In 1954 Lindsay wed Heather McKean, one-half of the popular duo the McKean Sisters, whose own Aussie country classics include The Gymkhana Yodel, Yodel Down the Valley, and The Morning Mail -- still, despite his public recognition and relentless touring schedule, success as a performer continued to elude him. Lindsay made the leap to television in 1964, relocating to Brisbane to host #The Reg Lindsay Country Hour. The series aired for eight years, culminating in the 1971 chart smash Armstrong, a tribute to U.S. astronaut Neil Armstrong that was originally penned by Kingston Trio alum John Stewart. Lindsay was no slouch as a composer himself, writing more than 500 songs during the course of his career and recording roughly 60 albums -- his other hits include July, You're a Woman, Silence on the Line, and Empty Arms Hotel. After launching the television hit #The Reg Lindsay Country Homestead, he concentrated on cracking the U.S. market, and in 1974 made his Opry debut, dividing his time between North America and Australia for more than a decade.
In 1989, Lindsay was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for his services to the nation's musical culture. During an appearance at the 1995 Tamworth Country Music Festival, he suffered a brain hemorrhage, followed by a heart attack the next year. Lindsay spent the remainder of his life in and out of hospitals, finally succumbing to pneumonia on August 5, 2008. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi