John Williamson

Ever since he won New Faces in 1970 with "Old Man Emu," John Williamson has sung his way — clear, compassionate, 100% Aussie — into living legend. When J.W. sings, he represents the whole country. "True Blue" will echo through time, not only as the anthem for our cricketers, but also as the tune played to honor the memory of Steve Irwin.

A fierce, burning love for Australia is our True Blue Balladeer’s trademark, but J.W. also makes the switch from tear-jerking tenderness (“Cootamundra Wattle”) to side-splitting comedy: witness “At first it never clicked that I was getting nicked/I thought it was to test virility” from “The Vasectomy Song.”

When the time came for a tribute song at Don Bradman's memorial service in 2001, there was only one choice: With "Sir Don," one legend saluted another, and the Bradman Museum in Bowral now hosts the original scraps of paper on which J.W. scribbled and composed the tune. On the lighter side, J.W. keeps the kids in stitches on "Old Sow."

Along with his heroes Banjo Patterson and Henry Lawson, John Williamson has etched a portrait of the Australian character in song. Over nearly four decades the great man has been prolific, averaging an album every year, picking up an armload of Golden Guitar awards along the way, and seriously depleting gold and platinum reserves with sales that say only one thing: We all love him. J.W. is a truly great Aussie entertainer whose songs can make us laugh or cry. He has left an indelible impression on all our hearts and minds, and these tracks will live forever.