RODEO RECORDS 78 The McKean Sisters Aussie Melody Cowgirls THE MORNING MAIL 1951
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Description
Own a Piece of Australian Country History
Rare Offering
Rodeo Records
No 10-0041A
The McKean Sisters (Pioneers of Australian Country)
Brilliant Talented Hard Working
Real People Real Country
Australia's Melody Cowgirls
1951
The Morning Mail
A Soldier's Last Letter
SUIT FRAMING FOR CAFE OR SHOP
Or For Resale with Tamworth Music Festival is On
Australian Pressed 10"
78 Speed
READ HOW HARD THESE WONDERFUL GIRLS WORKED
Joy and her younger sister Heather grew up in a musical house hold where both their Mother and their Father, who was a steel guitar playing school teacher , encouraged them to enjoy music of all kinds and particularly the songs of Jimmie Rogers, the Carter Family and Harry Torani. Later when they moved to Yanderra near Mittagong in the southern tablelands, the girls expanded their skills, with Joy adding the accordion to the piano and steel guitar she already played while Heather played ukulele and both discovered they could yodel!!
And the girls always loved visiting their grandmother Killen's farm at Doyles Creek near Singleton in the Hunter Valley for long holidays where they soaked up the bush atmosphere and the music. About that time they also got to know a McKean aunt who was later to play her own special roll in Australian country music, Aunty Una… “The Best Bloody Bouncer in the Business” as Slim called her.
From Yanderra the girls would travel down to Sydney for music lessons with Norm Scott. About this time they made their first appearance on radio on Norm Scott's 2GB radio show and soon they were taking part in war time fund raisers, school concerts and so on.
As a child Joy contracted polio and was treated in Sydney by the famous and controversial Sister Kenny …. That must have been a meeting of two strong willed women but in the process Joy became an even stronger person and as a bonus …. she became a champion swimmer.
In 1942 the budding duo got a big opportunity … an appearance on Dick Fair's legendary Australian Amateur Hour Show followed by The Diggers Show at the Tivoli Theatre where they brought the house down.
Their Dad joined the army in 1943 and the family moved to Murwillumbah in northern NSW before moving back to Birchgrove in Sydney a year later where they continued their apprenticeship with lots of performances at charity concerts, parties and square dances. As they grew up the opportunities increased and they even sang at the Sydney University Revue where Joy was a student.
By 1949 the girls were working at the Alert Radio store in Parramatta when Manager Gerry Ormsby had an idea for a radio show. The Melody Trail with the McKean Sisters was launched on 2KY quickly becoming an institution with fans. It was so successful that it ran until 1956, by which time Joy and Heather career's had moved into different paths. In the last couple of years it was mainly hosted by Heather but also featuring music taped on tour at Slim Dusty Show talent quests.
Those first years of the 1950s was an exciting time for the little group of singers and musicians in Sydney who all loved performing country music. They mostly seemed to coalesce around the flamboyant promoter/performer Tim McNamara and his very popular radio show, his huge talent quests, concerts and tours. The group included names that were to become the backbone of Australia country music for decades to come … names like Slim Dusty, Reg Lindsay, Gordon Parsons, Rick and Thel Carey, Dusty Rankin, Frank Ifield, Johnny Ashcroft, Shorty Ranger and others .. and including of course Heather and Joy McKean.
In 1950 the McKeans did their first recording when they backed Tim McNamara on a couple of songs. Later in 1951 it was Tim who steered them to the Rodeo Label where they ended up cutting 18 sides, at least half of which were their own songs. These included classics like Gymkhana Yodel, Yodel Down The Valley, Sunset Home and Morning Mail.
Yes Australia This was Talent
Not the Rubbish you see on television today - 3 min Flash in the Pan Stars
WE CLEAR 1000'S OF ITEMS GUARANTEED
GENUINE LICENSED PRODUCTS
YOU PAY AND WE SHIP DURING BUSINESS HOURS
These are Genuine Licensed purchased in Australia
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