Smoky Dawson - Awards and Legacy

Awards and Legacy

Smoky Dawson continued his long career of recording and performing after his radio show, and enjoyed performing until he died. He has frequently been recognised for his contributions to music and entertainment. In 1977, with Tex Morton and Buddy Williams, Dawson was inducted into the Hands of Fame at Tamworth. On 31 December 1982 Dawson was awarded an Order of the British Empire – Member (Civil) with the citation, "In recognition of service to country music". In 1983 he was named on the Australian Country Music Roll of Renown. In 1985 he published his autobiography, Smoky Dawson: A Life. In 1988 Dawson and Trevor Knight won The Heritage Golden Guitar at the Country Music Awards of Australia for "The Days of Old Khancoban" – written by Dawson about the droving days of his youth in the Snowy Mountains. The following year Dawson and Knight won a second Golden Guitar for their song, "High Country", as Best Vocal Duo or Group.

In 1994 Film Australia broadcast his biography based on taped interviews by Robin Hughes for the Australian Biography Project. On Australia Day (26 January) 1999 Dawson was made a Member of the Order of Australia with the citation, "In recognition of service to country music". In 2005 he was inducted into the Australian Record Industry Association Hall of Fame. He has also been recognised in the US, and received the Honor Award of the Grand Ole Opry. In April 2007 he donated his first electric guitar to the Australian Stockman's Hall of Fame. Smoky's Bar and Grill was opened in his name in 2005 at the West Diggers Club in Tamworth – he attended with Dot. His recording career spanned more than six decades, his last album, Homestead of My Dreams, was released in 2005.

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". From 2001 the museum has displayed his signed copy of the comic book, The Adventures of Smoky Dawson, and other memorabilia, which was subsequently donated by Dawson in 2004.