Chad Morgan: A Legend of Australian Country Music
By Phillip Doring for Country Music News International Magazine
Tex Morton once described Morgan as the only original country music artist in Australia.
Born Chadwick William Morgan on 11 February 1933 in Wondai, Queensland as the eldest of 14 children. He left school aged 14 years and worked cutting timber.
Morgan 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 A few years on he then recorded that track together with “You Can Keep Your Wimmln and I’ll Stick to My Beer”. He signed with Regal Zonophone Records, which issued his debut single, “The Sheik of Scrubby Creek”, in 1952.
Morgan was known as a hillbilly with a comical style of country & folk songs with a strong stage presence, someone that was an absolutely great entertainer right throughout his 70 years of performing.
Chad toured throughout Australia many times and worked alongside many other artists in his lengthy career.
Some of Morgan’s career highlights include :
1987 Chad was inducted into the Australian Roll of Renown.
2010 saw Chad awarded a lifetime achievement award from the
Country Music Association of Australia.
2013 Songmaker Award at the Tamworth Songwriters Association Awards.
2015 Chad won Country Male act of the year at the Mo Awards.
2017 a bronze bust of Morgan was unveiled in Tamworth’s Bicentennial Park.
2018 won the Grant McLennan Lifetime Achievement Award at the
Queensland Music Awards.
Recordings ;
Album Titles :
The Sheik of Scubby Creek; The Chad Morgan Songbook;
The Artistry of Chad Morgan; Cock of the Walk; Here I Am; Sings John Ashe;
One of the Mob; You Can’t Keep a Good Man Down; They Call Me the “Sheik”;
Chad Charms the Birds; Double Decker Blowflies;
Don’t Drink the Water (In the Outback Mate);
Been There, Done That (Gonna Do It Again); Muckin Round in Muckadilla;
Songs My Old Mates Sang; Deadly; Family and Friends; Quarantined.
Live Albums :
On and Off the Road; Booze Ballads and Broads (with Terry Gordon);
It’s Only the Depth That Counts; Live !
Compilation Albums :
The Best of Chad Morgan; Sheilas, Drongos, Dills and Other Geezers –
20 Chad Morgan greats; At His Sunday Best;
The Singles Collection – Regal Zonophone and Beyond;
Cop This Lot – 50 Years, 1952 – 2002; Australian Country Classics;
The Dues are Paid : 60 Years; Worst of Chad Morgan; More Worst of Chad Morgan;
The A-Z of Chad Morgan – Volume 1; The A-Z of Chad Morgan – Volume 2;
The A-Z of Chad Morgan – Volume 3
Extended plays :
Thoughts on Marriage; Chad Morgan in Person; In a Cemetery.
Chad will surely be missed after passing away at age 91 upon New Years Day 2025.