Dave Dobbyn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir
Dave Dobbyn
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Dobbyn in April 2021
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | David Joseph Dobbyn |
| Also known as | Dave Dobbyn |
| Born | 3 January 1957 Auckland, New Zealand |
| Genres | Pop, rock |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar, piano, bass |
| Years active | 1979–present |
| Labels | Warner, Epic, Sony BMG |
| Associated acts | Th' Dudes, DD Smash |
Sir David Joseph Dobbyn is a famous New Zealand musician, singer, and songwriter. He was born on January 3, 1957. Dave Dobbyn started his music journey in rock bands like Th' Dudes and DD Smash. Later, he became a very successful solo artist.
Contents
Early Life
Dave Dobbyn grew up in Glen Innes, a part of Auckland. He was the third of five children. Music was a big part of his life from a young age. He listened to Irish songs his dad liked and music from the church nearby. He also tuned into different radio stations on the family's radiogram, which was like an old-fashioned radio and record player.
Even though his family had a piano, Dave never had formal lessons. He was happy about this because it meant he could learn and play freely. He went to Sacred Heart College with his three brothers. There, he met Ian Morris and Peter Urlich, who would become his bandmates.
Dave was quite shy about music in school. After finishing high school, he worked as a bank teller for a while. He also tried to get into teachers' college and was accepted on his second try. But just as he started college, Ian Morris and Peter Urlich asked him to join their band, which later became Th' Dudes.
Musical Career
Th' Dudes (1975–1980)
Dave Dobbyn's first big step in music was joining the rock band Th' Dudes as a guitarist. After playing with them for a year, he decided to leave teachers' college to focus on the band full-time. Dave used to get very nervous on stage, a feeling called stage fright. He would often play at the back with his eyes closed.
However, he became the lead singer for their song "Be Mine Tonight" in 1978. This song won "Single of the Year" in New Zealand in 1979. Many people saw him as the rising star of the band. Another famous song by Th' Dudes is "Bliss" (1980), which is still a popular New Zealand song today.
DD Smash (1980–1986)
After Th' Dudes broke up in 1980, Dave Dobbyn started a new pop group called DD Smash. Their first songs were "Lipstick Power" and "Bull by the Horns" (1981). "Bull by the Horns" was thought to be about Dave overcoming his stage fright. Their first album, Cool Bananas (1982), went straight to number one on the New Zealand music charts.
DD Smash released two more albums: Deep in the Heart of Taxes (1983), which was recorded live, and The Optimist (1984). The Optimist had a more polished sound, showing that Dave was looking towards a bigger audience, especially in Australia. Soon after, he had a number one hit there as a solo artist.
In December 1984, DD Smash played an outdoor concert in Aotea Square in Auckland. During the show, there was a power cut, and some people in the crowd became restless. The concert had to be stopped because of crowd problems. When DD Smash eventually broke up, they left behind popular songs like "Outlook for Thursday" (1983) and the classic "Whaling" (1984).
Solo Career (1986–present)
After DD Smash, Dave Dobbyn started a very successful solo career. He wrote the music for the animated movie Footrot Flats: The Dog's Tale in 1986. This movie gave him two hit songs: "You Oughta Be In Love" (1986) and the chart-topping "Slice of Heaven" (1986), which he recorded with the band Herbs. "Slice of Heaven" became one of his most famous songs. It was often used in TV ads to encourage people to visit New Zealand. Because of the song's success in Australia, Dave Dobbyn lived there for a while.
In 1987, a new version of "Slice of Heaven" was used in Australian TV commercials. It promoted a meat product, changing "Heaven" to "Devon" in the song's chorus.
Dave Dobbyn released his first solo album, Loyal, in 1988. It was a personal album about love and loyalty. His next album was Lament for the Numb (1993). His record company at first thought it couldn't be released, but it came out a year later. After almost ten years in Australia, Dave moved back to Auckland in the early 1990s. He made the album Twist (1994) with fellow New Zealander Neil Finn. Dave said Neil's help was very important for the album's sound. Twist also featured the popular Māori singer Emma Paki.
In 1995, Dave Dobbyn was one of the first musicians in the world to broadcast a performance live on the internet. However, there were some technical problems.
Dave also produced his fourth solo album, The Islander. This album was very popular and received great reviews. It reached number one on the New Zealand charts.
In 1999, Dave Dobbyn helped write "Read About It," the theme song for the Duffy Books in Homes program. This song is still sung by many children every year.
His hit song "Loyal" (1988) was used as an anthem for Team New Zealand during the 2003 America's Cup. Dave has also produced albums for other artists and worked with musicians like Jenny Morris and Bic Runga. In 2000, Dave toured New Zealand with Bic Runga and Tim Finn. They released a live album from the tour called Together in Concert: Live (2000). The tour also featured "Just Add Water" from his 2000 album Hopetown.
In 2005, Dave Dobbyn released his sixth solo album, Available Light. It was very well-received. That same year, he performed his song "Welcome Home" (2005) at the New Zealand Music Awards.
In 2008, Dave released Anotherland. This album reached number 2 on the New Zealand charts and quickly became a Gold-selling record.
In 2009, he released a second collection of his greatest hits, Beside You: 30 Years of Hits. This album included new versions of some of his older songs. A special edition also came with a DVD about his three decades in music.
In 2012, Dave Dobbyn was part of an all-star group for the Flight of the Conchords charity song "Feel Inside (And Stuff Like That)". The song went straight to number one on the New Zealand music chart.
Awards and Honours
Dave Dobbyn has won many music awards in New Zealand. These include awards from the New Zealand Music Awards and the APRA Silver Scroll Awards.
In 2003, he was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his contributions to music. In 2021, he was given an even higher honour, becoming a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit. This means he is now known as Sir Dave Dobbyn.
New Zealand Music Awards
Dave Dobbyn has won 23 New Zealand Music Awards. Here are some of his notable wins:
- 1979: Single of the Year for "Be Mine Tonight" with Th' Dudes.
- 1982: Album of the Year for Cool Bananas with DD Smash.
- 1983: Album of the Year for Live: Deep in the Heart of Taxes with DD Smash.
- 1986: Best Song of the Year for "Slice of Heaven".
- 1987: Single of the Year for "You Oughta Be in Love".
- 1988: Album of the Year for Loyal.
- 1995: Best Male Vocalist and Best Songwriter for 'Language'.
- 2000: Best Compilation for Overnight Success.
- 2005: Songwriter of the Year for "Welcome Home".
- 2006: Best Male Solo Artist for Available Light.
- 2013: Inducted into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame.
- 2019: Inducted into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame as part of Th' Dudes.
APRA Awards
Dave Dobbyn has won four Silver Scroll Awards for songwriting. He is the only musician to win the Silver Scroll award three times (in 1987, 1993, and 1998). In 2001, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the NZ Music Awards.
In 2001, a vote by members of APRA to find New Zealand's Top 100 songs included ten of Dave Dobbyn's songs. Some of these were:
- "Loyal"
- "Slice of Heaven" (with Herbs)
- "Whaling" (DD Smash)
- "Be Mine Tonight" (Th' Dudes)
- "Beside You"
- "Outlook For Thursday" (DD Smash)
- "Language"
- "Bliss" (Th' Dudes)
- "You Oughta Be in Love"
- "Naked Flame"
Personal Life
Dave Dobbyn met his wife, Anneliesje, at a Th' Dudes concert. They got married in 1983.
In October 2022, Dave shared that he has Parkinson's disease. He said that this diagnosis has helped him appreciate life even more.
