Stan Coster

Born on 27 May 1930 in Casino, New South Wales, Australia, and passing away on 25 March 1997, the songwriter and singer left school at 14 to wander across the country. Along the way he took up work as a fencer, slaughterman, horsebreaker, kangaroo shooter, bulldozer driver and rough rider in a travelling rodeo. Songwriting began for him in 1956, when the stories and imagery drawn from those years on the road supplied both subject matter and impetus. His breakthrough arrived in 1962 once Slim Dusty cut the first of his compositions, “Return Of The Stockman.” Dusty would ultimately record more than 60 Coster songs, and other leading Australian country artists, among them Buddy Williams, also turned to his material. Together Dusty and Coster wrote “By A Fire Of Gidgee Coal,” now regarded as a classic Australian country song.

Coster made his first recordings in 1979 and simultaneously launched his own touring roadshow that played extensively through several states. His daughter Tracy, born 12 April 1966 in Winton, Queensland, Australia, joined the show at age 13, contributing bass and vocals alongside the Blue Gum Band. Widely acknowledged as Australia’s foremost bush-ballad writer, he saw more than 100 of his compositions recorded by others. “Three Rivers Hotel” earned him the Golden Guitar for Best Composition at the 1977 Australian Country Music Awards, and in 1982 he received the inaugural Song Maker Of The Year honour at the Tamworth Country Music Awards. The Australasian Country Music Roll of Renown inducted him in 1990. Coster died in March 1997.