Tamworth country music legend Michael Cooke died January 18, 2023

The musician, based for the majority of his life in Tamworth, died at the age of 84 in Nioka, Tamworth hospital.

Born on September 22, 1936 in Mosman, Mr Cooke didn't begin performing until the 60's after purchasing a property at Currabubula.

He began his professional life in Boggabri, working on properties in the area in 1953 before joining the Australian Mercantile Land and Finance Company as a jackaroo for seven years. He became overseer on the firm's properties in western NSW and QLD.

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He joined the MCMA, now known as the Capital Country Music Association (CCMA), in 1967 and sent a demo tape to Hadley Records.

Owner of the record company, Eric Scott, told the Leader Mr Cooke was a good singer.

"Michael was very keen on the American style of country music, rather than bush ballads," he said.

"He was a delight to work with.

"His music was modern of the day, but it was decidedly country music."

While country music has "undoubtedly" changed its direction since Mr Scott and his wife Hilary were producing music, Mr Cooke's was "genuine country".

It was American in style, and he wrote material himself, Mr Scott said.

Mr Cooke made his first four EPs with Hadley, and a 12-track LP called Don't Smile - Swing!

The first two EPs were recorded in Melbourne at the Victoria Hotel at Epping, and the rest were recorded in Tamworth.

A lot of musicians lived in Tamworth at the time, Hilary Scott said.

"It was a great musical time," she said.

Mr Cooke was highly educated, with an intelligent brain, Mrs Scott said.

"He always dressed beautifully on stage. He was immaculately dressed. Everything was just so-so with him," she said.

"His suits were handcrafted, they were beautiful suits that he used to wear."

His final album was recorded in 1980 on the Opal Records label, and appeared with Geoff Brown and Vicki Lawrence performing across the North-West and New England area in 1983.

He was inducted into the Hands of Fame in 1986.

Fishing was a love of his, Mrs Scott said.

For six years from 1974 to 1980, he gave up music and became a professional fisherman in Sydney.

He used to travel down to Forster, near Newcastle, to go fishing.

"Take his little tinny boat, which he'd hire from the old services club, and he'd go down to Forster on weekends and fish down there," Mrs Scott said.

"He was a nice bloke."