G'day Folks. I'm 55 years of age and live in Bargara, Queensland, Australia. Happily married for 35 years and have four children and four grandchildren.

I enjoy writng and performing bush verse and bush ballads and have a web site:

Bush Poetry Ballads and Yarns
www.users.tpg.com.au/thegrey

My space
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=101444632


http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=200559734


Soundclick
http://www.soundclick.com/members/default.cfm?member=the+bush%2Bballadeer

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pageartist.cfm?bandID=706920

I NEVER CRIED FOR ELVIS BUT I SHED A TEAR FOR SLIM

Perhaps I’d heard it wrong somehow that quiet September day,        
But no, the words rang in my head.  Slim Dusty’s passed away.      
I knew the old bloke had been crook and not that well of late.         
Still, legends live forever … though … it seems I’m wrong old mate. 
          
Like Lawson you could tell a tale about the average bloke,              
Though sung them in the ballad style backed by a guitar stroke.
Your songs portrayed an image which aroused our Aussie pride          
And most of us we shed a tear when poor old Trumby died.

You walked a mile or two we know, through muddy tracks and dry
And entertained a lot of folk and made them laugh or cry.
You pioneered an industry and did the real hard yards
And kept alive the sentiments of yesterday’s bush bards.

A myriad of campfires echoed tunes that bore your brand.
The Pub With No Beer, Duncan; just two that come to hand.
You made us feel Australian with a sense of wrong and right.
The city bloke, the bushy, whether brindle, black or white.

So rest in peace for now old friend until the trumpet calls;
The spirit of your ballads, mate, ring through life's memories halls.
A lifetimes dedication proves you where no passing whim;
I never cried for Elvis, but I shed a tear for Slim.     

They said goodbye in style that day and gathered in their throngs
And old St Andrews echoed to a melody of songs.
Your passing’s left us empty mate, we’ve lost a true blue friend
And no one lives forever, but the memories will not end.

I know we lost an icon, but his family lost much more,
A father, grandad, soul mate, of that I am quite sure.   
We stand and we salute you Slim despite the fact we know
The final curtain’s fallen on the last Slim Dusty show.

© Bush Poet and Ballad Writer -Merv Webster