HEATHER McKEAN

 

Country music artist Heather McKean was born February 20, 1932, in Gresford, NSW. When she was 7 years old her family moved to Yanderra, NSW where Heather’s musical journey really began. While her sister Joy was kept busy learning several instruments, Heather became fascinated with the ukulele. They would listen to old 78rpms of Harry Torrani, Jimmie Rodgers and The Carter Family. Having amassed quite a repertoire from their father’s record collection, the sisters began to make public appearances at school concerts and charity shows, fundraising for the war effort. About this time in 1940, they made their first appearance on radio on Norm Scott’s show on 2GB.

In 1941 Joy and Heather separated for a time when Joy was admitted to a Sydney hospital for polio treatment. The following year they spent six weeks at their grandmother’s house playing music and listening to 78rpms. The sisters appeared on Dick Fair’s Australia’s Amateur Hour radio show and the Tivoli Theatre for The Diggers Show. In 1943 the family moved to Murwillumbah when father Silas entered the army. The girls were even more inspired to assist with fundraising efforts around the district for the war. The following year the family moved to Birchgrove in Sydney where the girls continued to entertain at charity events in the city. They joined a concert party visiting prisons and other institutions. In her final year of school, Heather and Joy appeared on promoter Dick Sawyer’s Talent Quest and joined the first All Country Hall shows, run by Dick Sawyer and Bill Ferrier. The girls worked in the record bar at Alert Radio, Parramatta.

Joy, 19, and Heather, 17, secured their own radio show on 2KY, The Melody Trail, which ran for seven years. They became well-known for their harmonised yodelling. They first entered the Rodeo Records recording studio when Tim McNamara asked them to do back-up vocals on two recordings, ''Follow The Hillbillies Down The Main Street'' and ''Red River Valley''. The sisters passed up an audition with EMI when Tim McNamara persuaded them to try out for Rodeo Records and they were successful. Over the next three years, they recorded 18 sides, featuring 13 of Joy’s originals and five American covers. They completed a two-week tour of western NSW with Tim McNamara, Slim Dusty, Shorty Ranger and Gordon Parsons. About this time, Heather met a handsome young country singer, Reg Lindsay. The McKean Sisters were billed among the top stars of the day, along with Tim McNamara, Slim Dusty and Reg Lindsay.

In 1953 Heather married Reg Lindsay and they had three daughters – Dianne, Sandra and Joanne. In 1955 The McKean Sisters performed together for the final time at a concert in Sydney featuring Reg and Slim Dusty. In 1956 Heather began full-time touring with the Reg Lindsay Show when Dianne was five weeks old. She cut her first single in 1957 on the Rodeo label ''No Letter Today / Did You Tell Her About Me''. In 1960 she moved to Columbia and recorded ''The Man I Used To Know'' backed by The Delltones. From 1967 to the mid 70s she recorded five singles two EPs and four albums as a solo artist.

Ending full-time touring in the mid-sixties, Heather continued for the next 10 years with part-time touring and performing on the Sydney club circuit. Heather performed in several South Sydney club shows including playing the lead role in Annie Get Your Gun. During the 70s Heather performed on and was sometimes co-producer of television show Reg Lindsay’s Country & Western Hour, recorded in Adelaide, and also Country Homestead, recorded in Brisbane, which won several Logie awards. She toured with Hank Snow in Australia as part of the Reg Lindsay contingent. In 1973 Heather spent time in the USA as she was asked to represent Australia in the International Fan Fair Show in Nashville, TN, being the first woman to achieve this distinction.

In 1976 she won the Golden Guitar for Best Female Vocal with ''I Can Feel Love'' at the Australasian CM Awards, presented to her by her sister, Joy. The following year, as the McKean Sisters, Joy and Heather were inducted into the Hands of Fame, Tamworth. From 1980 Heather lived in the USA and worked for the CMA for three years, meeting many of the major country stars. She was the first Australian female artist to appear on the original Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, TN where she performed on more than 20 occasions, mostly with the Hank Snow shows. She represented Australia performing in NZ, the USA, England and Europe. In 1983 Heather and Joy were elevated to the Roll of Renown, Tamworth and performed together again as the McKean Sisters for the first time in 30 years. Over the next decade she received many awards including the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for services to CM and the entertainment industry. Heather McKean died in 2024.

SINGLES

 ''Hearts And Flowers / From Forty To Sixty Five'' [with Reg Lindsay'] 1957 Rodeo
''No Letter Today / Did You Tell Her About Me'' 1957 Rodeo
''The Man I Used To Know / My Shoes Keep Walking Back To You'' 1960 Columbia

''Suvla Bay'' [with Reg Lindsay] 1965 Columbia
''He's Still Number One / It's Another World'' 1967 Festival
''Rosebuds And You / I'll Love You Forever 1967 Festival
''I Fall To Pieces / Back In Baby's Arms'' 1969 Festival
''Gymkhana Yodel'' /  There Never Was A Time'' 1972 Festival
''I Can Feel Love / I'll Always Be Your Woman (If You'll Always Be My Man)'' 1975 Festival 

EPs

'Sings Country & Western Hits' 1967 Festival

'Country Music Favourites' 1968 Festival

ALBUMS
'Country Duets From Reg And Heather' [with Reg Lindsay] 1967 Festival
'Reg Lindsay Favourites' 1969 Columbia

'Heather McKean Sings Patsy Cline' 1969 Festival 
'Heather McKean Sings Great Country Songs' 1974 Universal Summit
'Songs For Livin' and Lovin' 1975 Festival 
'Little But I'm Loud' 1977 Calendar Records 

References

HEATHER McKEAN OAM; HEATHER McKEAN OAM; HOF_1977_MCKEAN_HEATHER | eHive