On September 7, 1939, just two days after his 21st birthday, Buddy Williams recorded six of his own songs for EMI in Sydney and became the first Australian-born country music artist on record.

Buddy was born Harold Taylor at Newtown, Sydney, on September 5, 1918, just before the end of World War I. He spent seven years at the Glebe Point Orphanage before being sent to foster parents at Dorrigo, NSW, where he became more a farm labourer than a member of the family.

At 15, Buddy ran away from "home" working at various jobs while pursuing his two great loves-country music and the great Australian outdoors. While working at a quarry in Coffs Harbour, he was dared to try his singing in the streets. So, guitar in hand, Buddy went along and sang to crowds gathered for the local picnic races. After passing the hat round, he was amazed at the 13 pounds 10 shillings he collected! That was equivalent to three weeks wages then, so from that point on, Buddy had no doubt as to where his future lay!

Buddy continued to busk around the NSW North Coast until finally he made it to Newcastle, then Sydney, where he made contact with Arch Kerr leading to his historic 1939 recording session. Two of the songs on that recording were about the bush directly, while three were about parents (or the lack of them), reflecting Buddy's personal situation.

Buddy's second recording session, mid way through 1940, produced five more of his own original songs (including Happy Jackeroo and Australian Bushman's Yodel). About the same time, he started to crack the Sydney show business scene, playing at venues like The Theatre Royal where he played with the likes of Roy Rene and Evie Hayes, and had a two-week season at Brisbane's Theatre Royal extended to eight weeks.

Buddy joined the Army soon after war broke out and served with distinction (he was recommended for a military medal) until he was wounded at Balikpapan and repatriated home. Right through his war service, Buddy continued to sing and write, and he was also one of a group of entertainers who formed the 2/31st Battalion Concert Party.

In Eric Watson's History of Country Music in Australia Volume 1, he says many good judges considered the period 1942 to 1946 as producing "the real vintage Buddy Williams recordings that will never be surpassed". Tracks including Music In My Pony's Feet, Where The White Faced Cattle Roam and The Overlander Trail.

After recovering from his war injuries, Buddy continued to record and tour, building a huge and loyal fan base across Australia. There were only a few years when he didn't record, and he was one of the last Australian artists to employ a backing group (unable to find a backing sound suitable to his style).

For almost 10 years, Buddy owned and operated a travelling rodeo tent show, after which he formed his famous Country & Western Variety Show which toured around 20,000 miles a year, taking the man and his music to all parts of the nation. In 1977, Buddy was elevated to the Country Music Roll of Renown. In 1980, his song What A Dreary Old World It Would Be won him the Heritage Golden Guitar at the Australasian Country Music Awards.

Through his time as an entertainer, Buddy involved his family in his work. Wife Grace lent a considerable weight to his success over the years, and as far back as 1941 and 1943, his first wife Bernie Burnett featured on two tracks each year. In 1945, Lenore Miller-a niece of Buddy's- featured on five tracks, while son Harold and daughters Kaye and Karen became involved through the '70s and '80s.

As an elder statesman of the industry, right through until his death from lung cancer on December 12, 1986, the "Yodelling Jackeroo" held a very important position in Australian country music. Today, we remember, and salute, Buddy Williams as one of the founding fathers, one of the Legends, of Australian Country Music.