Wayne Horsburgh (born 11 June 1955, in Benalla, Victoria) is an Australian country music entertainer. He currently lives near Sydney, Australia, and Branson, Missouri, United States.
Horsburgh's career began at the age of 11 when he formed his own dance band in rural Victoria[1]. In 1978, he was asked by Buddy Williams (An Australian pioneer of country music)[2] to tour Australia. By 1979, Horsburgh had moved to Sydney to pursue his musical career[8].
Horsburgh is noted by fans and critics alike for his smooth voice, excellent falsetto notes, impressive vocal range, yodelling abilities, and his willingness to popularize and maintain a broad range of traditional country music art forms.[3][4]
His influences include Slim Whitman, Frank Ifield, Jim Reeves and Marty Robbins.[4][5]
Setting his sights even higher, Horsburgh performed for a season in the United Kingdom in 1982 and investigated the US music and entertainment scene in 1984.[5]
In 1989, Horsburgh was introduced to United States' country music audiences when he performed at the Hodag Festival in Rhinelander, Wisconsin[6]. A groundswell of audience appreciation and the establishment of a US-based fan club were among the reasons Horsburgh based himself in Nashville by the mid-'90s for each American summer season[7].
The year 1997 saw yet another move for Horsburgh - this time a relocation to the live entertainment capital of the USA: Branson, Missouri[8]. In addition to a full tour schedule - predominantly in the Midwest[1]- Horsburgh has represented his home nation at the international music and cultural festival - Silver Dollar City's WorldFest - each spring since 1998.[9]
He continues to entertain on the Australian club circuit during the summer months of the southern hemisphere.[8]
In 2013 Horsburgh was inducted into the Australian Roll of Renown.[1]
Discography
Albums
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Yodelling By Request |
|
| Sequins & Satins & Buckles & Britches (with Deniese Morrison) |
|
| I Run Alone (with Desrëe-Ilona Crawford) |
|
| Yodelling for You |
|
| Now & Then...And Again |
|
| Where in the World |
|
| I've Always Wanted to Be a Singing Cowboy |
|
| In Every Stone There's a Diamond |
|
| The Nashville Sessions |
|
| Favourites' |
|
| The Old Country Church |
|
| Favourites Two |
|
| Land of Enchantment |
|
| Memories & Guitar Strings |
|
| An Aussie Ozark Christmas with Wayne |
|
| A Salute to Slim Whitman |
|
| Can You Hear Those Pioneers? |
|
| Songs of the Islands Volume One |
|
| I Still Call Australia Home |
|
| Born Free |
|
| A Salute to Marty Robbins |
|
| Yodels and Love Songs |
|
| Roll of Renown |
|
| 40 Cowboy Songs (with Howie Brothers) |
|
| 22 Gospel Greats |
|
| Songs of the Islands -Volume 2 |
|
| Celebrating 40 Years |
|
| 22 Yodel Greats |
|
| Country Songs & Western Swing |
|
| Reminiscing |
|
Other singles
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| AUS [2] | ||
| "The Garden" (as Australia Too) |
1985 | 22 |
Awards and honours
Australian Roll of Renown
The Australian Roll of Renown honours Australian and New Zealander musicians who have shaped the music industry by making a significant and lasting contribution to Country Music. It was inaugurated in 1976 and the inductee is announced at the Country Music Awards of Australia in Tamworth in January.[3]
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Wayne Horsburgh | Australian Roll of Renown | inductee |
Mo Awards
The Australian Entertainment Mo Awards (commonly known informally as the Mo Awards), were annual Australian entertainment industry awards. They recognise achievements in live entertainment in Australia from 1975 to 2016. Wayne Horsburgh won eight awards in that time.[4]
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result (wins only) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Wayne Horsburgh | Male Country Entertainer of the Year | Won |
| 1989 | Wayne Horsburgh | Country Entertainer of the Yea | Won |
| 1990 | Wayne Horsburgh | Male Country Entertainer of the Yea | Won |
| 1995 | Wayne Horsburgh | Male Country Entertainer of the Yea | Won |
| 2007 | Wayne Horsburgh | Slim Dusty Country Vocal Performer of the Year | Won |
| 2012 | Wayne Horsburgh | Slim Dusty Country Act of the Year | Won |
| 2016 | Wayne Horsburgh | Country Solo/ Group or Band of the Year | Won |
| Wayne Horsburgh | Entertainer of the Year | Won |
References
- ↑ "Roll of Renown". TCMF. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
- ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (Illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 22. ISBN 0-646-11917-6. N.B. The Kent Report chart was licensed by ARIA between mid-1983 and 19 June 1988.
- ↑ "Roll of Renown". Tamworth Country Music Festival. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
- ↑ "MO Award Winners". Mo Awards. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
- Clement, Alan (January 2007), Tamworth Times 30, Capital News, Tamworth, Australia: Barry Harley
- Williams, Karen. "A Tribute to Buddy Williams". Retrieved 7 July 2007.
- The 2001 Frank Ifield Awards, Tamworth, Australia: Barry Harley, April 2001
- Adsett, Ron (March 2002), Land of Enchantment, Capital News, Tamworth, Australia: Barry Harley
- Wilson, Hugh T. (February 2003), Latest Review, Country Music People, London, UK: unknown
- Hodag Country Festival. "History of Past Performers". Archived from the original on 4 July 2007. Retrieved 7 July 2007.
- Nutting, John. "Wayne Horsburgh in Nashville". Retrieved 7 July 2007.
- James, Lynne. "Wayne Horsburgh". Retrieved 7 July 2007.
- Leland, Crystal (1997), The Story of Silver Dollar City, Springfield, Missouri: A Lens & Pen Production