Barry Thornton is a true legend of Australian country music. The only specialist instrumentalist so far inducted to the Country Music Roll of Renown (1991), Barry is credited with originating the distinctive lead guitar sound which set the style of practically all bush ballads - Australia's own unique form of country music - from the mid 1950s onward.

     He traveled with the Slim Dusty Show for 19 years, playing the on-stage comedy character of "Mulga Dan" as well as setting the path and style for so many lead players to come.

Born in Junee, NSW, on June 14, 1934, Barry was the eldest of 16 children. At age 17, while living in Sydney with his grandparents and working in a glove factory, he bought his first guitar for 12 pounds. After learning a few basic chords, he entered his first talent quest at Eden Park near Sydney, sang a Wilf Carter song and came second.

     During his rounds of the talent quest circuit, Barry met Slim who ultimately offered him a three-month job touring with the Slim Dusty Show... three months that turned into almost 20 years! Though he worked as a singer, gradually, the singing was overtaken by the "Mulga Dan" character and a shaky lead guitar began to emerge. In the years to follow, through the encouragement of Slim and Joy McKean and Barry's own natural talent, the "shaky guitar" developed into the sound now so recognizable and respected.

     Barry's first solo recording venture was in 1970 when he cut Talking Guitar, one of the first country EPs put down in Australia for EMI. Side two of the release was Shorty Ranger's classic Winter Winds, destined to become the most popular Australian country instrumental then recorded. He followed this with another EP, Country Guitar.

     His first full solo album came in 1981 when Selection Records released The Country Way featuring all the tracks that had made Barry so well known over the years. One track from the album - Brian's Tune - won him the Golden Guitar for Instrumental of the Year in 1982. His second (and all subsequent releases) was also on the Selection label and contained four original compositions together with a number of country standards.

     After moving to the Queensland Sunshine Coast with his wife Pauline and children Meryl and Brian, Barry began to take things a little easier though never stopped playing his beloved guitar. His recording career took off with the production of 10 or more albums in the last 20 years including Barry Thornton Plays Slim Dusty, two volumes of Barry Thornton's Country Music Dance, Buts 'N' Bazza (with Lindsay Butler), Country In The '90s The Thornton Way, Gospel Guitar, The Legends Of Country Guitar (with Charlie Boyter and Lindsay Butler), Lest We Forget, The Country Way & Somethin' Country and Tunes From Australia's Top End. Barry has also featured, of course, on numerous recordings as a session player, on compilation albums and as a guest artist (including several with Lindsay Butler).

     Inducted into the Country Music Hands of Fame in 1981, in addition to his touring and playing, Barry has been heavily involved in the Queensland Champion of Champions working, since their inception, to ensure the annual success of the event. Less than a year ago, a special tribute was made to Barry at Champs soon after he had returned home from hospital after becoming seriously ill. A number of performers he had influenced put together a moving presentation to say thank you for his encouragement and advice over many years. Despite his continuing ill-health, Barry took the stage and played one of his favourites, The Old Rugged Cross, with the assistance of his fellow performers, ending in a standing ovation and barely a dry eye in the house.

     Still in spite of his illness, Barry continued to travel and tour. In January, he visited Tamworth for the annual country music festival to catch up with friends and fans and Launceston just last week where, among other things, he was going to help a young artist with their CD launch. He knew his health was precarious, but, as he told his old mate Slim in January, "I'm not going to sit down and wait for it, mate. I'm going out to do everything I want to, and I'll keep on doing shows just the same." He became ill on Saturday, was admitted to hospital that evening and died at 6.30am on Sunday at 68 years of age.

     But like a true legend, Barry leaves an enormous legacy to Australia and Australian country music - an inspiration to our instrumentalists over two generations.

     We acknowledge Jazzer Smith's Book of Australian Country Music in the compilation of this tribute.