By Cam Lucadou-Wells
A long-overdue accolade has been bestowed on Narre Warren South country music legend Gary Ellis.
The 80-year-old singer-guitarist imprinted Tamworth’s cement pavement on 28 January after being inducted in the Australian Country Music Hands of Fame Cornerstone.
He said it was the greatest day of his long, colourful life.
“I’m basking in the honour,” he said.
His handprints joined the likes of Slim Dusty, James Blundell, Chad Morgan, Jimmy Little, Troy Casser-Daley, Kasey Chambers and scores of other notables.
Many peers said the induction was too long in coming for Ellis whose prolific career spanned 65 years.
There are a few things he insists on – recording with his own voice in good diction, with live musicians, and retaining an Australian country music sound.
“The important part of country music is it’s a story. Your diction has to be very good so people can understand you.
“These days the percussion is so loud you can’t hear the story!”
Growing up in Glen Iris, his early love of horses led him to a life-long love for country music – which often hit themes of dogs and horses.
Ellis first got a taste for the big time performing songs and circus tricks as a kid with his friends in his backyard.
Proceeds went to a blind baby charity, after taking out a cut to buy some biscuits and soft drinks.
He built his name and made a lot of money by regularly winning talent quests on radio, performing in dance halls and sideshows, then travelling and performing around Australia.
He learnt stagecraft from old showmen – who were hard and had learnt by trial and error how to control an audience of all sorts of people.
“It’s a huge study that no school can teach you.”
He said there were ways to tell when an audience was “into” the show. It was always best to leave a crowd hungry for more.
His career hit soaring highs, with him being a regular on Channel 7 during TV’s debut in Australia in 1956.
He was on TV twice in its first week on air, landed his first recording contract when they were “as rare as hen’s teeth” and was a regular on radio 3DB’s Hillbilly Hour.
At the time, many country and western performers crossed over into the burgeoning rock-‘n’-roll trend.
“Our heart was in country but rock and roll was closely related.
“We were able to swing over with our guitars.”
Ellis also plunged into deep lows when he succumbed to late nights and alcoholism in the 1960s and ’70s. Thus he lost his marriage and his vast TV, radio and stage audiences.
“I was still singing around the place but I wasn’t wanted.”
But Ellis sobered up and rebuilt his career 16 years ago.
In that time, at an age where most are retired, he has recorded up to 10 albums of tracks that still top country radio charts across the world.
He’s still recording, though he can’t play guitar like how he used to, and hasn’t had a drink since 1973.
“I’m still bright as a button,” he said.
