Ian B. MacLeod "Restless" (Troubadour Records, 1972) (LP)
Billing himself as "the rockabilly cowboy," Ian B. MacLeod was born in Scotland and raised in England, and emigrated to Australia in 1960 after a teenage stint in the merchant marines. Alhough he was a rocker at heart, in his first recording contract he was initially cast as a teen pop idol and given the stage name of Adam, recording several singles under that name in the early 'Sixties. When Beatlemania struck down under, MacLeod took an unusual tack, leaning into country music and rockabilly when everyone else was clamoring to break through as mop-top rockers. He worked steadily as a twangster for years, playing in clubs, on TV, and on cruise ships and finally broke through as an Aussie country idol in the 'Seventies.

Ian B. MacLeod "Hello Mary Lou" (Bunyip Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Ian B. McLeod & Steve Penning)

Ian B. MacLeod "Just For You" (Bunyip Records, 1981) (LP)

The McConkey Brothers "Country Music Universal Style" (EMI-Sunset Records, 1982) (LP)
(Produced by Frank Flammea & Merv Lowry)
This family band from Shepparton, Victoria seems to have been mainly a harmony-vocals act, though they sang in all sorts of combinations -- solo, duo, and trio -- including a few yodeling tunes. The brothers were Keith, Ken and Kevin McConkey, joined by fourth vocalist (and organ player) Ken Tuckett, as well as bassist Rhonda Perry and guitar picker David De-Quilettes, who was given an instrumental spotlight on "Rose Of San Antone." They were previously featured on the WANDONG COUNTRY live compilation, back in 1979, and this may have been their only full album, though there was also an earlier EP, also recored at the Nicholson Sound Studio in Melbourne, with a similar lineup.

Heather McKean "Little But I'm Loud" (Calendar Records, 19--?) (LP)

The McKean Sisters "Collection" (Axis Records, 1983) (LP)

Beverley McShanag "Yodelling Country Girl" (Morning Mist Records, 1985) (LP)
(Produced by Ron Ellis)
Old-school western music, with yodeling and plain old country vocals from cowgal Beverley McShanag, who started her career competing in talent contests during the late 1940s and '50s and worked professionally after her initial successes. She was formerly known as Beverley Levien, performing under that name while touring with the Graham Bell Jazz Band, as well as a stint with Buddy Williams. She's backed here by her frequent collaborators, Olive Bice (bass), Hazel Ellis (percussion), Ron Ellis (guitar and organ), Alan Hawking (lead guitar), delivering a repertoire that includes covers of a couple of June Holms oldies.

Beverley McShanag & Olive Bice "Yodeling In Harmony" (R&H Studios, 1985)
(Produced by Ron Ellis)
This may have been a cassette only album... haven't seen an LP version yet, if it exists. This features Beverley McShanag and Olive Bice on vocals, with Bice playing bass, as well as Ron Ellis multi-tasking on bass, guitar and organ, and Alan Hawking on lead guitar.

John McSweeney "...Sings Daisy A Day And Precious Memories" (Rev Records, 1973) (LP)
(Produced by Peter Smerdon & Ron E. Vietheer)
One of the first records by Queenslander John McSweeney, a rootsy feller with a nice smooth baritone... According to the liner notes, McSweeney grew up on a dairy farm near the town of Woodford, a rural area north of Brisbane, and he made the East coast of the Australia his professional stomping grounds when his career kicked into gear. On this album, McSweeeney pledges allegiance to Glen Campbell and Merle Haggard, though the set list is a pretty diverse selection of late 'Sixties/early 'Seventies American hits, including several Kris Kristofferson songs, some Bakersfield stuff, and more poppy numbers like Jud Strunk's "Daisy A Day," which was released as the album's single. Strumming rhythm guitar, he's backed by pianist Rod Byrne, Mike Conlon (drums), Trevor Jolly (banjo and lead guitar), Mike Murphy (bass) and Tony Sweeney on pedal steel -- the liner notes also plug his previous EP for the Rev Records label, The Golden Voice Of John McSweeney. McSweeney was soon signed to RCA and enjoyed major label support, though by decade's end he moved on and founded his own label, Mac Records, releasing a long string of his own albums and singles, as well as those of several off-the-radar country artists.

John McSweeney "John McSweeney" (RCA-Australia, 1974) (LP)
(Produced by Warren Mills)
His major label debut seems to have been an effort to shape him into a countrypolitan singer or even a straight pop stylist... It includes country, like a couple of Mel Tillis tunes, a Don Gibson oldie, and a version of Kris Kristofferson's "For The Good Times," but also more poppy material from folks such as The Bee Gees, and Rod McKuen. No info on the backing band, alas. A couple of songs are credited mysteriously to "Bonza," who also was the album's producer, though I haven't been able to determine who that really was... The Bonza songs are "One Way Or Another" and the topical "The Great Brisbane Flood (Australia Day '74)" a relief charity fundraiser commemorating the January, 1974 deluge that inundated the Queensland capitol during a national holiday. The song was apparently a hit single before this album came out, and perhaps was the impetus for McSweeney's signing(?)

