Stanley Alfred Coster OAM (1930 - 1997)

Born 27 May 1930 in Casino, New South Wales, Australia

Died 25 Mar 1997 at age 66 in Manilla, New South Wales, Australia

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Biography

Stan Coster OAM is Notable.

Stan Coster OAM was an Australian country music singer-songwriter. His songs were regularly performed by Slim Dusty and other singers. He is the father of country music singer Tracy Coster.

Stanley Alfred 'Stan' Coster was born on 27th May 1930 in Casino, New South Wales, Australia. He was one of seven children, each of whom were musically talented. ^[1]

Stan left school at the age of 14, normal for the time unless intending to pursue tertiary studies, and worked for a butcher in Woolgoolga, New South Wales. By sixteen, he was cutting sleepers for train tracks. In 1948, at eighteen, he firstly obtained work as a station hand, before a brief stint in Sydney and then to Cooma, in southern New South Wales, to work on the Snowy Mountains Scheme. In 1950, at 20 years of age, Stan joined a travelling rodeo as a rough rider. ^[1]

In 1951 in Belmont, a southern suburb of Newcastle, New South Wales, Stan married Dorothy Aileen Milton. ^[2] The couple have three children, including son, Russell, and country music singer Tracy Coster.

In 1956, Stan began writing songs, bush ballads, many based on his experiences working on the land as a ringer, fencer, slaughterman, horse-breaker, kangaroo shooter, and shed hand. Meeting Slim Dusty in 1960 at Longreach, Queensland, however moved his career to another level. From 1972 Slim Dusty would record some 70 Stan Coster tracks. In 1977, Stan won the Golden Guitar for APRA Song of the Year with his composition Three Rivers Hotel, recorded by Slim Dusty. ^[3] In the late 1970s, he began his singing career at Joe Maguire's Pub (now known as the Tatersall's Hotel) and in 1984 established his own record label, Gidgee Records. ^[4] In 1987, Stan won another Golden Guitar for APRA Song of the Year for He’s a Good Bloke When He’s Sober. ^[3] In the Queen's Birthday Honours 1989 he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in recognition of his 'service to Country Music' ^[5] and in 1990 was inducted into the Australian Roll of Renown at Tamworth. He won the 1995 Golden Guitar (Heritage Award) for Bush Ballad Song of the Year with Lawson’s Loaded Dog. ^[3]

Stan retired to Tamworth and then to Manilla. Aged just 66 years, he passed away as a result of cancer on 25th March 1997 in Manilla. ^[1]

A bronze bust featuring his image was unveiled in Tamworth's Bicentennial Park in 1999. ^[6] Another memorial was erected in Manilla. ^[7] An annual Tenthill Turnout is held at Ma Ma Creek, Queensland in May on the Saturday closest to Coster's birthday to celebrate Stan's music. ^[8]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} All Music; accessed 22 Sep 2021
2. ↑ New South Wales Marriage Index #4824/1951
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} Country Music Awards of Australia; accessed 22 Sep 2021
4. ↑ History of Country Music; accessed 22 Sep 2021
5. ↑ Australian Honours; accessed 22 Sep 2021
6. ↑ Monument Australia: Stan Coster Bust, Tamworth; accesssed 22 Sep 2021
7. ↑ Monument Australia: Stan Coster Bust, Manilla; accesssed 22 Sep 2021
8. ↑ Courier Mail: Annual Tenthill Turnout celebrates legacy of Stan Coster; accessed 22 Sep 2021

See also

• Wikipedia profile: Stan Coster; accessed 22 Sep 2021.