MAJOR MUSICIANS - AUSTRALIA
| Bob Bright (Early Days) |
DESCRIPTION: Bob Bright
ACTIVITY STATUS: Still active
ACTIVITY PERIOD: Late 1950's - 2010's
MUSIC GENRE: Beat, 60's Pop
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: AUSTRALIA
MAIN INSTRUMENT: Vocals, Guitar
BANDS / OUTFITS: Bobby and Laurie, Rocket Pilots, Solo Artist
MAIN WEB PAGE: http://www.laurieallen.net/bobbybright
ABOUT HIM:
Although Bob (Bobby) Bright is best known for his partnership with Laurie Allen in the iconic Australian duo - Bobby & Laurie, he started his career as predominantly a solo artist and while he has been a part of a few groups other than Bobby & Laurie, he has over recent years predominantly been a solo artist.
Born in Watford in the United Kingdom in 1945, he migrated to Australia with his mother at around the age of seven and arrived in South Australia and lived in a satellite suburb of Adelaide.
His music interest was piqued circa 1956/57 when he discovered an American radio program called The Rockabeat Parade which kicked off a life long love for Rock 'n' Roll.
He started playing guitar at the age of thirteen and in a very short time music became his overwhelming focus in life.
After being seen singing a song with a band he had gone to see in Adelaide where he convinced them to let him sing once with them, he received an invitation to sing in a talent quest to be judged by Johnny O'Keefe. He won and the prize was television appearance the following week where he sang Johnny B. Goode, and, his career had started.
His first single was cut singing with Glenn Shorrock and the track was Donna on one side and an instrumental featuring Doug Ashdown. Sadly no copies are currently known to exist.
In order to advance his career he moved to Melbourne and not long after arriving he recorded at W&G. The track was There's a Great Day Coming but again, the track really received little acclaim.
1964 he connected with Laurie Allen, who was playing and singing with the Blue Jays. Having sung as a duo at an informal social get-together, they discovered that they sang well together and had similar tastes in music, although Laurie bought his strong love for country music to the mix.
They then formed an act with a group called The Hearsemen which had some local Melbourne success. However it wasn't until Bob appeared as a solo act on the Go Show (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Go!!_Show) followed by a performance with Laurie singing their first single, I Belong With You, that their joint career as Bobby & Laurie literally exploded.
During their relatively short time together as Bobby & Laurie they had amazing success with their 1966 track Hitchhiker going to the number 1 position.
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| Bob Bright (Recent Photo) |
By the early 1970's they broke up amicably, despite the incorrect claims by the press of the day and remained good friends.
Bob worked throughout the 1970's in television dramas, he played the part of the Doctor in the Melbourne Production of Tommy and had a good career in doing voice overs for advertising jingles.
In circa 1983 he moved up into the Bellinger Valley on the mid-north coast of NSW for a couple of years where he formed the three person group, the Rocket Pilots with himself on vocals and guitar. He also had a Saturday night rock 'n' Roll radio program on local radio - 2BBB FM.
He returned to Melbourne and commenced performing again, both as a solo artist and with other like minded artists, as well as continuing on with voice over work.
Then prior to Laurie Allens death in 2002, the two got together and recorded the album Turning Point which contained a broad selection of styles and showed that they had grown in their styles both in writing and vocal delivery. However, it was released to minimum acceptance and is now quite a collectors item.
Laurie passed away on June 13, 2002 and so ended one of the most dynamic music duos in Australian pop and contemporary music and, a close life long friendship for Bob also finished.
Bob continued to work performing and in 2013 he released the five track EP/CD titled Child of Rock and Roll which contained some stunning self-penned tracks. A review can be found here: -
Bob continues to perform as a solo artist around Melbourne, although he does not perform as regularly as he once did.
he is currently working on an audio version of his biography that should be released in 2019.
VIDEO:
| Parent Category Page Links: | Major Musicians - Australia |
LINKS:
- Toorak Times Career Story by Rob Greaves (Part 1) - http://www.tooraktimes.com.au/content.php/6486-Listen-To-Older-Voices-Bob-Bright-Part-1
- Toorak Times Career Story by Rob Greaves (Part 2) - http://www.tooraktimes.com.au/content.php/6507-Listen-To-Older-Voices-Bob-Bright-Part-2
- Toorak Times Career Story by Rob Greaves (Part 3) - http://www.tooraktimes.com.au/content.php/6535-Listen-To-Older-Voices-Bob-Bright-Part-3
- Toorak Times Career Story by Rob Greaves (Part 4) - http://www.tooraktimes.com.au/content.php/6562-Listen-To-Older-Voices-Bob-Bright-Part-4
- Bob Bright album review in Tagg - https://tagg.com.au/bpb-bright-child-rock-roll/?fbclid=IwAR31aS9ShKvz2g_lHexPEcWjUA3SfwA35_fs3r-vTpFI3AvdkPoGw37yplQ
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