Australian country music icon Chad Morgan dies after 70-year career

Larrikin country music singer Chad Morgan — fondly known as the “Sheik of Scrubby Creek” — has died aged 91.

The Australian country music icon died in hospital at Gin Gin near Bundaberg in Queensland on the evening of January 1, 2025.

Son Chad Junior confirmed his father’s death to the ABC as tributes flowed for the man who provided joy, laughter, and entertainment to generations of fans.

Fellow country singer and good friend Evelyn Bury described Morgan as a “beautiful larrikin”.

Country music star Troy Cassar-Daley posted to social media that Morgan was one of the funniest comedic minds he had ever witnessed on stage.

“He was always such an individual, that’s what endeared him to so many in our industry,” he wrote.

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One of Australian country music’s most recognisable pioneers, Morgan was born in the South Burnett town of Wondai in 1933.

Raised by his grandparents, Morgan worked cutting timber and sugar around Childers before he was discovered through Australia’s Amateur Hour radio program and started recording with Regal Zonophone.

Wearing his upturned hat with a safety pin and brandishing a signature smile, Morgan recorded and performed music for more than 70 years. 

He released his first album in 1952.

“I went into the air force in ’52 and mates heard me singing and they dared me to go on Amateur Hour and it snowballed from there,” he said of his career in an ABC interview at Tamworth in 2016.

Celebrated career

Morgan has platinum and gold album sales and has played all over Australia in all of manner of places, from tents to trucks, clubs, pubs and festivals to the Sydney Opera House.

He was the king of the country comedy genre with his songs The Sheik of Scrubby Creek, I’m My Own Grandpa, The Shotgun Wedding, Double Decker Blowflies and There’s Life In The Old Dog Yet.

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Morgan was inducted into the Tamworth Hands of Fame in 1979, the Roll of Renown in 1987 and received a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 2004. 

He was recognised with a lifetime achievement award at the 2010 Country Music Association of Australia Awards.

One of Morgan’s final interviews was recorded at the opening of a permanent exhibition in his honour at Childers in August.

‘Larger than life’

Photographer John Elliot grew up in Blackall, outback Queensland, and remembers his first Chad Morgan show.

“He was larger than life — terrified the hell out of me when I was four or five,” he said.

Mr Elliot described Morgan as the original rockstar, the original punk.

Throughout Mr Elliot’s career photographing country music artists across Australia, he and Morgan built a relationship through the lens.

Mr Elliot said driving was Morgan’s choice of transport while touring the country throughout his career.

“One of our mutual friends said Chad was doing this long before rock stars hired Taragos to go to shows,” he said.

“They drove their cars through every dirty road across Australia. I think I talked him into flying to Winton [the last time], but driving was his preferred form of transport.

“Chad Morgan may be good, but I don’t think they’ll be making another one.”