Rusty Greaves sings "Freight Train Yodel"

Born Trevor Greaves in 1931 and brought up on a dairy farm near Woodville, New Zealand, 40 Kms from the nearest school. As a youth he was hospitalized twice, being kicked by a bad tempered horse, then later tussled by a powerful bull.
During his long recovery in hospital he was able to attend night classes at college to catch up with the schooling that he had missed. At the same time, Rusty found employment through the railway workshops in Auckland, where he learnt carpentry.
During his 50-year career, this New Zealand pioneer of country music was the first overseas guest on the world famous Grand Ole Opry in Nashville Tennessee. That night he received a historical four encores. He went on to do 11 more appearances in years to come, many as a guest of Hank Snow.
Rusty had no thoughts of leaving New Zealand. He cut his first record (Muleskinner Blues) in 1960 for Zodiac and recorded "She taught Me To Yodel" in 1963. He ran the all-country music nights at the Monument Lodge in Otahuhu, but only every second Sunday. He wanted the other Sundays free to take country music to other places, hear other performers, watch and encourage his own pupils, dozens of whom went on to become professionals in the field.
Rusty was a Founder member of the New Zealand Variety Artists Club and won the coveted "Benny Award for excellence" in 1976.
He died in 1998 at the age of 63. His 14 children all perform and the golden voice has been passed down to his grandchildren.
Here he sings a Tex Morton Song at the Century Theatre in Napier in 1986.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Country
• and
• Western
• Music
• New
• Zealand
• World
• Singer

[ngairerose54]

Love you Dad miss you heaps xx

[wintercat2]

that is a yodel, not even close

[BY1NO1]

Excellent! I remember this song from my youth.

Mike Johnson