Johnny Ashcroft, born John Lewis Ashcroft on February 1, 1927, in North Sydney, New South Wales, was an Australian country musician. He began his career by playing guitar and singing bush ballads during World War II. His first recording, "When I Waltzed My Matilda Away", took place in 1946. In 1954, he released his first commercial recordings for Rodeo Records, followed by his debut album Songs of the Western Trail in 1956. Ashcroft was the first Australian country artist to appear on Australian TV. Notable songs include "Little Boy Lost" (Australia's first country-rock song) and "Playground In My Mind", which reached Number 1 on general charts. He passed away on May 19, 2021.
