The Seekers facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids The Seekers
The Seekers in 1965
Background information
Origin	Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Genres	Easy-listening, pop, folk
Years active	1962 (1962)–1968 (1968), 1975 (1975)–1988 (1988), 1992 (1992)–present
Labels	W&G, EMI, Columbia, Astor, Decca

Members	Michael Cristiano Athol Guy Keith Potger Bruce Woodley

Past members	Judith Durham Ken Ray Louisa Wisseling Buddy England Peter Robinson Julie Anthony Karen Knowles Rick Turk Cheryl Webb

The Seekers are a famous Australian pop group with a folk sound. They started in Melbourne in 1962. They were the first Australian pop group to become very successful in the United Kingdom and the United States.

The group was most popular in the 1960s. The main members were:

Judith Durham (singer, piano, and tambourine)
Athol Guy (on double bass and singing)
Keith Potger (on twelve-string guitar, banjo, and singing)
Bruce Woodley (on guitar, mandolin, banjo, and singing)

The Seekers had many hit songs in the 1960s. These included "I'll Never Find Another You", "A World of Our Own", "Morningtown Ride", and "Georgy Girl". Their song "The Carnival Is Over" is still one of the best-selling songs in the UK.

In 1967, The Seekers were named joint "Australians of the Year". They are the only group to have received this special award. Judith Durham left the group in 1968 to start her solo career, and the group broke up. The band has reunited several times since then. In 1995, they were added to the ARIA Hall of Fame, which honors great Australian musicians. Their song "I Am Australian" has become a very well-known Australian song. The Seekers have sold over 50 million records around the world.

In 2014, each member of The Seekers was honored as an Officer of the Order of Australia. This is a high award from the Australian government.

How The Seekers Started

The Seekers formed in 1962 in Melbourne. Athol Guy played double bass, Keith Potger played twelve-string guitar, and Bruce Woodley played guitar. All three had gone to Melbourne Boys High School.

Before The Seekers, Guy, Potger, and Woodley were in other bands. They decided to form a new group called the Escorts. Ken Ray was their first lead singer. In 1962, they changed their name to "The Seekers". Ken Ray left the group.

Judith Durham then joined the band. She was already a jazz singer and added a unique female voice to the group. Durham and Guy had met while working at an advertising agency. At first, Judith only sang with The Seekers sometimes, as she also performed at jazz clubs.

The Seekers played folk-influenced pop music. They quickly became popular in Melbourne. Because of Judith Durham's connections, the group signed a record deal with W&G Records. Their first album, "Introducing the Seekers", came out in 1963. Their first song was "Waltzing Matilda", a traditional Australian song. It reached the Top 40 in Melbourne.

Becoming Famous in the UK

In March 1964, The Seekers got a job performing on a cruise ship called Fairsky. They traveled to the U.K. in May. They planned to stay for only ten weeks, but a booking agency in London offered them more work.

They signed with World Record Club and released a song called "Myra". The group also appeared regularly on a British TV show.

They met Tom Springfield, a songwriter and producer, who had written folk-pop songs before. He wrote "I'll Never Find Another You" for them. They recorded it in November 1964. It was released in December and became very popular. In February 1965, it reached number one in the U.K. and Australia. It also reached number 4 in the United States. This song sold 1.75 million copies worldwide.

The Seekers were the first Australian pop group to have a Top 5 hit in Australia, the U.K., and the U.S. Their music was described as "bright and upbeat." Judith Durham's clear voice and the group's harmonies helped them become very popular.

A String of Hit Songs

The Seekers had their first big success in the United States in 1965 with "I'll Never Find Another You". It reached number 4 on the Billboard charts.

In April 1965, the band was named "Best New Group of 1964" at the New Musical Express Poll Winners Awards. They performed at a big concert at Wembley Empire Pool. Other famous bands like the Beatles and the Rolling Stones were also there.

In May, they released another song by Tom Springfield, "A World of Our Own". This song reached the Top 3 in Australia and the U.K. It also made it to the Top 20 in the U.S. In July, their song "Morningtown Ride" became a Top 10 hit in Australia.

Their next single, "The Carnival Is Over", came out in November. The music was based on a Russian folk song, and Tom Springfield wrote the words. It reached number 1 in both Australia and the U.K. At its peak, it sold 93,000 copies a day in Great Britain!

