Country Musician, Actor. Born Robert William Lane, Tex Morton was a New Zealand born musician who rose to popularity in the1930s and 1940s for his Country music style and yodelling which were the first of its kind recorded in Australia and the first Country music to be recorded outside of the United States. Born in Nelson, New Zealand, Tex was inspired at a young age by artists such as Jimmie Rodgers, Goebel Reeves and Harry Toranni and quickly learnt the acoustic guitar with help from local Māori boys and sailors stopping at Nelson. In the early thirties, Tex travelled to Sydney, Australia where he began busking. He found work on sheep stations before getting a chance to perform on the radio channel 2KY. After gaining popularity amongst local listeners, Tex was signed to the Regal Zonophone label where in February, 1936 he recorded his first songs. In 1937 he recorded his own composition titled "Black Sheep" which is reported to have sold over 80,000 copies, the first Australian release to do so. Tex began touring Australia and New Zealand as part of a self titled Circus and Rodeo where he performed sharp shooting and stockwhip skills as well as singing. He recorded nearly one hundred songs on the label before departing due to creative disagreements and relocated to the United States. In America he performed as a vaudeville and a daredevil, walking blindfolded across buildings in cities as well as continuing his regular skills. He relocated to Canada after over staying his visa where he performed as "Dr. Robert Morton, The Worlds Greatest Hypnotist." "The Great Morton Show" toured several countries, featuring as far away as Hong Kong while Tex also appeared on radio, television and stage in Canada and the States. He returned to Australia in 1959 with Roy Acuff and The Grand Ole Oprey, touring unsuccessfully. Unable to gain a hold on the musical market in Australia due to the rise of artists such as Slim Dusty, Tex continued to regularly perform on stage and television, hosting the New Zealand country music program "Country Touch." As Robert Morton he began acting, appearing in TV shows and films such as "Stir" (1980), "We Of The Never Never" (1982), and "Goodbye Paradise" (1983) before his death from lung cancer in 1983. In 1974 he won the APRA song of the Year with "Goondiwindi Gray" and In 1976 he was named Father of Australasian Country Music while also being inducted into the Australian Roll of Renown that same year. He is credited with inspiring many Australasian country musicians such as Slim Dusty, Buddy Williams, Reg Lindsay and Cole Wilson and recorded many notable country songs, the first of which to incorporate Australian imagery and wording. His most notable songs include "Wrap Me Up With My Stockwhip and Blanket," "The Cat Came Back," "I'll Be Hanged," "The Ned Kelly Song," "Freight Train Yodel," and "You'll Never Be Missed."