NOEL WATSON

Noel Alexander Watson was born 1942 in Melbourne, Australia. At 16 he joined his first group, the Tridents. In 1959 when he was 17, he signed a three-year contract with Kevin McLellan, who was the biggest dance promoter/talent agent in Melbourne at the time. McLellan’s top group were the Thunderbirds, and Noel was one of the four or five featured vocalists. Noel was included as one of the featured singers along with Johnny Chester and Jillian Buckley on a live recording 'Quite A Party' backed by The Thunderbirds on the Gem label. His contributions were ''Let The Four Winds Blow'' and ''Crying''. Noel went into songwriting and wrote songs for Merv Benton: ''Be Sweet'' and ''Sell My Soul''. In early 1965 Merv Benton formed his own backing band and he wanted Noel to be part of it. The band was called the Tamlas. While touring with the band in Perth in early 1968, Noel enlisted in the Royal Australian Army. In 1969 he was sent on a tour of duty to Vietnam. 

One of the most popular bands on the Melbourne pub circuit in the mid 70s was Country/Bluegrass outfit Saltbush and they would always ask Noel to get up to do a couple of songs with them, which always went down well. Noel was invited to play at the 1979 Broadford Rock Concert, a three day outdoor music festival organised by the Hell’s Angels. When Ross Nicholson left Saltbush, Noel was asked to take his place. He wrote the A side ''Razorback Mountain Blockade'' on the single released in 1979 on the Infinity label. When Saltbush disbanded Noel began working in a duo with Bernie O’Brien performing at various pubs around Melbourne. They started to build up a collection of songs that each had written and decided to record an album together titled 'Pickin’ The Pieces Up' released in 1980 on Renegade Records.. 

1988 was Bicentennial year in Australia. A two hour documentary Australia – A Celebration of a Nation was broadcast nationally on ABC TV and Noel’s recording of ''Waltzing Matilda'' was chosen for the closing credits and was asked to sing ''Waltzing Matilda'' at the 1988 VFL Grand Final. The Grand Final appearance turned Noel’s life around, all of sudden he was in high demand for pub gigs, corporate functions and television shows.

Noel toured Australia extensively, singing his own brand of Australian music and telling his stories. He supported overseas artist such as Charley Pride and Irish comedian Hal Roach, and performed in Nashville, Bahrain, Brazil, Bali, Hong Kong and San Diego. He appeared regularly on national television shows such as The Midday Show and Good Morning Australia and he recorded a number of albums. In 2001 following an operation he lost sense to his extremities, he had difficulty walking and his fingers did not work, which meant that he could no longer play the guitar. In 2011 Noel was diagnosed with prostate cancer, which unfortunately spread to other parts of his body. Sadly, Noel died on October 10th, 2013 aged 70.

SINGLES
''Matilda / Hold On Me'' 1988 Big Time 

''I'm Falling / Vietnam'' 1988 Big Time
''You'll Never Walk Alone / In The City'' 1990 Musicland
''Blue Gum Christmas Tree / Little Drummer Boy'' 1990 Musicland

ALBUMS
'Pickin The Pieces Up' [with Bernie O'Brien] 1980 Renegade Records

'Noel Watson' 1988 Big Time

'Yesterday' 1990 Musicland

'Blue Gum Christmas' 1990 Musicland

'Georgia' 1990 Redwood

'Spirit Of Australia' 1993 Ritz

'Banjo, Jim And Me' 1995 Goat Shed

'All For Being Alive' 1998 Goat Shed

References

 https://www.sunshinesecrets.com.au/post/that-bloke-with-the-beard-that-sang-waltzing-matilda-the-noel-watson-story