ALLISON DURBIN

Allison Durbin (born Auckland, New Zealand, 24 May 1950) is a New Zealand-born Australian former pop singer. In the early 1970s Durbin's visual 'trademark' was her lustrous waist-length auburn hair. Durbin began performing in public in her early teens and after winning a talent contest at an Auckland ballroom, she was signed to Eldred Stebbing's Zodiac Records at the age of 14 and issued a number of singles on the label. Her third Zodiac single, a cover of Herman's Hermits "Can't You Hear My Heartbeat", out-sold the original in New Zealand and became her first chart hit.

She built up a following in New Zealand, recording and fronting the Mike Perjanik Group and she travelled with them to Australia in 1966 for residencies in Sydney. After nine months in Sydney she left the group to establish a solo career, making numerous appearances on Australian TV pop and variety shows. Durbin's first single for New Zealand HMV, "I Have Loved Me A Man", became a #1 hit in New Zealand and also a hit in Australia. The song won her the New Zealand music award, the 1968 Loxene Golden Disc and she was named New Zealand Entertainer of the Year in 1969. For three years running (1969, 1970 and 1971), she won Australia’s "Queen Of Pop" award for Best Female Artist. In 1971, she recorded a duet album, 'Together', with John Farnham, who had been voted Australia's "King Of Pop" during the same years Durbin received her awards.

SINGLES

''Mix It Up / Little Girl Go Home'' 1965 Zodiac

'' I Have Loved Me A Man (#27) / Sand'' 1968 HMV 
''Don't Come Any Closer (#47) / One More Tear'' 1968 Columbia
''Games People Play (#29) / You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling - (You're My) Soul And Inspiration'' 1969 Columbia
''He's Bad Bad Bad (#98) / Am I The Same Girl'' 1969 Columbia
''Don't Make Me Give In / World Of Music'' 1969 Columbia
''Golden Days (#98) / Make The Feeling Go Away'' 1970 Columbia
''Hallelujah / Tonight I'll Say A Prayer'' 1971 Columbia
''Holy Man / Letter To Bill'' 1971 Columbia
''Put Your Hand In The Hand (#24) / Didn't We?'' 1971 Columbia
''Baby Without You (#27) / That's Old Fashioned'' [with John Farnham] 1971 HMV
''Words Of Love (They Don't Come Easy) / I Have A Son'' 1971 HMV
''Amerikan Music (#33) / Follow The Leader'' 1972 HMV
''Don't Be Cruel / It's Your Thing'' 1973 HMV
''I Was Raised On Rock / It Must Be Love This Time'' 1974 Image

ALBUMS

'Don't Come Any Closer' 1969 Columbia
'Soft And Soulful' 1969 HMV
'Together' (#22) [with John Farnham] 1971 HMV
'Amerikan Music' 1973 HMV
'Born A Woman' (#75) 1976 Hammard
'Are You Lonesome Tonight' (#52) 1977 Hammard
'Three Times A Lady' 1978 Hammard
'Bright Eyes' (#34) 1979 Hammard

'Shining Star' (#43) 1980 Hammard
'My Kind Of Country' (#97) 1981 Hammard
'Country Love Songs' (#79) 1983 Hammard
'The Very Best Of Australia's Queen Of Country Music' 1986 Hammard
'Reckless Girl' 1992 Raylan

References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allison_Durbin

http://top100singles.blogspot.com.au/