Tex Perkins
An Australian rock singer whose deep, weathered baritone became the signature sound of 1990s pub-blues and cinematic storytelling.
Born 1964 (age 62)·Australian musician·Birthday: December 28·Baby Boomers
Biography
Tex Perkins emerged from the Australian post-punk scene with a voice that sounded like it had lived a hundred hard lives. In the 1980s, he cut his teeth with the chaotic, drug-fueled Beasts of Bourbon, embodying a dangerous rock 'n' roll swagger. His true commercial breakthrough came fronting The Cruel Sea, where his laconic, soulful delivery glided over the band's hypnotic, bass-driven grooves, turning songs like 'The Honeymoon Is Over' into national anthems. Perkins never settled; he shifted into the country-tinged melancholy of Tex, Don and Charlie and pursued a solo career exploring darker, more narrative-driven material. On stage, he is a commanding, almost theatrical presence, part bluesman, part beat poet. His career is a map of alternative Australian music, tracing a path from Sydney's underground to the heart of the mainstream without ever losing its gritty authenticity.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Tex was born in 1964, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Tex Was Born
The biggest hits of 1964
#1 Movie
Mary Poppins
Best Picture
My Fair Lady
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Tex's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1964Born
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1969Started school
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1977Became a teenager
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1980Could drive
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1982Could vote
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1985Turned 21
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1994Turned 30
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2004Turned 40
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 50
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 60
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 62 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Fronted The Cruel Sea to multiple ARIA Awards, including Album of the Year for 'The Honeymoon Is Over' in 1993.
- Released over 20 albums across his work with The Cruel Sea, Beasts of Bourbon, Tex Don & Charlie, and as a solo artist.
- Portrayed the late singer Johnny O'Keefe in the Australian stage musical 'The Man in Black.'
- His likeness, painted by artist Bill Leak, won the Packing Room Prize at the prestigious Archibald Prize in 1997.
Did You Know?
His stage name 'Tex' was given to him by a bandmate due to his fondness for wearing a cowboy hat.
He provided the voice for the character 'The Groom' in the Australian animated film 'Mary and Max.'
Perkins is an avid collector of vintage science fiction paperbacks and pulp novels.
“Rock and roll is a dirty business, and I'm a dirty man.”
