Jade Hurley

John Anthony Patrick Hurley (born 17 June 1943), who performs as Jade Hurley, is an Australian country music singer-songwriter and pianist. Hurley's hit singles are "How I Lied", "Down in the Riverina" (1974) and "Another Saturday Night" (1982). He was a regular performer on TV including on The Mike Walsh Show in the 1970s to early 1980s. In June 1998 he was awarded the Order of Australia Medal, "for service to the entertainment industry and to the community, particularly in the area of fund raising for groups including the arthritis foundation of NSW, the Australian Cancer Foundation for medical research and Camp Quality."

Biography

Jade Hurley was born on 17 June 1943 in Sydney as John Anthony Patrick Hurley. The performance name, Jade, was provided by Australian rock and roller, Johnny O'Keefe, in the 1960s because of gloves that Hurley wore. Leon Isackson of Ray Hoff and the Offbeats recalled auditioning the pianist in October 1959, "[Hurley] figured that he needed a gimmick to cover up for his rude piano playing so he wore bright jade green gloves with the fingers cut out. They didn't help much. We sacked him two weeks later." He went solo, with the help of O'Keefe, appearing on the latter's TV show – including his debut in 1960 – on Six O'Clock Rock. He also appeared on Australia's version of Bandstand. his charting singles were his own compositions: "My Baby Judy" (1965), "I'm Ashamed of You" (1966) and "Down in the Riverina" (1974). Later Hurley changed over to country music although his live shows also included rock and roll favourites.

Hurley worked on The Mike Walsh Show from the 1970s to early 1980s, with his "Golden Oldens" music segment, where he performed cover versions of songs from the 1950s and 1960s. Due to the show he was, "identified with MOR performers rather than as a rocker" and by 1981 he was described as a "grannies' heart-throb" but he explained, "When I do live shows, the audience is usually made up of housewives who have seen me on the Walsh show. They bring their husbands along to the club."

He regularly toured Australia in a motor home, "playing in tours up and down the country and doing the RSL and club circuit in NSW." In 2008 he broke attendance records at the Tamworth Country Music Festival when 1550 people turned up to his show. On 23 March 2019 Hurley appeared on the podcast, Wayne's Wonder World.

Discography Studio albums + List of albums, with selected chart positions Title Album details Peak chartpositions AUS King of Country Rock Released: 1975 Format: LP Label: Festival Records (L35705) 76 Jade Hurley's 20 Golden Oldens Released: 1979 Format: LP Label: Festival Records (L 27041) - Solid Gold Released: 1980 Format: LP Label: Festival Records (L 29004) 70 No Stopping Released: 1980 Format: LP Label: Festival Records (L 30140) - Jade Hurley Released: 1980 Format: LP Label: Festival Records (L 37023) - More Golden Oldens Released: 1981 Format: LP Label: Festival Records (RML 53010) - Jade Hurley's Rock N Roll Party Released: 1982 Format: LP Label: Festival Records (RML 52016) - Jade Hurley's Rock N Roll Party Released: 1982 Format: LP Label: Festival Records (RML 52016) - Rockin' On Released: 1983 Format: LP Label: K-Tel (NA 647) 75 Great Balls Of Fire (24 Rock 'N Roll Greats) Released: 1984 Format: LP Label: J & B Records (JB183) 64 Country and Love Songs Released: Format: CD Label: Jade Hurley (JHCD03) -

Awards and honours

Hurley was awarded an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for his contribution to the entertainment industry encouraging and nurturing young talent, and for his work with charitable organisations including Arthritis Foundation (NSW), Camp Quality and Australian Cancer Research Foundation. Hurley also served as an alderman on the Deniliquin Council and campaigned for Al Grassby in the 1972 Australian federal election.