Smoky Dawson Musical artist

Smoky Dawson AM MBE (19 March 1913 – 13 February 2008) born as Hebert "Herb" Henry Brown, and affectionally known as Herb or Herbie was an Australian born and bred country music performer, entertainer and icon. He was widely touted as Australia's first singing cowboy complete with acoustic steel string guitar and yodel, in the style of American Gene Autry: Dawson had an extraordinary long and prolific career, releasing his first single in 1941 and his last album in 2005, aged 92, making him the world's oldest recording artist (although now surpassed by the forces sweetheart Dame Vera Lynn). The Powerhouse Museum described him as "a singer, showman, songwriter, scriptwriter, knife and double-headed axe thrower and all round performer who has lived a long life entertaining audiences. Through his high-rating syndicated radio serials (at there height broadcast on 100 stations) television appearances, comic books and songs he created the persona of a happy-go-lucky singing cowboy". In 1985, he published his autobiography, Smoky Dawson: A Life. He entertained fans and was a staple of the music industry, right up until his death in 2008, a month before his 95th birthday and marched annually in the national ANZAC day commemorations.