Dennis ‘Mop’ Conlon honoured at Qld Music Awards

Tribute has been paid to a Cherbourg legend who left his mark on the Qld music industry by being a ‘leader and a fighter,’ and through a hit song that became an anthem for Indigenous Australians.

The $15,000 music scholarship honouring Dennis ‘Mop’ Conlon will be funded by the State Government and delivered by QMusic.

A music scholarship in honour of late Cherbourg musical legend Dennis “Mop” Conlon was announced at the Queensland Music Awards on Tuesday night.

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Mr Conlon lost his battle with lung cancer on September 19, 2022, at the age of 66, but left a lasting imprint on his home town and on Queensland.

The $15,000 scholarship in his honour will be funded by the state government and delivered by QMusic.

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The grant will aim to “champion a new generation of First Nations artists” as part of almost $4 million funding boost for BIGSOUND, the southern hemisphere’s biggest music industry event.

Mop and the Dropouts perform in Brisbane in 1987.

His band, Mop and the Dropouts released their hit song Brisbane Blacks in 1982, which became an anthem for Indigenous Queenslanders.

The song recounts the First Nations people’s protest and march for Aboriginal rights during the twelfth Commonwealth Games in Brisbane in 1982.

Mr Conlon told Double J that the song belonged to everybody.

“Doesn’t matter where we are, it's all for us, all of us,” he said.

Mr Conlon’s drummer, Hedley Johnson, said Mop was an icon and was loved and respected in both black and white communities in the Australian music industry.

“Through his music he has become a leader and fighter for Indigenous rights for us all,” Mr Johnson said.

“I am very proud of his many achievements and proud to be a Dropout forever. I loved him dearly and will miss him,” he said.

Mr Conlon was awarded the Lifetime Music Award at the 2022 QMA’s where Brisbane Black’ was performed by Troy and Jem Cassar-Daley.

His last performance was in December 2021, in his hometown where he organised a gospel concert.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said this new investment provides a unique opportunity to put Queensland at the forefront of Australia’s First Nations contemporary music scene.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the new investment provided a unique opportunity to put Queensland at the forefront of Australia’s First Nations contemporary music scene.

“The focus will be on celebrating local talent alongside elite music performers, exclusively secured to Queensland,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

Applications for the Dennis ‘Mop’ Conlon Scholarship will open on April 4, 2023, for more information visit QMusic.