

Artists who have impersonated Morgan in their shows include Col Elliott and John Williamson. Barry Humphries used Morgan as his inspiration for Les Patterson's teeth.

Tex Morton once described Morgan as the only original country music artist in Australia.

In January 2023, Morgan was touring rural Victoria, his career having spanned over 70 years.

Personal life and death

Morgan was hospitalised for 14 months from December 1954 following a collision between his motorcycle and a car. His injuries included two broken ribs, broken hand and broken leg, which subsequently prevented doing "hard physical work, o heturned to singing." At age 47, the singer suffered a stroke.

He married fellow singer Pam Mitchell in 1957. The couple had three children, Allan, Chad Jr. and Janelle. Morgan's second marriage was to Joanie, lasting from 1985 to 2017 (her death). He also admitted to being a heavy drinker and smoker. After their wedding, Morgan gave up drinking and smoking.

As of 2004, he had resided in Bli Bli, Queensland.

In 2008, false rumours of his death began to surface after an erroneous announcement on radio 4GY. The radio station later apologized for the rumour.

Morgan's biographical documentary film ''I'm Not Dead Yet'' was directed by Janine Hosking and released in 2011. Australian writer Anna Rose published his biography ''Chad Morgan − Seventy Years in the Making'' in 2022.

Morgan died on 1 January 2025, at the age of 91.

Awards and honours

Australian Roll of Renown

The Australian Roll of Renown honours Australian and New Zealander musicians who have shaped the music industry by making a significant and lasting contribution to country music. It was inaugurated in 1976 and the inductee is announced at the Country Music Awards of Australia in Tamworth each January.

, -
, 1987
, Chad Morgan
, Australian Roll of Renown
,

Country Music Awards of Australia

Morgan was given a Lifetime Achievement award at the 2010 CMAA Country Music Awards of Australia, as the first person to be honoured with this award.

, -
, 2010
, Chad Morgan
, Lifetime Achievement Award
,

A bronze bust of Morgan was unveiled in Tamworth's Bicentennial Park in 2017.

Mo Awards

The Australian Entertainment Mo Awards (known informally as the Mo Awards) were annual Australian entertainment industry awards. They recognised achievements in live entertainment in Australia from 1975 to 2016. Morgan won one award during that time.

, -
, 2015
, Chad Morgan
, Country Male Act of the Year
,

Queensland Music Awards

The Queensland Music Awards (previously known as Q Song Awards) are annual awards celebrating Queensland, Australia's brightest emerging artists and established legends. They commenced in 2006.

, -
, 2018
, himself
, Grant McLennan Lifetime Achievement Award
,

Tamworth Songwriters Awards

The Tamworth Songwriters Association (TSA) is an annual songwriting contest for original country songs, awarded in January at the Tamworth Country Music Festival. They commenced in 1986.

, -
, 2013
, Chad Morgan
, Songmaker Award
,

Discography

Studio albums

Live albums

Compilation albums

Extended plays

References

General
*

Specific

External links

*

Morgan's induction into the Roll of Honour by the Australian Country Music Foundation
*

IMDB website listing for ''I'm Not Dead Yet''

Chad Morgan digital story and oral history
− State Library of Queensland
*

{{DEFAULTSORT:Morgan, Chad
1933 births
2025 deaths
Australian country guitarists
Australian male guitarists
Australian country singers
Musicians from Queensland
People from Wide Bay–Burnett
Recipients of the Medal of the Order of Australia
EMI Records artists
Australian acoustic guitarists
Australian male singer-songwriters
Australian singer-songwriters
Regal Zonophone Records artists