John McSweeney "My Diesel Friend" (RCA-Camden, 1975) (LP)

John McSweeney "Mister Country Entertainer" (Opal Records, 1979) (LP)

John McSweeney "Nobody's Darling But Mine" (Mac Records, 1980) (LP)

John McSweeney "A Long Line Of Love" (Mac Records, 1988) (LP)

The Milliner Family "The Milliner Family" (Strad Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Lindsay Butler)
Ron Milliner grew up listening to bush country legend Slim Dusty, and emulated his sound in this family band, which was led by Mr. Milliner on guitar, with backing from his three children, fifteen-year old Gaylene playing bass and guitar, seven-year old Justin, and middle child Leanda Milliner as the group's principal yodeler. They performed at a mini-opry venue called the Parkes Country Music Jamboree, as well as in nearby Dubbo, NSW, and in Canberra. This album is mostly made up of original material written by the older three members of the troupe, as well as some oldies from Slim Dusty, Shirley Thoms and Jean Stafford; there's also one song co-written by Bob Hartup, an

Lawrie Minson "Memories Of Home: An Instrumental Tribute to Our Travelling Country Music Showmen" (EMI, 1989)

Lawrie Minson "Family Tree" (ABC Music, 1996)

Lawrie Minson "Loves Journey" (2009)

Lawrie Minson & Lindsay Waddington "Waddo And Lawrie: Up The Creek" (Kross Kutt Records, 2013)

The Moonee Valley Drifters "Boogie Woogie Fever" (Brunswick Recordings, 1988) (LP)
(Produced by James Black & The Drifters)
An amiable, uptempo set by a country-and-jump-blues retro band from Australia. They play all kinds of oldies -- country stuff from Gene Autry, Roger Miller, Marty Robbins, Floyd Tillman and others, along with some 1940s/50s-style R&B... The group features pianist/producer James Black, Tom Forsell (lead vocals, mandolin), Rob Greenville (lead guitar), Peter Linden (pedal steel, saxophone), Andrew Lindsay (drums) and Paul Pyle (bass) who all seem to have a good time jamming together. It's not earthshaking or groundbreaking, but fans of Big Sandy, et.al. might get a kick out of it. This album was sponsored by the arts council of the city of Brunswick, a suburb of Melbourne, adjacent to Moonee Valley, on the north side of the city.

Moose Malone "House Of Blue Lights" (RCA Victor, 1977) (LP)
(Produced by Martin Benge)
The lone album by these eclectic outlaw twangsters from Queensland, Australia, who were infamous for starting a drunken brawl at a record industry event held in 1979 for John Denver, an RCA labelmate who they were supposed to open for on his Australian tour; they were soon unceremoniously dropped from the label's roster, which is why this is their only album. The group started in 1975 as a trio including guitarist Ewan Mackenzie, along with rock/country guitar/steel player Jimmy Brelsford, and singer A.P. Johnson (who both formerly played in a '60s psych band called Bay City Union) and later added Gerry Allen on drums, guitarist Tony McKennariey and Sam Murray... also on guitar. The group had a hippie-ish vibe similar to their American brethren such as the New Riders Of The Purple Sage and Commander Cody -- and like Commander Cody, their name was based on a fictional character with a fictional backing band, Moose Malone and The Mohairs. This is a pretty strong set with plenty of covers including "My Window Faces The South," "The End Is Not In Sight" from the Amazing Rhythm Aces, Ray Wylie Hubbard's "West Texas Country and Western Dance Band," Gene Clark's "Kansas City Southern," Paul Seibel's "Louise," a Dylan tune and -- in case their font of inspiration was unclear, "God Bless America." The band also released a couple of singles which never made it onto an album: reissue compilation, anyone?

Tex Morton - see artist discography

Mulga Bill's Bicycle Band "In Concert Recording" (Candle Records, 1973) (LP)
(Produced by Nick Armstrong & Jim Nicholls)

Carrl Myriad & Janie Myriad "Of All The Wounded People" (Spin Records, 1972) (LP)
(Produced by Malcolm Devenish, John French & Gus Neil)

Carrl Myriad "Like A Gypsy Or A Cowboy Or An Old Time Bushranger" (Selection Records, 1979) (LP)
(Produced by Carrl Myriad & Eric Watson)
Stylistically diverse, singer-guitarist Carrl Myriad worked as both a rock and country artist, hewing to folkloric bush music in his acoustic career, and heavier-sounding folk-rock on the other end of the spectrum. Myriad also worked as a producer and musician on many other artist's albums.

Carrl Myriad "Blue Outback Nights" (Axent Studios, 1990) (cassette)
(Produced by Carrl Myriad & Glen Barwick)

Hick Music Index