For Anne and David Kirkpatrick, Slim Dusty’s music has always been far more than a collection of songs: it’s the soundtrack to a childhood spent travelling the country, living out of caravans and watching their father spread joy and connect with audiences everywhere he went.
Now, as Australia prepares to celebrate what would have been the country music legend’s 100th birthday, they’re inviting fans to become part of his story too.
In 2027, Slim Dusty’s centenary will be marked with Slim Dusty 100, a celebration of his life and music, alongside that of his wife and lifelong musical partner, Joy McKean.
Presented by their children Anne and David, the event will bring together music, stories and archival footage to revisit and celebrate the career of one of Australia’s most enduring cultural figures, with a celebration in January at Tamworth Town Hall.
But before the celebrations begin, there’s an important decision to be made: which songs best tell the story of Slim Dusty?
In a nod to the much-loved triple j Hottest 100 format, fans are being invited to vote for their top 10 favourite Slim Dusty songs, with the votes to be collated into a definitive top 100. Voting closes on November 16, with the resulting list to be compiled into a CD celebrating the breadth of his catalogue.
For his family, putting the decision in the hands of listeners was an obvious choice. “The point of it is that they wanted to connect with the fans, because it’s the fans who’ve kept Slim Dusty’s music going,” David says.
While there are some songs that they’re confident will feature prominently, including Lights On The Hill and Looking Forward, Looking Back, it’s the less obvious choices that have them particularly excited.
“There’s a song called Grasshopper Loose in Queensland that my Father used to sing to me when I was six years old in a caravan, and songs like Saddle Boy, right back in the early cannons of his work. That’s important,” David shares.
Anne adds, “For me, I think of that country boy in a little valley out of Kempsey… he wanted to leave the valley and play music and make a name for himself. But he wrote a song that really started it all off for him as a teenager, When The Rain Tumbles Down In July. I think for sure that’ll make the 100.”
As well as the hits, they hope the list will also uncover the songs that have quietly become part of people’s lives: the tracks associated with family road trips, childhood memories and moments that have stayed with them for decades. It’s an opportunity to see Slim Dusty’s music beyond the lens of his most celebrated recordings and through the personal connections people have formed through his work.
And those connections extend far beyond the traditional country music audience. Growing up, Anne and David were immersed in a music world that most children could only imagine. Their family life revolved around touring, performing, and travelling, with showgrounds and caravans serving as home for long stretches of time.
David was born in Rockhampton while his parents were on the road, and a week later he and his mother rejoined the show in Cairns, beginning a life that would see him spend his first six years travelling and living out of a caravan.
"It was an unusual way of life now that I look back on it," he says. "I thought it was quite normal to be standing backstage and watching people running back on stage."
This early exposure gave both him and Anne a perspective on the music industry that would be difficult to replicate. Rather than seeing performers as these almighty figures, they witnessed the work behind the scenes: the travel, long hours and practical realities of keeping a touring show on the road.
"It was wonderful to be surrounded by the best," Anne says. "I always thought I learnt my ropes from the best."
Watching their parents work, hearing songs develop and meeting audiences across the country inspired and shaped their own relationship with music. It was an upbringing that made performing feel like taking over the family business rather than an extraordinary career choice.
The sense of normality that they carried was briefly interrupted by the success of The Pub With No Beer, which brought a new level of fame to Slim Dusty and transformed their everyday life. Suddenly the recognition surrounding their father became impossible to miss.
Anne remembers noticing a change in his appearance, too. The familiar grey Akubra was replaced by a white one, and there was suddenly a new sense of spectacle around the man she had always known simply as Dad.
“It was like, ‘wow! I can’t believe it! My dad’s famous?!’ All of a sudden,” she recalls.
These personal stories will form an important part of Slim Dusty 100. Alongside the live music, the family hopes to incorporate audiovisual elements, including photographs and archival footage, giving audiences a glimpse into the lives and stories behind the songs.
David says he could tell a story about almost every song he performs from his parents’ catalogue. The memories don’t necessarily always relate to the writing process, maybe from a performance he attended, a moment on the road or an experience from the years spent watching his dad on stage.
The family also have a wealth of archival material close at hand. Anne’s son James works as a film archivist and filmmaker, and has already done extensive work with the family’s collection. He and his wife Laura are expected to contribute to some of the shows, adding another generation to the celebration.
When it comes to revisiting the songs, David shares that there’s always an emotional weight there. “I catch myself on stage at times, tearing up in the middle of a song, and I sort of have to get myself collected again,” he says.
That emotion is accompanied by an overwhelming sense of pride as well. Being able to continue spreading their parents’ music and stories is something both Anne and David consider a huge privilege.
The live concert event will happen on January 22nd, 2027, at the Tamworth Town Hall, with voting for the Top 100 closing on November 16. The family will then face the enormous task of collating the results and turning thousands of favourites into one concise list, with the countdown being revealed on June 13th, 2027—what would have been Slim’s 100th birthday.
As for what Slim himself would have made of a centenary event held in his honour, David suspects his father would have been delighted and amused. After all, he was never one to shy away from a good party.
For Anne, David and their families, Slim Dusty 100 is a way to honour their parents and continue the work they’ve always known: singing the songs, telling the stories and making sure the music makes its way to a new generation.
One hundred years after his birth, the invitation is now open to everyone who has ever sung along to Duncan, remembered a loved one through Looking Forward, Looking Back or discovered a little piece of Australia through his music.
Voting for the Slim Dusty 100 is now open and closes on Monday, 16 November. Cast your vote here.
