Doug Parkinson facts for kids

Doug Parkinson (born Douglas John Parkinson; 1946–2021) was a famous Australian pop and rock singer. He was known for his powerful voice and exciting stage presence. Doug led several bands, including Strings and Things (also known as A Sound), the Questions, Doug Parkinson in Focus, Fanny Adams, and the Life Organisation.

One of his biggest hits was a cover of The Beatles' song "Dear Prudence" (released in May 1969) with his band Doug Parkinson in Focus. This song reached No. 5 on the Australian music charts. Their next single, "Without You" / "Hair" (October 1969), also reached No. 5. Besides singing in bands, Doug Parkinson also released his own music and performed in many musical theatre shows.

An Australian music expert, Ian McFarlane, described Doug Parkinson as someone who "showed great charm with his strong presence, 'Lucifer' beard, and deep, rough voice." He also said that Doug always worked with experienced musicians, which added to his appeal.

Doug Parkinson's Life and Music Journey

Early Life and First Steps in Music (1946–1964)

Douglas John Parkinson was born on October 30, 1946, in Waratah, a suburb of Newcastle, Australia. His father was an artist who designed ads, and his mother had a background from Wales and Ireland. His family later moved to the Northern Beaches area of Sydney.

Doug's parents loved musical theatre, and they bought him a guitar when he was 12 years old. He remembered how his father bought a tape recorder, and one night he secretly sang into it. He was amazed by the sound of his own voice! After that, he asked for a guitar for Christmas, and his musical journey began.

Doug went to Narrabeen Boys' High School. He was good at literature and became a prefect. His first time performing was singing a surf rock song at a school dance. He also enjoyed sports like cricket and football, and he loved surfing. One day, while surfing, he was hit by a surfboard, knocked out, and almost drowned. Luckily, other surfers saved him, and he recovered after six months in bed.

Before becoming a full-time musician, Doug worked briefly as a laborer. In 1964, he started training as a journalist at The Daily Telegraph newspaper in Sydney. That same year, he interviewed George Harrison from The Beatles when they toured Australia. This became his first story on the front page of the newspaper!

Starting Bands: Strings and Things and The Questions (1965–1967)

In 1965, Doug Parkinson formed his first band called Strings and Things. He was the lead singer, Helen Barnes played bass guitar, her brother Sid Barnes junior played drums, and David Lee played guitar. They later changed their name to the 'A' Sound. They played folk music, similar to The Seekers.

The 'A' Sound released a song called "Talk About That" in 1966. Doug left his journalism job that year because he was earning more money playing music. The 'A' Sound broke up at the end of 1966.

In early 1967, Doug joined a band called The Questions. The band members included Bill Flemming on drums, Billy Green on guitar, Duncan McGuire on bass guitar, and Rory Thomas on piano, organ, and other instruments. The Questions were already known for their music.

With Doug as the singer, The Questions became very popular in Australian pop music. They were known for their soulful and bluesy sound. In July 1967, they competed in a big music competition called Hoadley's Battle of the Sounds and came in second place.

The band released three popular singles: "Sally Go Round the Roses" (July 1967), "And Things Unsaid" (October), and "Something Wonderful" (February 1968). They also released two extended play (EP) records. In January 1968, new members Ray Burton and Les Young joined the band. The Questions even opened for famous international bands like The Who and Small Faces when they toured Australia. However, the group broke up a month later.

Doug Parkinson in Focus and Fanny Adams (1968–1971)

In March 1968, Doug Parkinson formed a new band called Doug Parkinson in Focus. The original members were Doug, Billy Green, Duncan McGuire, Rory Thomas, and Doug Lavery on drums. They released a single called "I Had a Dream" in May. They also placed third in the Hoadley's Battle of the Sounds competition that year. This first version of the band split up in August.

A new version of Doug Parkinson in Focus formed in September 1968 in Melbourne. This time, Doug, Billy Green, and Duncan McGuire were joined by Johnny Dick on drums. This band quickly became very popular in Melbourne. They signed with EMI/Columbia records and released their famous cover of The Beatles' song, "Dear Prudence", in May 1969. It reached No. 5 on the Australian charts. In 1969, the band also won the national final of Hoadley's Battle of the Sounds!

