Slim Dusty Foundation at Kempsey

way2gokev · Senior Member

Slim Dusty Foundation at Kempsey

Duh · Guru

Hi Kev,

I am a Slim Dusty fan but feel I contributed enough over the years by buying his CD's etc.

Wouldn't the family in general have made enough over the years to fund this project themselves?

He must have been worth a fortune when he died and his daughter is (or was) still performing and must also have some assets?

What does the Foundation do?

jules47 · The Happy Helper

Love some of Slims songs Kev, didn't know there was a foundation, in Kempsey, must investigate.

Duh · Guru

Just looked at a couple of links Kev, looks like it could rival the Stockman's Hall Of Fame at Longreach...

http://www.slimdustycentre.com.au/foundation.htm

http://www.givenow.com.au/slimdusty

I see on this one it explains what the Foundations aims are;

http://www.slimdustycentre.com.au/donations.htm

Out of interest, have the family donated towards the building of this centre ?

way2gokev · Senior Member

Duh wrote:
Just looked at a couple of links Kev, looks like it could rival the Stockman's Hall Of Fame at Longreach...
http://www.slimdustycentre.com.au/foundation.htm
http://www.givenow.com.au/slimdusty
I see on this one it explains what the Foundations aims are;
http://www.slimdustycentre.com.au/donations.htm
Out of interest, have the family donated towards the building of this centre ?

G'day To be sure they have intially as to ongoing I am not quite sure but will investigate. I am a bit surprised that all the info in regard to the project is not that much known about. I have spent heaps on all SLim's CD, tapes and records over the years and when I first heard about the project I thought it had merit and have dipped in with a few hundred, it is not allabout Slim but country music in general especially Aussie artist and when you look back into the history it says much about the bush, the words of wisdom like Banjo Patterson, Poems that were turned into great songs.

My young grandson loves his music and will pick up a guitar and belt out a tune along with Slim, So its for the young ones and up and coming generations that this project will have its most influance. Yes I think down the track once up and running will rival the stockmans hall of fame and have better visiting numbers because of its closeness to major eastern populations.

Cheers

Kev

justcruisin01 · Guru

This is a local project for us, many people are for it & many against.

The general knowledge is that the family all want this but want the general public to pay for it.

Just recently we heard that there had been many who have paid for a paver with their name on it & none have been laid. I think its the entry road that is the main holdup at the moment.

Not denying Slim some recognition, I like a lot of his music as well. One thing is for certain, that is once he moved from the valley & made the big time he never returned or gave any thing back to the town & this has turned a lot of people off.

JC.

GaryKelly · Guru

Funny... I was on air in Kempsey at the ABC (broadcast along the Mid North Coast) back in the mid '70s and never heard a peep from any locals about Slim Dusty. At the time I didn't even know he was a local, and I never played any of his songs either. That was back in '77, the year Elvis died.

Gerty Dancer · Guru

If you werent playing Slim Dusty Gary, that's probably why I never heard you on the radio!

way2gokev · Senior Member

justcruisin01 wrote:
This is a local project for us, many people are for it & many against.
The general knowledge is that the family all want this but want the general public to pay for it.
Just recently we heard that there had been many who have paid for a paver with their name on it & none have been laid. I think its the entry road that is the main holdup at the moment.
Not denying Slim some recognition, I like a lot of his music as well. One thing is for certain, that is once he moved from the valley & made the big time he never returned or gave any thing back to the town & this has turned a lot of people off.
JC.

I agree with some of what you say, I also know that at times he has been ripped off by the music industry and I didnt know about not supporting the town.

But everything comes out in the wash, just take Rolth Harris, its not about what you know but about what is not known and hidden.

ibbo · Senior Member

GaryKelly wrote:
Funny... I was on air in Kempsey at the ABC (broadcast along the Mid North Coast) back in the mid '70s and never heard a peep from any locals about Slim Dusty. At the time I didn't even know he was a local, and I never played any of his songs either. That was back in '77, the year Elvis died.

Probably why you werent well known.

