The Life and Time Stories of Australian Musicians, Performance Artists and those who commenced their their contributed to the Australian Music industry from the 1950’s through to the 1970’s.
Australian Rock of Ages is a series of interviews conducted with artists, entrepreneurs, managers, and those who promoted and contributed to the Australian Music Industry. All were born in Australia or settled in Australia during the halcyon years of the late 1950’s through to the late 1970’s.
There will be a different story presented each month.
In this program we feature the story of Bob Bright.
Born in the UK in 1945 Bob migrated to Australia with his mother in the early 1950’s arriving in South Australia. His career has spanned a massive 65 years, but it was the 1960’s, where along with his partner Laurie Allen, that he became a musical household name.
In Part one of his story he takes us back to his earliest memories as a boy in England. Born in1945 Bob migrated to Australia with his mother and then shares with us in fascinating detail, the journey they made together.
This journey on a boat took him through the Middle East and the sub-continent, before arriving in South Australia.
He entered a talent contest in the late 1950’s, and the performances were judged by non other than the late and great King of Australian Rock & Roll, Johnny O’Keefe.
Bob won the competition and his prize was a TV appearance and so it was his career was off and running.
In Part 2, Bob shares how he discovered not just his love for Rock & Roll but that he had a really good voice for singing it.
He entered a talent quest in the late 50’s while living in Adelaide. The contest was judged by non other than the great Johnny O’Keefe. Bob wins and a TV appearance is the prize and so it was that his career was off and running.
There are so many stories, including why he became known as Bobby Bright rather than Bob Bright.
There are so many stories and Bob freely shares them including the story of how he got to Melbourne in the early 1960’s and met the man who would become both his musical partner, and life-long best friend, Laurie Allen.
In telling the stories associated with this meeting and everything that eventuated we begin to understand how they formed the most popular Australian pop duo ever – that of Bobby and Laurie.
In Part 3 of his story he continues to share his memories of those halcyon days and in doing so, shares stories not previously made public.
One hit after another pours forth, but the times and what audiences want to hear also change, and, Bob and Laurie both need to spread their “wings’ and seek new paths. So it is that they dissolve their partnership.
However they remained close friends, despite the fact that the popular press of the day was reporting quite the opposite.
Bob sets the record straight on all this and the stories continue to pour forth as he takes his story right up to Laurie’s untimely death in 2002.
In Part 4, the final part of his story, Bob continues his story of the effect Laurie’s death had on him. Bob talks about his 2013 EP titled “Child of Rock & Roll and how his mother, Elsie, became a major inspiration for a track on the album titled, “Great Life (Elsie’s Song)”.
There are so many stories in this final episode that make simply fascinating listening, while providing a historical context to one of Australia’s most loved and respected singers.
Bob is a man who is highly respected in the music industry, so when he talks about his thoughts and feelings on where the Australian music scene is going, we should listen!
There are so many stories in this final episode that make simply fascinating listening, while providing a historical context to one of Australia’s most loved and respected singers.
A great many Australian’s who followed popular Australian music through the 1960’s onward will have been waiting for this story to be told.
In listening to all four-parts, we have followed his story as it progresses through the decades and it is a warts and all story.
Through great success and very deep ‘downs”, Bob (Bobby) continues to entertain today, rightly wearing the title of a doyen of the Australian entertainment scene.
Bob Bright – Part 1
Bob Bright – Part 2
Bob Bright – Part 3
Bob Bright – Part 4
