Bev Harrell

Beverley Anne Harrell, (born 24 October 1946) is an Australian pop singer and musical theatre performer, most famous for her 1966 Australian hit "What Am I Doing Here with You?".

Biography Harrell was born on 24 October 1946 in North Adelaide to Reg Harrell, a carpenter, and Dot (née Borlace), an amateur musician. She sang for the 5AD children's radio show Kangaroos on Parade at the age of six. She appeared on Australia's Amateur Hour at the age of nine, coming second. At the age of twelve she came second on the radio/television show Swallow's Juniors; she also toured with the Mickey Mouse Club when they were in Australia, along with Lucky Starr.

In 1965, while working as a secretary and studying at night school, she began performing with local bands such as the Harts and the Vibrants, before briefly joining the Clefs; she was managed by her best friend Darryl Sambell (who would later go on to manage a young John Farnham) and later Ron Tremaine. She signed with the EMI record label and became a regular performer on television shows such as Bandstand, Kommotion, and Uptight.

Her first single, released in late 1966 under EMI Music Australia, "What Am I Doing Here with You?" written by P. F. Sloan and Steve Barri, was a cover version of Johnny Rivers's album track from In Action (1964). Her version, which was paired with the B-side "You Really Didn't Mean It", peaked at No. 13 on the Go-Set National Top 40 in 1967 and #1 in her native Adelaide. The success of the single led to her winning the Major Broadcasting Network's 1966 award for Best Female Recording Artist. Shortly after the release of the single, she began performing as a support act for such artists as Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass, Winifred Atwell, the Rolling Stones, and Roy Orbison, along with appearing in an advertisement for Hills Hoist clothes lines. In 1967 and 1970 she went to Vietnam to perform for troops in the Vietnam War. She was named three times as the most popular Australian female vocalist in the pop magazine Go-Set, coming 2nd in 1967, 1st in 1968, and 3rd in 1969. She was known for her small stature, being tall. In 1972 she returned to Adelaide. . She released three singles with RCA in 1973 and 1974, along with an album, I Believe in Music (1974). In 1989 and 1990 she performed the role of Grizabella in the musical Cats in Australia and New Zealand. She has continued to perform on stage and for clubs, corporate functions, and cruiseships into the 21st century. She has been married twice, to Brian Braidwood, a talent manager, and Gary Grant, a singer. In 2014, she was inducted into the South Australian Music Hall Of Fame.

Discography Albums Title Details This is Bev Released: 1967 Label: EMI Music Australia (OCLP-7663) I Believe in Music Released: 1974 Label: RCA (MVPL-0017)

Extended plays Title Details Come on Over to Bev's Place Released: 1966 Label: EMI Music Australia (7EGO 70078)

Singles "What Am I Doing Here with You"/"You Really Didn't Mean It" (1966), EMI Music Australia "Come on Over to Our Place"/"You Don't Love Me No More" (1967), EMI Music Australia "You Baby"/"You Are the Love of My Life" (1967), EMI Music Australia "One in a Million"/"Give me Time" (1968), Columbia "Mon Pere"/"At Times Like These, Mama" (1968), Columbia "One Way Ticket"/"I Am the World" (1968), Columbia "Everybody Needs Love"/"My Little One" (1969), Columbia "The Looking Glass"/"Yes I'm Ready" (1970), Columbia "Back to the People"/"Travelling Easy" (1971), Bell "Bringing Back Those Memories"/"Sing" (Polydor, 1971/1972) "It was Easy"/""The Right Thing to Do" (1973), RCA "Carols By Candlelight"/"You've Got To Save Me" (1973), Columbia "Mon Pere"/"I Believe in Music" (1974), Columbia

Awards and nominations Go-Set Pop Poll The Go-Set Pop Poll was coordinated by teen-oriented pop music newspaper, Go-Set and was established in February 1966 and conducted an annual poll during 1966 to 1972 of its readers to determine the most popular personalities. 1967 herself Female Vocal

1968 herself Female Vocal

1969 herself Female Vocal

South Australian Music Awards The South Australian Music Awards is coordinated by Music SA, a non-profit organisation whose aims are to promote, support and develop contemporary music in South Australia. 2014 herself ARIA Hall of Fame