ROGER KNOX

 

Country singer Roger Knox, known as "the Black Elvis" and "Koori King of Country," was born in 1948 in Moree, New South Wales. A member of the Gamilaroi nation, an Aboriginal Australian people, Knox grew up in the Toomelah Aboriginal Mission near Boggabilla, close to the New South Wales-Queensland border. He came from a family of 11 children, and his mother, a stolen child, was taken from her parents as a baby and raised in a children's home in Bomaderry. Knox was not allowed to attend high school in Goondiwindi and was instead sent by the mission to work unpaid on one of their properties. He shared that the first music he heard was gospel, played by his grandmother, a Sunday school teacher.

In 1964 he left the mission and his interests turned to sport, particularly football. moving to Tamworth where he found work and with the support from Gentleman Geoff Brown and John (Mr Hoedown) Minson, he entered talent quests and was soon performing regularly around the district. Starting as a gospel singer in the 1980s, he earned the nickname "The Black Elvis" for his hairstyle and dress style during the Star Maker talent contest at age 31 in which he made the grand final. He was later also called "Koori King of Country." An outback tour with the Brian Young Show almost ended Roger’s career just as it was beginning. A tragic plane crash in 1981 left him with severe burns and injuries and claimed the life of his drummer. After spending six months in the Adelaide burns unit and two years bedridden, he struggled to walk and return to performing. His Gomeroi Country – Toomelah Aboriginal Mission Station – called him back home. There, his Aunt Hannah cared for him with bush medicine and song. Rejuvenated, he emerged three weeks later, a transformed man. The experience deepened his connection to his Country, community, and culture. Despite badly burned hands preventing him from playing bass, Roger shifted his focus to his voice and continued his journey.

In 1984, he released his debut album 'Give It A Go' on the ENREC label, produced by Steve Newton. Two years later, he followed it up with 'The Gospel Album,' dedicated to his late grandmother, Carrie Knox. ENREC also released the pioneering Koori Classic series – Vol. 1-8 on cassette, featuring Roger on several albums. In 1988, he released the singles ''Koala Bear'' and ''Goulburn Jail.''

The album 'Goin’ On, Still Strong' was released in 2004, and he was inducted into the Hands of Fame in Tamworth. In 2006, he received the Jimmy Little Award for Lifetime Achievement in Aboriginal and Torres Strait music at the Deadly Awards. In 2009, Roger was scheduled to perform at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago, Illinois, on October 10 with Jon Langford and the Pine Valley Cosmonauts. However, his US visa was denied a week before the show, and he didn’t make the trip until 2013.

In 2013, he recorded the album 'Stranger In My Land' with various international guest artists, including Dave Alvin, Andre Williams, Kelly Hogan, Tawny Newsome, Bonnie Prince Billy, Charlie Louvin, Sally Timms, and Jon Langford. It was released on CD and vinyl by Bloodshot Records America and recorded at Joyride Studios in Chicago and ENREC in Tamworth. In 2018, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame at the National Indigenous Music Awards. A strong advocate for drug- and alcohol-free living, Roger has dedicated his life to uplifting his people’s spirits, performing regularly in jails throughout Australia, Canada, and the USA. Singing, an integral part of Aboriginal learning and culture, plays a vital role in bringing people together for healing, self-awareness, and reconnecting with their heritage.

SINGLES
''Koala Bear'' 1988 ENREC
''Goulburn Jail'' 1988 ENREC

ALBUMS
'Give It a Go' 1984 ENREC
'The Gospel Album' 1986 ENREC
'Goin' On, Still Strong' 2004 Trailblazer Records
'Stranger in My Land' [with The Pine Valley Cosmonauts] 2013 Bloodshot Records
'Buluunarbi and the Old North Star' 2025 Flippin Yeah Industries