Gordon Parsons

Gordon Parsons was an Australian country music singer-songwriter, best known as the composer of Slim Dusty's 1957 hit song "A Pub With No Beer". In 1982, Parsons was inducted into the Australian Roll of Renown.

Early life and career

He was born in Paddington, an Eastern suburb of Sydney in 1926, and moved with his parents to Cooks Creek near Bellingen, New South Wales, in 1929. At age 14, he left his parents' farm and subsequently worked as a sleeper-cutter. Around this time, he entered a well-known radio talent quest, "Terry Dear’s Australian Amateur Hour", and was awarded second prize. Regal Zonophone Records, as a result of hearing him on "Amateur Hour", recorded six songs with him in 1947. and much to Slim's surprise, the B-side was soon getting huge air-play, particularly on Sydney radio station 2UE. In 1958 it became a massive hit all over Australia, and remains the first and only 78 to be certified an Australian gold record. In 1959, it reached No. 3 in the UK and No. 1 in Ireland, as well as becoming popular in Canada and the USA.

Later career Parsons wrote numerous other songs, and also contributed the hook and chorus for Chad Morgan’s classic "The Fatal Wedding", but made only a few records in the 20 years after his 78-rpm discs of the 1950s. In 1978, he married his third wife, Jeanette, and they settled in Sydney.

Parsons died on 17 August 1990, at age 63, and is buried in Pinegrove Cemetery.

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Honours and awards Australian Roll of Renown The Australian Roll of Renown honours Australian and New Zealander musicians who have shaped the music industry by making a significant and lasting contribution to Country Music. It was inaugurated in 1976 and the inductee is announced at the Country Music Awards of Australia in Tamworth in January. 1982 Gordon Parsons Australian Roll of Renown There is also a bust of Parsons in Tamworth.