*Slim Dusty dies aged 76*

19 September 2003

Australian country music legend Slim Dusty will be given a state funeral next week.

The 76-year-old died at around 10:00am AEST with his wife Joy and his two children by his side.

Born on June 13, 1927, his real name was David Gordon Kirkpatrick, but by age 11 he had dubbed himself Slim Dusty.

Slim wrote his first song as a 10-year-old and would go on to record more than 100 albums.

In 1946, he recorded his first country music classic The Rain Tumbles Down in July.

The song Pub With No Beer, recorded in 1957, earned him Australia's first-ever gold record.

It would be the beginning of many accolades, including 36 Golden Guitars at the Tamworth Country Music Awards.

At times, he had to fight for recognition from the wider music industry, but at the 2000 ARIA awards he was honoured with an outstanding achievement award.

The following year he had a successful operation to remove a kidney due to cancer.

A Slim Dusty Heritage Centre is being planned in his hometown of Kempsey.

Slim's wife Joy McKean and daughter Anne Kirkpatrick are both award winning singer-songwriters.

'Greatest ever'

Fellow country artist and a personal friend of Slim's, Les Partell, a driving force behind the Heritage Centre, says he was the greatest singer of his time.

"If it hadn't been for Slim Dusty there wouldn't be an Australian country music industry - it would be very American," Mr Partell said.

"Slim's been a lighthouse for little people just learning, right up to big people like myself who learned 50 years ago."

The presenter of the ABC's Saturday Night Country program, John Nutting, says Slim may hold the world record for the most country music albums.

"He was working on his 106th [album] at the time of his death.  For someone singing and playing a guitar and singing bush ballads, I think that has never been equalled anywhere in the world."

Prime Minister John Howard has described Slim as a one-off and a great Australian.

Mr Howard says he had a special style that set him apart.

"It was the distinctive Australian character that he brought to country music that marked him out and for almost six decades he's been an institution in this country and won such affection," he said.

"[To] his wife Joy and his children Anne and David I extend my sympathy on behalf of the entire nation."

Federal National Party leader John Anderson says something of the old Australia has passed on with Slim's death.

"His first song [was] recorded in 1942, that's a long time ago now.  His first album was I think in 1960.

"[He was] a wonderful Australian, never a hint of anything other than a man who was respected for a generosity of spirit, for leadership in country music."

Pay your respects to Slim Dusty here: http://www2b.abc.net.au/news/forum/newsonline2/