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| Given
Name: |
Harold
Taylor |
| Date
of Birth: |
September
5th 1918 |
| Place
of Birth: |
Sydney,
New South Wales, Australia |
| Date
of Death: |
December
12th 1986 |
| Place
of Death: |
Brisbane,
Queensland, Australia |
| Marital
Status: |
1.
Bernice Verl Perring (Bernie Burnett)
2. Grace Mary Maidment |
| Children:
|
Donita
Carolyn (dec’d), Harold George, Kaye Elizabeth,
Karen Anne |
| Grandchildren:
|
Brett
Williams, Scott Parker, Corinne Williams, Kate Parker |
| Musical
Style: |
Traditional
full on Country |
| Talents:
|
Singer,
Songwriter, Guitar, Bass Guitar, Marksman, Melodic Whistler,
Bush Mechanic, Animated storyteller. |
| Loved:
|
Wife
& family, An Audience (large or small), Travelling,
Movies, Reading, Writing, Jimmie Rodgers, Hank Williams,
Henry Lawson, Banjo Patterson, A Cuppa, Cars, Guitars,
Meat Pies, Ice Cream, Home Cooking, Red (showman’s
color), Black (on wife Grace), Blue & Brown (the sky
& the land), Yarning. |
| Hated:
|
Anyone
or anything that wasn’t fair-dinkum. |
| Philosophy:
|
Pluggin’
away wins the day; it’s only money, you can always
get more; kindness and generosity – give often,
receive gratefully, when you shake someone’s hand,
do it firmly, and look them in the eye, say what you mean,
and mean what you say. |
The
Story:
 |
| Early
days, just after the historic first session for
Regal Zonophone in 1939. |
 |
| Buddy's
plaque at Aspley war memorial in Brisbane. |
 |
| The
Williams Family (L-R) Kaye 12, Grace 43, Buddy 45,
Karen 5, Harold 14. |
 |
| Permission
to busk. |
 |
| Buddy
in his new Buik - Ulladulla 1958. |
 |
| Rodeo
days. |
 |
| Buddy
with Wayne Horsburgh in front of Buddy's tribute
at "The Roll of Renown" in Tamworth 1978. |
|
Buddy was raised at Glebe Point Orphanage,
until he was adopted by the McFarlane’s and taken
to live in Dorrigo NSW.
They didn’t want a son, but an unpaid farmhand,
and after several attempts, he finally succeeded in
getting away for good, just before he turned sixteen.
While working at a quarry in Coff’s Harbor, some
mates dared Buddy to do some busking, he was amazed
at how people responded. After passing the hat around,
he received the equivalent in those days of about three
weeks pay.
This gave him the confidence he needed, to pursue his
future career. Buddy secured a recording contract with
Regal Zonophone, in 1939 and from that time, he remained
under contract with a major recording studio for the
rest of his life.
He served as a Bren gunner in
the 2/31st Battalion in WW2, and came close to being
mortally wounded while serving in Balikpapan Borneo.
He was hauled off the dead heap when a passing doctor
heard his cry for water. The doctor saved him, but Buddy
carried the scars and the shrapnel for the rest of his
life.
Buddy met Grace Maidment, through Grace’s niece
Lenore Miller, (later Lenore Somerset), who had recorded
duets with Buddy. On hearing of their intention to marry;
Lenore was very excited – she said her favorite
CM singer was marrying her favorite Aunty, she couldn’t
imagine anything better!
Grace inspired many songs including: “Brown Eyed
Sweetheart of Mine” and “I’ll Stroll
Down Memory Lane With You”.
They had four children, the eldest, Donita, died in
an accident while on tour in Scottsdale, Tasmania. This
tragedy inspired Buddy to write “Little Red Bonnet”,
and the lesser known; “Our Baby Girl”, and
“Another Angel In Heaven”.
Throughout his life, Buddy wrote about what he knew
and experienced.
Major influences included, family, the war, being an
orphan, the search for his mother; God, and Australia.
He wanted to write his life story, but showing and traveling
took much of his time.
Historians have suggested there’s a life story
already written, you just have to listen to his songs.
Buddy toured with his Big Top Rodeo, then later as The
Buddy Williams Show. Many of the industry’s best
known names toured with the BWS; The LeGaard Twins,
Frank Ifield, Phil and Tommy Emmanuel, Lindsay Butler,
Kevin Bloody Wilson, Pixie Jenkins, Lawrie Minson and
Wayne Horsburgh to name a few.
Buddy endured a lot of challenges
in his life, but always remained an optimist and thankful
for his many blessings. He suffered five heart attacks,
sugar diabetes, and finally succumbed to lung cancer,
or as he called it; “jack the dancer” in
1986.
When asked where he’d like to be buried, he said
“put me with Neatie” (Donita).
He and Neatie were joined by Grace in 1995.
Excerpts from his song “Beyond the Setting Sun”
are inscribed on his headstone at Lutwyche Cemetery
in Brisbane, Australia.
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