On November 16, they performed for Queen Elizabeth - the Queen Mother at the London Palladium.

In 1965, the group met Paul Simon from the American duo Simon & Garfunkel. In 1966, The Seekers released "Someday One Day", written by Paul Simon. It reached number 4 in Australia and number 11 in the U.K. Bruce Woodley also wrote some songs with Paul Simon.

In early 1966, The Seekers filmed their first TV special in Australia, called At Home with the Seekers. In November, a new version of "Morningtown Ride" was released in the U.K. and reached number 2.

In December 1966, they released "Georgy Girl". This became their biggest hit in America, reaching number 2 on the Billboard charts. It was the theme song for a British movie called Georgy Girl. The song sold 3.5 million copies worldwide. It was also number 3 in the U.K. and number 1 in Australia. The writers of "Georgy Girl" were nominated for an Oscar!

Returning to Australia and Breaking Up

In March 1967, The Seekers returned to Australia for a big tour. They performed at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl in Melbourne. An amazing 200,000 people came to watch them! The Guinness Book of World Records (1968) listed it as the largest concert attendance in the Southern Hemisphere.

A film of their concert was part of their 1967 Australian TV special, The Seekers Down Under. It was watched by over 6 million people, which was a record at the time.

In January 1968, on Australia Day, the group was named joint Australians of the Year. They were the only group ever to receive this honor. They met the Prime Minister of Australia, John Gorton, during their tour.

On February 14, 1968, Judith Durham told the other members that she wanted to leave The Seekers to start a solo career. The group decided to break up. Their last performance was on July 9, and it was shown on BBC TV as a special called Farewell the Seekers. Over 10 million people watched it.

A live album from their last shows, Live at the Talk of the Town, reached number 2 on the UK charts. Also in July, a collection of their songs, The Seekers' Greatest Hits, was released. It was number 1 in Australia for 17 weeks! In the UK, it was number 1 for 6 weeks in 1969.

Reunions in the 1970s and 1980s

After The Seekers broke up, Judith Durham started her solo career. She released several albums. Athol Guy hosted his own TV show in Australia. Keith Potger formed a new group called The New Seekers in the UK. Bruce Woodley released solo albums and focused on writing songs, including "I Am Australian".

From 1972, Guy, Potger, and Woodley thought about getting The Seekers back together without Judith Durham. In 1975, they found a new singer named Louisa Wisseling. They had a Top 10 hit in Australia with "The Sparrow Song".

Over the years, other singers and musicians joined and left the group. In 1988, Guy, Potger, and Woodley reunited The Seekers with a popular singer named Julie Anthony. They sang "The Carnival Is Over" at World Expo 88 in Brisbane. In 1989, they released an album called Live On. In 1990, Karen Knowles became the new singer. However, the group eventually split up again.

The 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s

The Seekers DVD cover

The Seekers reunited in late 1992 with the original members: Judith Durham, Athol Guy, Keith Potger, and Bruce Woodley. They met for the first time in 20 years. They decided to do a reunion concert, which led to a huge 102-show tour in 1993. This tour was so successful that the group has continued to perform and record together ever since. They had many sold-out tours in Australia, New Zealand, and the UK.

They released new albums, including Future Road in 1997 and Morningtown Ride to Christmas in 2001. Both albums sold very well.

In 1995, The Seekers were added to the ARIA Hall of Fame. In 2000, Judith Durham sang "The Carnival Is Over" at the closing ceremony of the Paralympic Games.

In October 2002, to celebrate their 40th anniversary, Australian postage stamps were released featuring The Seekers. In 2006, they were given the Key to the City by Melbourne's Lord Mayor.

In 2010, their album The Best of the Seekers (1968) was listed in the book 100 Best Australian Albums. In 2011, "I'll Never Find Another You" was added to the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia's Sounds of Australia registry.

In 2013, "The Seekers' Golden Jubilee Tour" celebrated 50 years since the group formed. They had sold-out shows in Australia. However, Judith Durham had a brain hemorrhage after their first concert in Melbourne. The rest of the tour was postponed. They finished the Australian tour later that year and toured the UK in 2014, ending with two shows at the Royal Albert Hall in London.

