JUDITH DURHAM TRIBUTE - ABC News (August 6, 2022)
Judith Durham Tribute - ABC News (August 6, 2022)
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00:00The Seekers first performed in Melbourne in 1962, but soon became an international supergroup with several number-one hits.
00:16Judith Durham began her musical career as a pianist, but her unique voice would spearhead her success.
00:23At the age of 18, she met future bandmate Athol Guy. He encouraged her to sing with Keith Podger and Bruce Woodley, who would later form The Seekers.
00:33Judith Durham's voice would help propel the group to international fame, with eight albums and a series of chart toppers.
00:40I never really felt that I had what it took to be a real pop star.
00:45I now realise in hindsight that once you have a number one record around the world, you're a pop star.
00:52It was the first group to ever reach number one on the UK charts with their first three singles.
01:04Georgie Girl topped the charts in both the UK and US, and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song.
01:12Despite The Seekers' worldwide success, they went their separate ways in 1968.
01:17But Judith Durham enjoyed a long and prosperous solo career with the help of her pianist husband, Ron Edgeworth.
01:24After his death to motor neurone disease in 1994, she spent much of her time raising money and awareness of the disease.
01:32I could see a way where certainly raising awareness would not only help achieve greater, hopefully, donations,
01:39because people would realise this is catastrophic, but of course in the hope of finding a cure.
01:44In 1996, she was awarded the Order of Australia for her service to music.
01:49In 2013, the band reunited for a 50th anniversary tour, but it was cut short after she suffered a brain haemorrhage.
01:57She soon bounced back.
01:59We're all so aware that there was a night in May where we walked out and we were part of a hospital from then on for the next three weeks until today.
02:21Judith Durham, the girl from Melbourne, will be remembered for having one of the purest and sweetest voices in Australian music.
02:29For more information visit www.aclu.org