Chad Morgan born 11 February 1933

 Chad 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 nicknamed as "The Sheik of Scrubby Creek". 

Chadwick William Morgan was born 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. 

From 1948, he worked on cattle farms near Rockhampton and began composing music. Morgan's lyrics use Australian slang including sheilas, drongos, dills and geezers. 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 1952. 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 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. 

Morgan's first wife was Pam Mitchell in 1957, with whom he had three children - Allan, Chad Jr. and Janelle. His heavy drinking caused the marriage to fail. Morgan married again on 14 September 1985 to Joanie, whom he had met the year before. After their marriage Morgan gave up drinking and smoking completely. Morgan toured extensively, including with the Slim Dusty Show, the All-Star Western Show and his own 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 Order of Australia (OAM) on Australia Day (26 January) in 2004 for "service to country music". Morgan appeared in three films, Newsfront (1978), Dimboola (1979), and the biographical documentary I'm Not Dead Yet (2011). 

Morgan contributed one verse to the Gordon Parsons song "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 has 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 'One & 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, Morgan wrote a song about his Aboriginal heritage, dedicated to his grandparents who raised him as a child, titled "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. False rumours of his death began to surface after an announcement on radio station 4GY. The radio station later apologised for the rumour. 

Morgan was awarded a Lifetime Achievement award at the 2010 CMAA Country Music Awards of Australia, the first person to be honoured with this award. In January 2023, Morgan was touring rural Victoria, his career having spanned over 70 years. Morgan’s last-ever live show – dubbed his ''Farewell To Australia'' was on April 21, 2024 at the Twin Towns theatre in Tweed Heads. Chad Morgan died in a hospital at Gin Gin in Queensland on January 1, 2025, aged 91. 

(Edited from Wikipedia & The History Of Aussie Music)