REG LINDSAY Armstrong (John Stewart)
Australia 1971 #6 Sydney #19 Melbourne #2 Brisbane #5 Adelaide #16 Perth Australia (Go-Set) #6
Country singer and prolific songwriter Reg Lindsay (1929-2008) was a familiar face on Australian TV from the mid-60s until the 80s through his nationally networked country music shows.
Sydney-born Lindsay, who got his big break on a radio talent show in 1951, was a multiple Golden Guitar winner at the Tamworth Country Music Festival and was inducted into Australian Country Music Foundation's Hall of Fame(1977) and Roll of Renown (1984). He was awarded the Order of Australia medal in 1989 for services to country music.
Reg Lindsay appeared on Nashville's Grand Ole Opry in 1974 (the first Australian to achieve that) and had several singles released on Nashville label Con Brio 1976-1979. There is a Reg Lindsayaudio interview in the collection of the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville.
Armstrong was Reg Lindsay's crossover hit on the pop charts, and is the song most associated with him by many Australians. Also prominent in his repertoire was July You're A Woman, another John Stewart composition.
JOHN STEWART Armstrong (John Stewart)
USA 1969
Original version
Single on Capitol, a tribute to Neil Armstrong, first man to step onto the surface of the Moon, in 1969. B-side of Anna on a Memory. Also on 1973 album Cannons in the Rain, a different recording.
Singer-songwriter John Stewart (1939-2008) joined folk-pop group The Kingston Trio in 1961, replacing founding member Dave Guard.
After the break-up of The Kingston Trio in 1967, John Stewart released numerous critically-acclaimed solo albums over the years. His songs were also recorded by many other artists, but his biggest popular successes were with Daydream Believer, a hit for The Monkees (1967, #1 USA), and his own hit single Gold (1979, #5 USA).
Armstrong has also been recorded by Lobo (on Just A Singer, 1974), Ian Mackintosh (on Singing From the Inside, UK, 1981) and Nanci Griffith (on Clock Without Hands, 2001)