In April 2019, The Seekers released Farewell, a live recording from their 50th Anniversary tour. After Judith Durham stopped performing live, the band continued as The Original Seekers. Michael Cristiano joined them as the "fourth voice." In June 2019, they released a new album called Back to Our Roots.

Recent News (2020)

In April 2020, Universal Music Australia announced that three new albums of The Seekers' rare and lost songs would be released. These albums are called Hidden Treasures. Hidden Treasures - Volume 1 was released in May 2020.

Band Members

Current Members

Michael Cristiano - guitars, backing and lead vocals (2019–present)
Athol Guy – double bass, backing vocals (1962–1968, 1975–1978, 1988–present)
Keith Potger – guitars, banjo, backing and lead vocals (1962–1968, 1975–1985, 1988–present)
Bruce Woodley – guitars, backing and lead vocals (1962–1968, 1975–1977, 1988–present)

Former Members

Julie Anthony – lead and backing vocals (1988–1990)
Judith Durham – lead and backing vocals, piano (1962–1968, 1992–2019)
Buddy England – guitars, backing vocals (1977–1980)
Karen Knowles – lead and backing vocals (1991)
Ken Ray – vocals, guitar (1962)
Peter Robinson – bass, backing vocals (1978–1986)
Rick Turk – guitars, piano, backing and lead vocals (1981–1986)
Ellen Wade - vocals (June–August 1965)
Cheryl Webb – lead and backing vocals (1977–1986)
Louisa Wisseling – lead and backing vocals (1975–1977)

Million-Selling Songs

The following songs by The Seekers each sold over one million copies:

"I'll Never Find Another You"
"A World of Our Own"
"The Carnival Is Over"
"Georgy Girl"

Each of these songs earned a gold disc award. Overall, The Seekers have sold more than 50 million records worldwide.

Important Performances

1965 – The Seekers won "Best New Group" and performed at the Wembley Empire Pool with famous bands like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones.
1965 – They performed in the United States on The Ed Sullivan Show.
1966 – They performed for the Queen Mother at the London Palladium.
1967 – They appeared again on The Ed Sullivan Show.
1967 – The Seekers represented Australia at Expo 67 in Montreal, Canada.
1967 – They played a huge concert in Melbourne for an estimated 200,000 people.

Television Specials

1965 – An Evening with The Seekers
1966 – The Seekers at Home
1967 – The Seekers Down Under and The World of The Seekers
A series of four mini-specials called A Date with the Seekers
1968 – 1968 BBC Farewell Spectacular
2019 – ABC Television's Australian Story
2019 – SBS Television screens the Decca DVD Farewell Album

Albums and Music Collections

Studio Albums

Introducing the Seekers (1963)
The Seekers (also known as Roving with the Seekers) (1964)
Hide & Seekers (also known as The Four and Only Seekers) (1964)
A World of Our Own (also known as The Seekers) (1965)
Come the Day (also known as Georgy Girl) (1966)
Seekers Seen in Green (1967)
The Seekers (1975)
Giving and Taking (1976)
A Little Bit of Country (1980)
Live On (1989)
Future Road (1997)
Morningtown Ride to Christmas (2001)
Back To Our Roots [as The Original Seekers] (2019)

Live Albums

Live at the Talk of the Town (1968)
25 Year Reunion Celebration (with Judith Durham) (1993)
1968 BBC Farewell Spectacular (1999)
Night of Nights... Live! (2002)
Farewell (2019)
The Carnival of Hits Tour 2000 (2019)

Popular Compilation Albums

The Seekers Sing Their Big Hits (1965)
Introducing the Seekers Big Hits (1967)
The Seekers' Greatest Hits (1968)
The Best of The Seekers (1968)
The Carnival is Over (1969)
Something Old/ Something New (1984)
The Silver Jubilee Album (1993)
A Carnival of Hits (1994)
Greatest Hits (2009)
The Golden Jubilee Album (2012)
Hidden Treasures - Volume 1 (2020)

CD Box Sets

The Seekers Complete [5CD] (1995)
Treasure Chest [3CD] (1997)
All Bound for Morningtown [4CD] (2009)

Images for kids

The Seekers DVD cover