John Lewis Ashcroft OAM FAIHA (1 February 1927 – 19 May 2021)[1] was an Australian country music and folk entertainer, singer, songwriter, and musician, who also recorded pop, skiffle, jazz, and disco as his alter ego, the Baron.

In 1956, as the Australian Broadcasting Commission began transmitting from its tiny Arcon Studio at Gore Hill, Sydney, Johnny wrote and sang the show's title theme, Crazy Cross.

Pre-television Tests and Australia's First C&W Television Performer In 1957, Ashcroft recorded Gordon Parsons's, A Pub with No Beer with Graeme Bell.

[6] They're a Weird Mob, recorded in late 1958, also included the doyens of Australian jazz: Graeme Bell, Don Burrows, John Sangster, George Thompson, Ron Falson together with Noel Smith from the Royal Ballet Orchestra.

This song, written by Ashcroft from DJ Tony Withers's idea, tells the story of Steven Walls who became lost from his parents' property at Tubbamurra near Guyra, NSW.

Five thousand people and seven aircraft, together with Aboriginal tracker William Stanley, searched the rugged bush country, which was rife with dingos and deadly snakes.

[8] At the height of Little Boy Lost's success, Ashcroft withdrew his recording from airplay out of consideration for the family of 8-year old Graeme Thorne, the victim of Australia's first kidnapping.

Johnny Ashcroft was the first country artist in Australia to have Gold Records presented on stage, when three were bestowed simultaneously before a live audience in Tamworth, in 1971.

With Golden Guitars designed by John Minson, Tamworth had started its journey to eventually become recognised as one of the world's top ten music festivals (2002).

Each featured in solo performances and duets.That same year, Ashcroft recorded his fourth hit – an American pop song, Clint Holmes's Playground In My Mind, which made No.

[11] Also in 1975, Johnny Ashcroft wrote Australia's first female trucking song, My Home-Coming Trucker's Coming Home, for Gay Kayler to record.

More information Johnny's 1978 LP And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda, included a faithful cover-reproduction of Fredrick McCubbin's 1889 painting, Down On His Luck.

In another departure from modern country music, Ashcroft appeared on the album, A Time for Change, as his disco-singing alter ego, the Baron.

The album also featured Gay Kayler, Ashcroft's partner (and wife), as Lady Finflingkington, the Baron's jazz-scatting, eccentric consort.

See 'Changing Times' Johnny Ashcroft combined a major part of his career with Australian country music star, Gay Kayler, whom he married in 1981.

Johnny Ashcroft was awarded the Medal of the Order Of Australia (OAM) in 1991 for his contribution to the Arts, the entertainment industry and Indigenous social justice.