Geoff Mack
Encyclopedia
Albert Geoffrey McElhinney OAM
(born 20 December 1922 in Surrey Hills, Victoria
, Australia
), also known as Geoff Mack, is a country music
singer and songwriter
. He was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia on 13 June 2005 with the citation, For service to country music and to the community, particularly through support for senior citizens' groups. As a songwriter, he wrote "I've Been Everywhere
" which was an Australian hit for Lucky Starr
in April 1962 and became popular in North America when adapted for Hank Snow
in November. More than 130 cover version
s have been recorded.
At the end of the war Geoff went to Japan with the Occupation Forces to perform, and was appointed to Radio WLKS as the voice of the British Commonwealth Occupation Forces.
His 1959 song, "I've been everywhere" became a hit in Australia in 1962 with the release of a version by Lucky Starr
. It later reached the top of the song charts in the USA, Germany and Japan. The song has now been recorded in 131 different versions, notably on Johnny Cash's 1996 album "Unchained". Geoff was inducted into the International Songwriters Hall of Fame in Nashville, Tennessee in 1963, into the Hands of Fame at Tamworth NSW in 1978, and he received the Tamworth Song Writer's Association Song Maker Award in 1997.
Geoff McElhinney was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 2005 for his service to country music, and his support of community and senior citizens' groups http://itsanhonour.gov.au/honours/honour_roll/search.cfm?aus_award_id=1136230&search_type=quick&showInd=true.
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
(born 20 December 1922 in Surrey Hills, Victoria
Surrey Hills, Victoria
Surrey Hills is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 12 km east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area lies within the cities of Boroondara and Whitehorse...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
), also known as Geoff Mack, is a country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
singer and songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
. He was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia on 13 June 2005 with the citation, For service to country music and to the community, particularly through support for senior citizens' groups. As a songwriter, he wrote "I've Been Everywhere
I've Been Everywhere
The song "I've Been Everywhere" was written by Geoff Mack in 1959 and made popular by the singer Lucky Starr in 1962.The song listed Australian towns...
" which was an Australian hit for Lucky Starr
Leslie Morrison
Leslie Morrison , better known by his stage name Lucky Starr, is an Australian singer. He released the tongue-twisting, "I've Been Everywhere" as a single in 1962, written by the singer-songwriter Geoff Mack, which name-drops numerous Australian towns...
in April 1962 and became popular in North America when adapted for Hank Snow
Hank Snow
Clarence Eugene "Hank" Snow was a Canadian-American country music artist. He charted more than 70 singles on the Billboard country charts from 1950 until 1980...
in November. More than 130 cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
s have been recorded.
Biography
His musical career was established during World War II. He enlisted in the RAAF, and whilst serving in Borneo his ability to play the guitar and sing was noticed, and he was seconded to entertain the troops with visiting guest stars.At the end of the war Geoff went to Japan with the Occupation Forces to perform, and was appointed to Radio WLKS as the voice of the British Commonwealth Occupation Forces.
His 1959 song, "I've been everywhere" became a hit in Australia in 1962 with the release of a version by Lucky Starr
Leslie Morrison
Leslie Morrison , better known by his stage name Lucky Starr, is an Australian singer. He released the tongue-twisting, "I've Been Everywhere" as a single in 1962, written by the singer-songwriter Geoff Mack, which name-drops numerous Australian towns...
. It later reached the top of the song charts in the USA, Germany and Japan. The song has now been recorded in 131 different versions, notably on Johnny Cash's 1996 album "Unchained". Geoff was inducted into the International Songwriters Hall of Fame in Nashville, Tennessee in 1963, into the Hands of Fame at Tamworth NSW in 1978, and he received the Tamworth Song Writer's Association Song Maker Award in 1997.
Geoff McElhinney was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 2005 for his service to country music, and his support of community and senior citizens' groups http://itsanhonour.gov.au/honours/honour_roll/search.cfm?aus_award_id=1136230&search_type=quick&showInd=true.