Product Description

As lead singer of Australian pop and folk group The Seekers, Judith Durham was one of the most famous people in the music world in the mid-60ss. Through her solo career and lately the world tour of the reunited group, she maintains a sell out level of success as she enters her sixtieth year. More than a straightforward music biography, Judith tells the story of her ultimately tragic marriage to her fellow musician Ron Edgeworth and how amid the euphoria of her public life she lived with the knowledge that he was fatally ill with Motor Neurone Disease. Although Ron lost his battle against the disease in December 1994, he will always be, for Judith, a symbol of immense strength and courage. Since his death Judith has spent hours and days of her life dedicated to raising money to fight this illness and for this as much as her musical success she was rewarded in the Queen's New Year Honours List of 1995. Meantime her career has gone from strength to strength both in the UK and in Australia. She recently returned for a major UK tour and ended with a headlining gig at the Royal Festival Hall.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #583989 in Books
• Published on: 2004-06-10
• Binding: Paperback
• 432 pages

Review
"'Judith Durham, like Karen Carpenter and Eva Cassidy, possesses the purest voice in popular music. When she recorded one of my songs I was so flattered and loved her version. She made the song her own - a very enviable talent.' Elton John; 'A lot of people sing well - very few have individuality - there's only one Judith Durham' Cliff Richard"

From the Publisher
To celebrate Judith Durham's 60th birthday and her tour of the UK, Virgin Books is proud to be publishing her extraordinary, authorised biography. Judith's story takes her from her childhood in Australia to her singing roots, and the fateful journey to England which launched her and The Seekers to stardom. The book details the painful process of going solo and the misunderstandings and heartache that this decision provoked with the rest of the band. But the emotional core of the book is Judith's relationship with her husband, jazz pianist Ron Edgeworth, who died of Motor Neuron Disease. Judith's story is moving and life-affirming - a tribute to a remarkable talent.

About the Author
Graham Simpson is a journalist, scriptwriter and music historian who has followed Judith Durham's career closely for the past 25 years. He is currently writing a weekly column for the Melbourne Herald Sun. Married to writer Jacqui Johnson, the couple live in Melbourne, Australia.

Customer Reviews

Voice of an Angel - Judith Durham, Superstar.
Judith's life story from her early years is fascinating, moving and full of a spirit of her warm pesronality and easy charm.

From her early years, Judith has suffered with a chronic lung condition called bronchiecstasis, leaving her with only 1/3rd lung capacity. It is truly amazing to see and hear Judith sing out with such power, feeling and accuracy - even with her lung condition.

Through local fame as a teenage jazzer, the obvious worldwide fame with the Seekers, and her superb solo works, Judith Durham has consistently proven that she is a true Superstar in every sense. How excellent is it then that we continue to be graced with such a wonderful singer. She has no comparison, though there are some excellent female vocalists out there.

Judith is an outstanding singer, songwriter and performer. She has a loyal and continually expanding fan base, who admire her for being a Diva without the attitude to go with it.

Take each chapter as a footstep in the life of one of the world's very greatest artists, you cannot fail to be moved when you share Judith's personal losses of her parents and her beloved husband, pianist, Ron Edgeworth.

Life moves on and so has Judith who continues to deliver her performance as if you were a guest in her home - the audience always feels at one with her captivating them in rapt attention for a couple of hours in concert.

This is a must read book

Judith Durham - true life, true colours....
When my mother first told me she had booked tickets to see Judith Durham I was not impressed and thought it was not my kind of thing. I was wrong the concert I saw in Manchester was amazing from start to finish, I was as they say a new fan and needed more.

I bought the book for my Mum as she had been a fan for a while, knowing full well I was going to read it as well.

The book is a true encounted of Judith's life and you feel you get to know her on a personal level with this book.

Recommened reading for any fans of Judith or The Seekers.