IF there is one person who truly makes music for the love of it, it would have to be iconic country star Slim Dusty. Born in Kempsey in 1927, the ageing star has produced 103 albums in his career.
Last year he released his latest album Travellin' Still ... Always Will with daughter Anne Kirkpatrick. Now 75, Dusty continues to tour all over Australia and will perform at Wests Leagues Club on Saturday night with Kirkpatrick.
His latest album was created as a real family affair and features collaborations with both his daughter and his wife, Joy McKean. It is the second time Dusty has teamed up with his daughter on a musical project, following the relase of the album Two Singers, One Voice in 1989.
The title track from the new album was written by Kirkpatrick and although she admits she rarely engages in songwriting, she felt that the track had to be written.
'I had it in my mind to write a song about Mum and Dad for a long time. I even had the first verse and chorus for a couple of years stewing in my head,' Kirkpatrick said.
'Then I did a lot of touring with Dad's show in 2000 and made the effort to knuckle down.
'What made me finish was Mum and Dad had one of their barneys (laughs).'
Although the album is a collaborative effort, father and daughter only sang together on two of the tracks, Belt & Buckled and You And My Old Guitar. One of the major influences that Kirkpatrick did have over her father on the album was to get him back to his musical roots.
'I'm picking more guitar on this album. I dragged out the old one to get the Jimmy Rodgers sound,' Dusty said.
The album has again allowed Dusty to retain his crown as the King of Country Music in Australia - and possibly further afield.
He continues to be honoured around the country and this year picked up his 35th Golden Guitar for Bush Ballad of the Year at the Golden Guitar Awards at Tamworth in January.
Another honour came in April when visitors to the Royal Easter Show were invited to buy pavers for the Heritage Walk of the Slim Dusty Heritage Centre at Kempsey.
The pavers are to be inscribed with the buyer's name when they are placed in a special walkway at the heritage centre.
Tickets to Dusty's show at Wests are available by calling the club on 4935-1200.
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