CHAD MORGAN

Chadwick William "Chad" Morgan (born 11 February 1933) is an Australian country music singer and guitarist known for his vaudeville style of comic country and western songs, his prominent teeth and goofy stage persona. In reference to his first recording, he is known as The Sheik of Scrubby Creek. Morgan was born in Wondai, Queensland, 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 1945, he and his grandmother moved back to Scrubby Creek to live with his parents and siblings.

Morgan was discovered through Australia's Amateur Hour, a radio talent contest, where he sang his original song "The Sheik of Scrubby Creek" and was a finalist. He began recording with Regal Zonophone Records (a subsidiary of EMI) in 1952, while completing his national service obligation in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). Morgan's songs are peppered with Australian slang; one CD compilation is called 'Sheilas, Drongos, Dills and Geezers'. Morgan's first wife was Pam Mitchell, with whom he had three children - Allan, Chad Jr. and Janelle.

His alcoholism 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 has toured extensively, including with the Slim Dusty Show, the All-Star Western Show and his own Chad Morgan Show. He has been prolific in his recorded output and live performances. He was inducted into the Australasian Country Music Roll of Renown in January 1987, and was awarded an OAM in 2004. Morgan has 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. Morgan’s last-ever live show – dubbed his ''Farewell To Australia'' was on Sunday April 21,2024 at the Twin Towns theatre in Tweed Heads.

SINGLES  

''I’m The Sheik Of Scrubby Creek / You Can Have Your Women, I’ll Stick To My Booze'' 1952 Regal Zonophone 1952
''The Bachelor's Warning / The Shotgun Wedding'' 1955 Regal Zonophone 1955
''The Dinkum Dill / The Sheik Goes Courting'' 1957 Regal Zonophone 

''Who's Going To Pay For The Wedding / What I Am'' 1958 Columbia 
''The Fatal Wedding / The Tough Cane Cutter From The Isis'' 1958 Columbia 
''The Psychiatrist's Joy From Kingaroy / Going Home'' 1959 Columbia 
''Chasing Sorts In Childers / It's No Fun'' 1959 Columbia A
''The Answer To The Bachelor's Warning / The Duchinwilla Dance'' 1959 Columbia 
''The Bachelor's Warning / The Shotgun Wedding'' 1959 Columbia 
''Nobody Else (But Little Me) / The Night I Went Below'' 1959 Columbia 
''How It Started / When The Whips Are Cracking (I'll Be There)'' 1959 Columbia 
''I'm The Sheikh Of Scrubby Creek / You Can Have Your Women, I'll Stick To My Booze'' 1960 Columbia
''Take Warning, Friend / The Juvenile Delinquent'' 1961 Columbia 
''You Just Can't Win / Since Dear Mother Died'' 1962 Columbia 
''Here I Am / Queer Darned Cattle These Women'' 1962 Columbia 
''Come In, Sucker / The Rooster Crowed'' 1962 Columbia
''There's No Night Out At The Jail / How Dare You Go To Bed'' 1964 Columbia 
''The Farmyard Yodel / You're Getting Old Son'' 1964 Columbia 
''The Shearer's Jamboree / The Party In The Local Hotel'' 1965 Columbia 
''The Crow Flying Backwards / In A Cemetery'' 1966 HMV
''If I Could Just Go Back / I'm My Own Grandpaw'' 1966 HMV
 ''No Help Wanted [with Eddie Tapp] / Ode To The Little Brown Shack'' 1967 HMV

''Things I See / Truckload Of Starving Kangaroos'' 1967 HMV
''The Taterville Women's Auxiliary Sewing Circle / The Moon Is High'' 1967 HMV
''If You Can't Bite, Don't Growl / On The Social Service'' 1967 HMV
''Etiquette Blues / Better Times A-Comin' 1968 Parlophone 
''Sally Let Your Bangs Hang Down / Gettin' Younger'' [with Eddie Tapp] 1968 Parlophone 
''It's All So Nice In The Nuthouse / Nothing Now Stirs At The Farmhouse'' 1969 Columbia 
''The Horrors / Buy, Buy, Buy'' 1969 Columbia 
''I'm My Own Grandpa / Sunday Best'' 1981 Astor 
''The Legend / I'll Just Get Stoned This Afternoon'' 1984 EMI

EPs 

'Thoughts On Marriage' 1961 Columbia
'Chad Morgan In Person' 1962 Columbia
'In A Cemetery' 1967 HMV

ALBUMS 
'The Sheik of Scrubby Creek' 1958 Columbia
'The Chad Morgan Songbook' 1962 Columbia
'The Artistry of Chad Morgan' 1967
'Cock Of The Walk' 1972 Columbia
'Here I Am' 1973 Columbia
'Sings John Ashe' 1975 Columbia
'One Of The Mob' 1976 Columbia
'You Can't Keep A Good Man Down' 1980 Astor
'They Call Me The Sheik 1981 Astor
'On And Off The Road' 1982 Axis
'Chad Charms The Birds' 1984 EMI
'Double Decker Blowflies' 1987 RCA
'Don't Drink The Water (In The Outback Mate)' 1990 RCA
'Been There, Done That, (Gonna Do It Again)' 1995 Larrikin
'Songs My Old Mates Sang'
'Muckin’ Round In Muckadilla' Sheiktone
'Deadly'
'Family and Friends'
'Quarantined' 2021

References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chad_Morgan