Aboriginal Canadian country music singer, songwriter and guitarist born July 5, 1937 near Fort Nelson, British Columbia in the Kahntah-Slavey First Nations Hamlet. At the age of 12 he contracted tuberculosis and in 1949 was sent to The Charles Camsell Hospital in Edmonton, Alberta for treatment. visited the hospital in 1952 and impressed Rusk so much he decided he was going to be a country music singer. Rusk returned home to BC in 1953 and by 1955 was hosting a country music show on CHFN and playing local dances fronting the Harry Rusk Dance band. Died March 20, 2025.

He moved to Edmonton in 1965, which he would call home until 1992. At the 1969 Calgary Stampede he met Hank Snow after the latter performed and told him how he had inspired him as a young child to become a country music singer. Snow remembered this and in 1972 offered Rusk the opportunity to come to Nashville to record and play at The Grand Ole Opry. He would appear with some regularity on Opry from 1972 to 1994. Since 1990 he has had a travelling ministry with his wife, Gladys.

He has recorded more than 55 albums and sold more than two million records. Some of his awards and honours include:
1978 - The Queen's 25th Anniversary Medal for Achievements in a Musical Career
1996 - Inducted into the Hank Snow Country Music Hall of Fame
2006 - Inducted into North America's Traditional Country Music Hall of Fame
2015 - Lifetime Achievement Award from America's National Traditional Country Music Association
2017 - The Living Legends Award from the National Traditional Country Music Association and Hall of Fame