Allison Durbin

Allison Ann Giles, who performed as Allison Durbin (born 24 May 1950), is a former New Zealand Australian singer, known for her success in the late 1960s and 1970s as a teen idol.

Biography

Allison Ann Durbin was born in 1950 in Auckland to Owen Durbin (born c. 1912/1913) and Agnes Durbin, the second eldest of seven children. She attended school at Westlake High School, and performed for four years in a children's choir. She became interested in singing and was inspired by artists like Aretha Franklin, Nina Simone and Dionne Warwick, She built up a following in New Zealand, recording and fronting the Mike Perjanik Group and travelled with them to Australia in 1966 for residencies in Sydney. After nine months in Sydney, she left the group to pursue a solo career, making numerous appearances on Australian TV pop and variety shows. In 1971, she recorded a duet album, Together, with Johnny Farnham, who had been voted Australia's "King of Pop" during the same years Durbin received her awards. In 1986, she married for a second time to Ray Giles.

She is a relative of Canadian-born actress and lyric soprano Deanna Durbin.

Television

Discography Studio albums + List of albums, with Australian chart positions Title Album details Peak chartpositions AUS I Have Loved Me a Man Released: 1968 Format: LP Label: His Master's Voice - Soft and Soulful Released: 1969 Format: LP Label: His Master's Voice - Together (with Johnny Farnham) Released: August 1971 Format: LP Label: His Master's Voice (OCSD 7682) 22 Amerikan Music Released: 1972 Format: LP Label: His Master's Voice - Born a Woman Released: November 1976 Format: LP Label: Hammard (HAM011) 75 Are You Lonesome Tonight Released: June 1977 Format: LP Label: Hammard (HAM017) 52 Three Times a Lady Released: 1978 Format: LP Label: Hammard - Bright Eyes Released: 1979 Format: LP Label: Hammard (HAM043) 34 Shining Star Released: 1980 Format: LP Label: Hammard (HAM055) 43 My Kind of Country Released: November 1981 Format: LP Label: Hammard (HAM063) 97 Nothing But the Very Best (with Diana Trask) Released: August 1982 Format: LP Label: Hammard (HAMD075) 88 Country Love Songs Released: September 1983 Format: LP Label: Hammard (HAM089) 79 Reckless Girl Released: 1992 Format: CD Label: -

Charting singles

+ List of singles, with Australian chart positions Year Title Peak chartpositions AUS 1969 The Go-Set Pop Poll by Go-Set Best Female Vocal 1st TV Week The King of Pop Awards Best Female Artist 1970 The Go-Set Pop Poll by Go-Set Best Girl 1st TV Week The King of Pop Awards Best Female Artist 1971 The Go-Set Pop Poll by Go-Set Best Girl Vocal 1st TV Week The King of Pop Awards Best Female Artist 1972 The Go-Set Pop Poll by Go-Set Best Female Vocal 2nd TV Week The King of Pop Awards Best Dressed Female Performer 1979Mo Awards Country Female Entertainer of the Year 1980 Country Female of the Year

Note: Durbin is often referred to as the 'Queen of Pop', but won Best Female Artist at the King of Pop Awards from 1969 to 1971. The Queen of Pop award was introduced in 1972. In 2003, Durbin reiterated this saying, "I never in fact won a queen of pop award. The award was called The King of Pop Awards.