Duh · Guru

Don't forget the royalties his CD's made and are still making, maybe they could be directed to the running and upkeep of the museum hmm

-- Edited by Duh on Tuesday 23rd of April 2013 05:50:41 PM

sarg · Guru

OOUCH. NOT NICE.

Gerty Dancer · Guru

I apologise Gary, I meant my comment as a joke and as a statement of how much I liked to listen to Slim Dusty's music.

NeilandRaine · Guru

The Government give all kinds of money to all kinds of causes, why shouldn't they give some to the memory of an Australian Icon. As for the Dusty family having lots of money
I am sure they are well off but remember Slim was famous for touring outback Australia, the cost of travel with a caravan as we all know is not cheap. He took his music to the bush.
As far as the family not visiting or supporting the area they actually own the place Slim grew up in at Nulla Nulla Creek and often spend time there.
Anne still performs.
The stockmans hall of fame was paid for by the government, not the ****eys who made a lot more than Slim Dusty ever did.
Sorry I am a self confessed Bush Ballad tragic

GaryKelly · Guru

ibbo wrote:

Probably why you werent well known.

Wasn't I, Ibbo? Maybe you know something I don't. When I returned to Sydney to work at 2GB, the boss of ABC Mid North Coast phoned me to say the ratings had just been released. The ABC rated 10% of the audience when I started and 40% when I finished. But then you knew that already, right Ibbo?

And, Gerty, of course I took your comment as a joke. Don't let the likes of Ibbo worry you. Certainly doesn't worry me. In fact, he gave me an excuse to brag about my ratings hehe. And BTW, who says I don't like Slim Dusty? Not crazy about his early stuff but I think his later stuff was great. So why didn't I play his records at the ABC? I honestly can't remember seeing any in the library, so it never occurred to me.

hako · Guru

I don't mind a bit of Slim Dusty and I know my boys think the world of him. Chad Morgan and Smokey Dawson are also noteable. But I see Alan Jones is associated with the proposed complex and like it or not, Alan Jones has a polarising effect which simply turns me off. Sorry.

03_troopy · Guru

I used to dread driving any distance with my father-in-law. He went to school with Slim and also lived up Nulla Ck when he was growing up, and insisted on listening to his tapes wherever he went. I don't mind the occasional song or two of Slim's, but you need to break it up a bit with some Led Zeppelin or Deep Purple to relieve the monotony a little.. ;)
Think i'll retire to the fallout shelter now..........

GaryKelly · Guru

I agree, Troopy. Everything in moderation. I create my own albums from various styles - rock, pop, soul, country, jazz, show tunes and even a smattering of classical - to create variety. That's why radio stations have programmers. I worked for 2KY when it was "KY Country" and was always getting into trouble by sneaking in stuff that wasn't on the playlist hehe.

03_troopy · Guru

I wish we had a few like you now Gary, it seems you can almost set your watch by the song on the radio at the time these days. So bl**dy predictable. I also listen to everything from classical to heavy rock to just about anything current.. (except the current crop who rely on autotune to be able to sing, Cher has a lot to answer for there.) Have been to a few "big day outs" and other big festivals. Was a blast to see Robert Plant here a few weeks back too..

herbie · Guru

I think there is a lot of Australian Icons , who have contributed to different things to help make this country what it is today. If the goverment funded all these kind of projects , it would send our country bankrupt. As there is 1000s of unsung herros. And then it is the up keep of these places. Why not just a brass figure of Slim some where in or on entry to the town,And as other people have said these museums have a very short life span.,,, And if there is wages to be payed to people working at these places you are behinde the A ball from the start. You may not have one paying visitor in a given week,but the payed workers still have to be payed.This is the what is happening out at Longreach . In not so many years the kids of today wont be looking to go to Slims Foundation, most will not even know or of heard of him ( nothing against Slim but just a fact of the changing times ).If his family want this foundation not a prob ,but i recon let them fund it.

Duh · Guru

That makes good sense herbie, wouldn't cost the council much to clean a bit of bird poo off the statue now and then.... smile