November 30, 2023
Ross River Fever isn’t enough to keep an old trouper down, even if he’s almost 91 years old!
Chadwick William Morgan OAM – better known to everyone as Chad – packed out Kumbia Memorial Hall on Sunday afternoon at a fundraiser for the Kumbia QCWA and the Kumbia Hall Committee.
Chad, who hails from Wondai, explained to the crowd he had cancelled other gigs when the old malady reared its head again but he was determined to make the Kumbia event.
But just in case he couldn’t do a full concert, he had organised for a few of his friends to come along and entertain the crowd.
This meant the audience also had the opportunity to enjoy bonus sets by Dean Perrett (with Paul Ricketts) and Kylie Hogan.
In the end, there was no need to worry, as Chad put on a full show.
A special guest in the front row was country singer Gordon Larkin who toured with Chad for years.
Kumbia QCWA vice-president Catherine Woodham said a local resident – a nephew of Chad – had suggested the fundraising event.
She said the whole day had been “amazing”.
“It was definitely bigger than Ben Hur,” she said.
There were more than 200 people in the hall, which kept the QCWA members busy providing food, as well as volunteers from the Kumbia Hall Committee who were managing the licensed bar.
After his second set of songs, Chad stayed around in the supper room at the hall for at least an hour signing autographs and posing for photos.
“He was more than happy to stay and chat,” Catherine said.
And the crowd seemed more than happy with the music.
Chad sang all his old favourites, including “The Sheik Of Scrubby Creek”, “I’m My Own Grandpa” and “Double Decker Blowflies”, but it was the lyrics from another which really hit home: “There’s life in the old dog yet …”
