Roger Cardwell hosts Channel 9's 'Country & Western Hour', giving Adelaide singers a national profile in 1960s

Folk singer Roger Cardwell became the original host of Channel 9 Adelaide's The Country and Western Hour that gave a national profile to Adelaide singers such as Tina Lawton. Cardwell married Channel 9's Sue Barron, among the must-have television "weather girls" from the 1960s.
 

Adelaide took country and western music to an Australian national audience from 1963 with a show from Channel 9’s studios in Tynte Street, North Adelaide.

The Country and Western Hour achieved top ratings and picked up two Logie awards. It was originally hosted by Roger Cardwell, an outstanding country music singer who also sung folk at the Folk Hut coffee lounge.

A crossover with folk music, enjoying its Adelaide boom in the 1960s, was also a strong part of the show. Tina Lawton gained her national audience through The Country and Western Hour. Robyn Smith (Archer) also had her start on the show at age 15.

It also showcased the talents of Johnny Mac who straddled country and mainstream popular music, especially with his big national hit “Pink champagne”. (Channel 9’s Adelaide Tonight was another outlet for the city’s musicians.)

Backing group for The Country and Western Hour was Ray Bown and Bob Hardie together with Norm Koch on banjo, Ron Acfield on bass and John Crossing on piano with special guests every week, many of them Adelaide performers. Colin Huddleston’s square dancers were also regulars.

When Cardwell left the show to join Channel 10 in the mid 60s, Reg Lindsay became compere and the show continued successfully with guest artists such as Johnny Farnham, the Bee Gees, but with Adelaide groups like the Del Rios, the Viscounts, the Wesley Three and the Wills sisters Sue and Anne.

Country music continues to be strong in region areas such as Port Pirie and the Riverland that has hosted the South Australian country music festival since the late 1970s. It also has the Country Music Hall of Fame, originally opened by Slim Dusty in 1983, at Barmera.