The Mid North Coast has joined the Australian music industry in mourning the matriarch and Queen of country, Joy McKean OAM.
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The 93-year-old died on Thursday, May 25, after a battle with cancer. She was surrounded by her family.
Joy was the wife of the late Slim Dusty and the woman behind many of his hit songs.
In 1973, she won the first Golden Guitar presented at the Tamworth Town Hall for "Lights on the Hill".
In a statement following news of her death, the Slim Dusty Centre at Kempsey described her as a "trailblazer" and praised her "remarkable contribution to the music industry."
"Joy's immense talent shone through in her compositions... through her artistry, she brought communities together and gifted us with countless extraordinary moments in time that will be etched in our memories," the statement read.
"In recent years, Joy supported the Slim Dusty Foundation... through the transition of the Slim Dusty Centre to Kempsey Shire Council."
From Tuesday next week, council will have a condolence book at the centre for community and visitors to share messages and memories.
Rising Mid North Coast country artist Angus Gill, who is about to move to Nashville, was among those to pay tribute on social media.
"An incredible, trailblazing songsmith," he wrote.
"Blessed to have known her and to receive her kind words of encouragement and support.
"My heart goes out to Anne, David and the family."
The New England North West had a special place in Joy's heart. She was inspired to write "Lights on the Hill" when driving in the rain on the Moonbi Ranges.
"[She] had the respect of the entire industry. Her son, David [Kirkpatrick], has just started his new group and their single is "A Life Well Lived".
"When Joy received the [Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to Australian Music in 2021], David described Joy's life as a life well lived - that sums it up well.
"She was one of the very first pioneers, which she rarely got credit for. With her sister Heather, The McKean Sisters were... part of the historic country music that really got things going.
"But when they got married, they went their separate ways."
Max said he first met Joy in the late 1960s when they did a show in Tamworth. The association with Tamworth grew when Joy and Slim won the first Golden Guitars.
"They quickly built a strong association with Tamworth and took Tamworth artists on tour with them; bringing credibility to Tamworth and what we were doing in building the Country Music Capital brand.
Slim, Joy, John Williamson and Max Ellis founded the Country Music Association of Australia, keeping the Golden Guitar Awards.
CMAA president and chair Dobe Newton said he first met Joy when they launched the CMAA in 1992. He was impressed with her advocacy for the artists and her "beautiful heart and soul".
"Anybody who knew Joy, knew that she took no prisoners, but she was absolutely devoted to making sure artists were respected and that the awards continued," he said.
"Quite frankly, if it hadn't been for those people, who knows what the awards would look like now."
Dobe also performed on the Slim Dusty show when Pete Denahy wasn't available to warm the crowd up.
"I did it and it was fantastic because I got to hang out with them and I've never met a more genuine person as Joy.
"When she had to ask me to stop telling jokes with swearing in them, she did it in a very straightforward but caring manner. Then, only three years ago, she agreed to come up to The Academy and that was just magic."
The Academy director Lyn Bowtell described Joy as a pioneer, a role model and an inspiration.
"For many decades Joy has been at the very heart of our country music family," the Golden Guitar winner said.
"When she attended the Academy in 2020 as guest speaker, we were fortunate to help celebrate her 90th birthday with her favourite sponge cake.
"In her time with us she made a very deep connection with the Academy staff and students as she spoke to us about her life with Slim and the long, arduous hours of touring Australia in the old days.
"She was a pioneer, a role model and an inspiration. We will all miss her deeply."
Country Music Capital News managing editor Cheryl Brown also shared her memories of Joy as an inspiration.
"I have been empowered in my lifetime by the strength and resilience of Joy McKean - daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, aunt, friend, songwriter, singer and businesswoman," she said.
"When I was a young girl, it was always Slim and Joy. They turned up to everything. Tamworth was very important to them always, particularly in the early years, and they were at all but one or two of the festivals in their lifetime.
"It's widely known to the industry that she gave wonderful advice to those who'd listen and those who'd reach out and, from the early years, she was a mentor to Keith Urban, Lee Kernaghan, Troy Cassar-Daley, Kasey Chambers and many others.
"They continued to reach out to her for guidance through the years. What a legacy she has left: her words of advice and in song."
Country music festival manager Barry Harley said Joy would be remembered as the "matriarch of the industry".
"To survive 50 years in the industry is one thing," he said. "But to actually lead the industry for 50 years is something else."
Joy and Slim were immortalised in bronze on Tamworth's boulevard of dreams in 2014.
Barry said her passing would leave a "great hole" in the community, the festival, and the industry.
"There's probably no one that will take her place," he said.
"Hopefully the strength of the literal hundreds of women who are now coming through the industry because of her, will take on that beacon."
A tribute for Ms McKean is expected to feature at the 2024 Tamworth Country Music Festival.
