[Downunder Dan]

Tex Morton was born in New Zealand, learned to play the guitar and ran away from home aged 15, determined to make a career in entertainment. He adopted the surname 'Morton' to help avoid the interest of the police, who were looking for a runaway boy under his birth name. He made some recordings of what he called "hillbilly music", and moved to Australia in the 1930s (a fairly common career move - Australia has more people, so more potential earnings for an entertainer). During World War II, her entertained the troops, and after that he toured in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and America. As well as music, he was variously known as a stage magician, a memory expert, a hypnotist and a sharp-shooter. When the touring circuit became less profitable, he started working in television, and added actor to his range of jobs. Morton was extravagant in his spending, and hence always looking for his next job. Morton was recognised as initiating the American-style country and western music style in Australia, influencing contemporaries and later musicians, and was the first name added to the Australian Country Music Role of Renown. He lived a full life, passing away aged 66.

Link to the comment: Tex Morton's Wild West Comic vol.2 4