Country music trailblazer Joy McKean OAM will be the 2021 recipient of the Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to Australian Music. Finding a talent for writing songs as a young child, Joy has had a stellar career as a performer, songwriter and manager, spanning more than 70 years.
She became famous performing, recording and broadcasting with her sister Heather in the 1940’s and 50’s, and went on to compose some of country music’s most celebrated songs including “The Biggest Disappointment”, “Ringer from the Top End”, “Walk a Country Mile” and “Indian Pacific”. Joy was making her mark, composing hit country songs and touring regional and remote Australia at a time when the perceived role of women was that of home maker. She created a lifelong partnership with her husband Slim Dusty, writing many of his most famous songs and was his manager for more than 50 years.
Joy was recently subject to a documentary and accompanying soundtrack Slim & I
***
