Tex
Morton was born Robert Lane in Nelson, NZ in 1918. He ran away from home
at 14 and sang on street corners, in sideshows and in the occasional dance
band. He came to Australia at the age of 16 in late 1932 on the same ship
as Jack Davey . In Australia he jumped trains, busked, steeplejacked,
boxed for Jimmy Sharman, did motorbike stunts in sideshows around The
Wall Of Death and painted the Harbour Bridge.
In 1936 he recorded
his first songs for the Regal Zonophone label at the Homebush, Sydney,
studios of The Columbia Gramaphone Company which sold phenomenonally well.
He got a flat fee for the sessions, no royalties.
By 1937 he had toured
with Gladys Moncrief and all his discs were hits. By 1943 he had cut 93
tracks. One of my favorite Tex stories illustrates just how popular he
was even in the big cities. A Melbourne charity came up with the idea
of a penny trail down Bourke street. Fans lined up pennies along the street
as a test to who was the most popular: Tex Morton or Bing Crosby? Tex
won hands down!
Tex put together a
circus-rodeo-singing show and went out on his own touring all states.
He eventually sold it to the Ashtons.
Many of Morton's earliest
songs were covers of American songs and influenced by Jimmy Rodgers but
throughout this period his own material came to the fore. It was written
from an Australian point of view, in an Australian setting. He was the
original pioneer of the authentic Australian country song and has been
so recognised by the CMAA as a foundation member of Tamworth's Roll Of
Renown.
In the 1950's he moved
to Canada where his travelling show featured singing, hypnotism, sharp
shooting, esp and magic. He warmed up for Hank Williams for 6 months,
recorded for Capitol Records in LA and gained a BA and Ph.D.
He returned to Australia
in the 1960's and recorded through the 70's including his own brilliant
song "The Travelling Showman" as well as doing some character acting on
"Matlock" and "Class Of 75" . Tex died in 1983.
Mark Holden |
