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Inducted January 1979
Slim is Australia's most prolific recording artist having achieved more than five million units on the domestic market. In 1996 he celebrated 50 years of recording for the one record company (EMI). In July 2000, he released his 100th album Looking Forward Looking Back, a remarkable achievement which has confirmed Slim's place as an Australian icon. Born David Gordon Kirkpatrick, Slim changed his name back in the '40s before heading to the city and what was to be the start of an amazing career as the voice of our nation, the chronicler in song of more than half a century of Australia's history.
Among his many achievements, Slim was
the first Australian to receive a gold record, the first to have
an international hit (Pub With No Beer) and the first singer
to have his voice beamed to earth from space (in 1983, his recording
of Waltzing Matilda was played from the space shuttle Columbia
as it passed over Australia). Slim has won 32 Golden Guitars
(an achievement as yet unequalled), was one of the first to be
inducted to the Country Music Roll of Renown, has more gold and
platinum records than any other Australian, ARIA Awards (including
induction into the ARIA Hall of Fame), gold and platinum awards
for video sales, an MBE and Order of Australia (for services
to entertainment).
Slim was Chairman of the Country Music
Association of Australia since its foundation in 1992 to 2001
when he was voted by members into the position of Honorary Life
President. As Australia's continuing King of Country Music, he
leads by example in testing new recording ground and is passionate
in his enthusiasm for the future of Australian country music,
particularly the new young artists now developing.
A Slim Dusty exhibition has been running
at the Australian Country Music Foundation since 1995. In 1996,
Slim's autobiography Another Day, Another Town (written with
Joy) was published. In 1997, Slim appeared as a special guest
on Nashville's Grand Ole Opry. Among his numerous other awards
and accolades, Slim has been named an Officer of the Order of
Australia, Father of the Year, Senior Australian of the Year
and one of Australia's 100 Living National Treasures. In September
2000 Slim sang Waltzing Matilda in a moving finale to the Sydney
Olympics seen by millions of viewers around the world.
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