Their next single, "Without You" / "Hair" (October 1969), also reached No. 5. In November, Billy Green and Duncan McGuire left the band. Doug and Johnny Dick brought in Mick Rogers and Les Stacpool to play guitar and bass. By February 1970, Green and McGuire had returned. The group released another single, "Baby Blue Eyes" (May), which reached No. 36. The band broke up when Doug and Johnny Dick moved to the United Kingdom in June 1970.

In the UK, Doug and Johnny Dick were invited to join a band called Fanny Adams. The band was started by Vince Melouney (from The Bee Gees) and also included Teddy Toi on bass guitar. Fanny Adams recorded their album in London. They returned to Australia in December 1970 but broke up just a month later. Their album, Fanny Adams, was released in June 1971 and was known for its "heavy, progressive blues-rock" sound.

In February 1971, Doug formed yet another version of Doug Parkinson in Focus. This time, Billy Green and Duncan McGuire were back, joined by Mark Kennedy on drums. They released a single called "Purple Curtains". However, because of issues with their previous record label, MCA, Doug was not able to record new music for two years. This version of the band also broke up in December 1971.

Solo Music and The Life Organisation (1972–1976)

In August 1972, Doug Parkinson started his solo career and released a single called "Lonely". In March 1973, he took on a role in the Australian musical theatre version of The Who's rock opera, Tommy. He played the part of the Hawker. Many other famous Australian singers were also in the show.

In May 1973, Doug released his first solo album, No Regrets. He worked with many talented musicians on this album. It included his own version of "And Things Unsaid," a song he had written for The Questions.

Also in 1973, Doug formed a big band jazz group called the Life Organisation. They released six singles in 1973 and 1974. Two of these songs, "In the Mood (Forties Style)" (June 1973) and "Beyond the Blue Horizon" (November 1973), reached the top 100 on the music charts. Later in 1973, Doug also played the role of Herod in an Australian musical production of Jesus Christ Superstar.

Doug sang on two songs, "Cosmic Flash" and "Do not Go Gentle," for the soundtrack of the biker film Stone (1974). In November 1974, he released a cover of "Everlasting Love", which reached No. 22 on the charts. He continued to release singles like "Love is Like a Cloudy Day" (May 1975) and "Raised on Rock" (September 1975).

The Southern Star Band and The Doug Parkinson Band (1977–1987)

From December 1977 to March 1978, Doug returned to musical theatre. He performed in the stage show Ned Kelly, playing the role of Joe Byrne, a member of the Kelly Gang. Critics praised his "booming voice."

In 1978, Doug formed The Southern Star Band. This band played a mix of jazz and R&B music. They released four singles, with "I'll Be Around" (January 1979) being their most successful, reaching No. 22 on the charts. Doug also sang the theme song for a TV show called Arcade (1980).

In early 1981, The Southern Star Band changed its name to The Doug Parkinson Band. They released several singles, including a duet with Broderick Smith called "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore" in July 1981. Their album, Heartbeat to Heartbeat, came out in March 1983. Later that year, Doug prepared to play the role of Judas in another production of Jesus Christ Superstar.

Musical Theatre and Later Career (1988–2021)

From the late 1980s to the early 2000s, Doug Parkinson focused a lot on musical theatre. He had roles in many Australian stage productions, including:

• Big River: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1989–1990)
• The Hunting of the Snark (1990)
• Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story where he played the Big Bopper (1991–1992)
• Grease as Vince Fontaine (1998)
• Happy Days - The Arena Mega Musical as Delvicchio (1999)
• The Wizard of Oz as the Cowardly Lion (2002)

Doug continued to perform in clubs and record music even in 2016. He contributed a song called "Always to the Light" to a tribute album in June 2016. He once said that his favorite thing was "working with a crowd" and that he had "no plans for retirement." In early 2017, Doug went on a tour where he performed songs by Joe Cocker, his own hits, and songs made famous by other artists like Ray Charles and The Beatles.

Personal Life

In 1968, Doug Parkinson married Suzie Clark, who later became his manager. They had two children and lived in Sydney's Northern Beaches for a long time. The couple also started their own record label, Roy Boy Records, in 2005, which released Doug's later solo music. Douglas John Parkinson passed away on March 15, 2021, at his home in Northern Beaches. He was 74 years old.

Discography

Studio Albums

Compilation Albums

Extended Plays

Singles

Charity Singles

See Also

In Spanish: Doug Parkinson para niños