Since her recent passing, I’ve thought a lot about what Joy McKean meant to the industry. She was one of the legends and pioneers of Australian Country Music. Joy was the strength behind her husband, Slim Dusty, but she was also much more. She was a great believer in our own Aussie music. When five of us, including Slim, Joy and I, formed the CMAA, I saw the power of her convictions; to keep our music in the hands of those who believed in it. She was a ‘tough old bird’, some might say, but she was what we needed and, behind those sparkling blue eyes, I saw a lot of love and gentleness. Where would the Tamworth Country Music Festival be without Slim, and where would Slim be without Joy? We’ll miss you, Joy. Johnno