Reginald John Lindsay OAM (1929 - 2008)

Born 7 Jul 1929 in Waverley, New South Wales, Australia

Ancestors

Died 5 Aug 2008 at age 79 in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia

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Biography

Reg Lindsay OAM is Notable.

Reg Lindsay OAM was an Australian country music singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer and radio and television personality. He won three Golden Guitar Awards and wrote more than five hundred songs in his fifty-year music career. Lindsay recorded over 65 albums and 250 singles.

Born Reginald John Lindsay on 7th July 1929 at Waverley, New South Wales, Australia, he was the son of Jim Lindsay and Ellen unknown. Leaving Sydney, he grew up in Parkes and then Adelaide. After mastering the harmonica before commencing school, Reg learned to play the banjo, mandolin, guitar and fiddle. His aunt Anne gave him a guitar when he was fifteen.^[1]

While recuperating at his parents' home in Adelaide after twisting his leg in a rodeo accident, Reg was listening to country music on 2SM and heard a radio talent quest being promoted. Travelling by motorcycle to Sydney to compete, which launched his career as a singer-songwriter. Radio station 2CH had him present, The Reg Lindsay Show, in 1951 to showcase his own country music. Late in that year he and his show moved over to rival station, 2SM, where it continued for 12 years.^[1]

Reg married Heather McKean, the younger of the musical McKean Sisters, on 13th February 1954 at Granville, New South Wales.^[2] They separated in 1983 and Heather resumed her solo career as well as working with Joy as the McKean Sisters. Reg and Heather had three daughters: ^[1]

• Dianne Lindsay; is also a country music singer-songwriter – winning Best Female Vocal at the Australian Country Music People's Choice Awards in Tamworth in 2017, 2018 and 2019; https://www.diannelindsay.com/ Dianne Lindsay
• Sandra Lindsay
• Joanne Lindsay

In 1964 he began hosting a TV show in Adelaide, The Country and Western Hour, which ran for seven-and-a-half years. He travelled to the United States in 1968, to record material for his TV show; while there he was asked to appear on the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. ^[3] Upon return to Sydney in 1968, with his wife Heather, he established a business, Reg Lindsay’s Country Store, to sell "records, clothing and musical instruments." In a music career of over 50 years he wrote more than 500 songs and hosted various TV shows. He recorded over 65 albums and 250 singles.^[1]

Reg married his second wife, Roslyn née Winfield, a rodeo champion, on 12th October 1988 – they had met in 1984 at the Warwick Rodeo and then again at the Cootamundra Rodeo in 1986.

In January 1995 Reg had a brain hemorrhage and in the following month he underwent surgery to remove the related brain aneurysm. He had a heart attack in January 1996 and had triple bypass surgery. A series of strokes followed. From 2003 he was under 24-hour care at John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle, New South Wales. He passed away of pneumonia, aged 79 years, on 5th August 2008 at Newcastle. ^[1]

Honours and awards

• Reg Lindsay became the first Australian to appear at Nashville's Grand Ole Opry in 1974; he is officially recognised with a plaque on Nashville's Walkway of Stars.
• He won Golden Guitar trophies for Best Male Vocal at the Country Music Awards of Australia in 1974, 1978 and 1980.^[4]
• He was inducted into Australia's Country Music Hands of Fame, Tamworth in 1977.^[5]
• In January 1984 Reg was elevated to Australian country music's highest honour, the Australian Roll of Renown.^[6]
• In June 1989 Reg Lindsay was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM), for 'service to country music'.^[7]
• The Reg Lindsay Statue was unveiled in March 2015 at the East Cessnock Bowling Club, New South Wales.
• The Reg Lindsay Memory Barn (Museum) opened 2020.^[8]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4} Wikipedia: Reg Lindsay; accessed 23 Jan 2019
2. ↑ New South Wales Marriage Index #3524/1954
3. ↑ IMDb: Reg Lindsay; accessed 23 Jan 2019
4. ↑ Country Music Awards of Australia website; accessed 22 Apr 2020
5. ↑ Country Music Hall of Fame website; accessed 22 Apr 2020
6. ↑ Australasian Country Music Roll of Renown: Reg Lindsay; accessed 23 Jan 2019
7. ↑ Australian Honours; accessed 22 Apr 2020
8. ↑ Reg Lindsay website; accessed 22 Apr 2020