Smoky Dawson

Smoky Dawson AM MBE (19 March 1913 – 13 February 2008) was an Australian country music performer. He was widely touted as Australia's first singing cowboy: Powerhouse Museum described him as "a singer, showman, songwriter, scriptwriter, knife and double-headed axe thrower and all round performer who has lived a long life entertaining audiences. Through his radio serials, comic books and songs he created the persona of a happy-go-lucky singing cowboy". In 1985 he published his autobiography, Smoky Dawson: A Life.

For his service to country music Dawson was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (December 1982), a Member of the Order of Australia (January 1999), and was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 2005.