Smoky Dawson

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Smoky Dawson MBE (born 13 March 1913) is an Australian country music performer. He is widely touted as Australia's first cowboy.

Born Herbert Henry Dawson in Collingwood, Victoria, a suburb of Melbourne and raised in the rural area of Warrnambool, his parents died at an early age, resulting in his living for several years in an orphanage. Music was always his way of comforting himself, and during World War II he took his talent to comfort others, serving with the Australian Entertainment Unit.

When he returned from the war, he married Florence "Dot" Cheers in 1944, and they travelled to the United States to record, and play at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee. When he returned to Australia in 1952 he started in his own radio show, The Adventures of Smoky Dawson, which stayed on the air for ten years. At its peak the show was broadcast on 69 stations across the country. Dot also had her own radio shows for children.

A long career of recording and performing followed his radio show, and to this day he still enjoys performing. He has frequently been recognized for his contributions to music and entertainment. In 1978 he was awarded an MBE for his services to country music. In 1983 he was named to the Australian Country Music Roll of Renown, and in 2005 he was inducted into the Australian Record Industry Association Hall of Fame. He has also been recognized in the United States, and has been awarded the Honor Award of the Grand Ole Opry. He was a Freemason [1].