Kevin Shegog

Kevin Joseph Alfred Shegog,^[1] was born on 20 August 1933 in Lower Turner Marsh near Launceston, Tasmania to Joseph (1902–1995) and Elvie Shegog (née Briant, 1910–1989).^[2][3] His parents were dairy farmers.^[4] When he was nine years old, Shegog taught himself to play guitar by listening to country songs on radio.^[2] He was also a member of the choir at Lower Turner Marsh State School. At the age of fourteen, he started performing at venues and began to write songs. He performed "western music" at a concert in Longford in June 1953.^[5] In 1955 the singer relocated to Melbourne (and later to Shepparton, Victoria) and joined the Gold-Toppers.^[4] He recorded his first tracks in 1959 with Planet Records, Melbourne.^[2] They appeared on a five-track extended play, Deep Down in Shegog (1959) and include his cover versions of "Riders in the Sky", "High Noon", "Mule Train" and "The Cry of the Wild Goose".^[2]

Kevin Shegog and the Gold-Toppers released Shegog's written single, "Little Kangaroo", in late 1960 via W&G Records.^[6] It had been issued earlier that year by fellow Country and Western singer, Johnny Ashcroft.^[7] It depicts Ned Kelly's girlfriend "The Roo".^[6] Shegog's most popular single, "Wolverton Mountain" (1962), is a rendition of Claude King's song, which was released in the United States in the same year.^[3][8] A W&G executive had learned of King's proposed single and arranged for the Australian to record it before the US version had appeared.^[3] Shegog's version reached No. 3 on the Melbourne singles chart.^[2][8] His next charting single, "Fall Out Shelter" (1962) reached the top 40.^[2][9] Shegog continued touring into the mid-1970s.^[3][10]

Shegog married Shirley May (née Haas) (1936–1981).^[4] Shegog and Haas were dating by August 1954.^[11] The couple had five children, Dallas, Susan, Lorena, Angela and Travis (1972–1994). From 1970 the family lived in Melbourne's suburbs of Preston, Reservoir and then Box Hill.^[4] Shegog was a distant cousin of Vivian Bullwinkel.