Christie Allen
Encyclopedia
Christie Allen was an English
-born pop singer
who had a successful career as a recording artist in her adopted homeland Australia
.
. Whilst performing in a band, Pendulum, with her brothers in Perth she came to the attention of songwriter
and record producer
Terry Britten
after virtually knocking on his door, according to an interview she gave on Sounds. Britten, a former member of The Twilights, had previously worked with Cliff Richard
(with whom he co-wrote "Devil Woman
"). Impressed by Allen's vocal ability and bubbly personality, he began working with her and a recording contract with Mushroom Records
resulted. She released her first single "You Know That I Love You", which although it wasn’t a major hit (reaching #67 on the Australian singles charts), did attract enough airplay and positive reviews to indicate bigger things for the future.
Her next three singles from her debut album Magic Rhythm were substantial hits. The first single was a ballad "Falling In Love With Only You", which reached #20 in April 1979. Her next two singles were strongly influenced by the popular disco
style - "Goosebumps" reached #3 in September 1979, and "He's My Number One" reached #4 in 1980. With sales of 60,000, "Goosebumps" would be Allen's greatest success and was one of Mushroom Record's highest selling singles at that time. When "Goosebumps" took off, she toured with The Hot Band which comprised Greg Cook (guitar; ex-Cam-Pact, Mixtures, Ram Band, Mondo Rock
), Max Chazan (guitar; ex-Rubes), Michael Hegerty (bass; Richard Clapton
Band), Rick Puchala (drums; Richard Clapton Band) and Bruce Haymes (organ; ex-Rubes, Richard Clapton Band) and later Yuri Worontschak (keyboards: Yamaha CP70B and Mini Moog; ex Spitfire).
Allen was voted the 'Most Popular Female Performer' at the TV Week
/Countdown Music Awards for 1979 and 1980. At the 1979 awards ceremony, broadcast by Countdown on 19 April 1980, Allen performed, "He's My Number 1". Allen won the 1980 award, broadcast on 22 March 1981, against nominees, Annalise Morrow of The Numbers and Lynda Nutter of The Dugites
.
Allen was the voice over and sang the jingle
for the Tarino orange soft drink commercials.
In 1980 and 1981, Christie Allen released a handful of singles - "Baby Get Away", "Switchboard" and "Don't Put Out The Flame" - from her second and final album Detour, produced by John Hudson
, but they were only mildly successful. Terry Britten had now moved on and was having success with Tina Turner writing her hits "What's Love Got to Do with It" and "We Don't Need Another Hero
" and also writing songs for The Pirate Movie
starring Kristy McNichol
. A long illness prevented Allen from adequately promoting her career and she subsequently retired.
After starting a family, the 1990s saw Christie Allen return to music, albeit in a low profile capacity, performing as a vocalist with country music bands. In 1998, Michael Gudinski
sought her out via an appeal on national radio to perform at a televised tribute concert for the 25th anniversary of Mushroom Records
and she retired following that performance, singing her hit "Goosebumps", before a huge crowd at the MCG
on 14 November 1998.
In 2006, Gudinski asked Christie to participate in the Countdown Spectacular
tour, however due to her ill health, she had to decline.
Allen was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer
in March 2008 and died at her home in country Western Australia on Tuesday 12 August 2008, aged 53.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
-born pop singer
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
who had a successful career as a recording artist in her adopted homeland Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
Biography
Christie Allen was born, June Allen, on Sunday 12 September 1954, in the United Kingdom, before moving with her family to Perth, Western AustraliaPerth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
. Whilst performing in a band, Pendulum, with her brothers in Perth she came to the attention of songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
and record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
Terry Britten
Terry Britten
Terry Britten is a prolific English singer-songwriter, who has written songs for Tina Turner and Sir Cliff Richard, Olivia Newton-John, Status Quo, Michael Jackson and many others.-Career:...
after virtually knocking on his door, according to an interview she gave on Sounds. Britten, a former member of The Twilights, had previously worked with Cliff Richard
Cliff Richard
Sir Cliff Richard, OBE is a British pop singer, musician, performer, actor, and philanthropist who has sold over an estimated 250 million records worldwide....
(with whom he co-wrote "Devil Woman
Devil Woman
"Devil Woman" is a 1976 hit single for Cliff Richard culled from his album I'm Nearly Famous.-Background:"Devil Woman" was written by Terry Britten and Christine Holmes and first recorded by Holmes under the name Kristine....
"). Impressed by Allen's vocal ability and bubbly personality, he began working with her and a recording contract with Mushroom Records
Mushroom Records
Mushroom Records is an Australian recoJrd company formed by Michael Gudinski and Ray Evans in Melbourne in 1972. After its sale in 1998, it merged into Festival Mushroom Records. From 2005 to 2009, it is one of the record labels operated by Warner Bros...
resulted. She released her first single "You Know That I Love You", which although it wasn’t a major hit (reaching #67 on the Australian singles charts), did attract enough airplay and positive reviews to indicate bigger things for the future.
Her next three singles from her debut album Magic Rhythm were substantial hits. The first single was a ballad "Falling In Love With Only You", which reached #20 in April 1979. Her next two singles were strongly influenced by the popular disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
style - "Goosebumps" reached #3 in September 1979, and "He's My Number One" reached #4 in 1980. With sales of 60,000, "Goosebumps" would be Allen's greatest success and was one of Mushroom Record's highest selling singles at that time. When "Goosebumps" took off, she toured with The Hot Band which comprised Greg Cook (guitar; ex-Cam-Pact, Mixtures, Ram Band, Mondo Rock
Mondo Rock
Mondo Rock is a rock band from Melbourne, Australia, most prominent in the early 1980s. The band was formed in late 1976 by singer-songwriter-guitarist Ross Wilson.-Early years: 1976–1979:...
), Max Chazan (guitar; ex-Rubes), Michael Hegerty (bass; Richard Clapton
Richard Clapton
Richard Clapton is an Australian singer-songwriter and guitarist from Sydney, New South Wales. His solo top 20 hits on the Kent Music Report Singles Chart are "Girls on the Avenue" and "I Am an Island"...
Band), Rick Puchala (drums; Richard Clapton Band) and Bruce Haymes (organ; ex-Rubes, Richard Clapton Band) and later Yuri Worontschak (keyboards: Yamaha CP70B and Mini Moog; ex Spitfire).
Allen was voted the 'Most Popular Female Performer' at the TV Week
TV Week
TV Week is a weekly television magazine in Australia, first published as a Melbourne-only publication in December 1957 , and bearing a strong affiliation to television station GTV.The publication is still publishing weekly...
/Countdown Music Awards for 1979 and 1980. At the 1979 awards ceremony, broadcast by Countdown on 19 April 1980, Allen performed, "He's My Number 1". Allen won the 1980 award, broadcast on 22 March 1981, against nominees, Annalise Morrow of The Numbers and Lynda Nutter of The Dugites
The Dugites
The Dugites were a Perth band who formed in the late '70s. The name refers to the brown venomous snake, the dugite, common in the area.-History:...
.
Allen was the voice over and sang the jingle
Jingle
A jingle is a short tune used in advertising and for other commercial uses. The jingle contains one or more hooks and lyrics that explicitly promote the product being advertised, usually through the use of one or more advertising slogans. Ad buyers use jingles in radio and television...
for the Tarino orange soft drink commercials.
In 1980 and 1981, Christie Allen released a handful of singles - "Baby Get Away", "Switchboard" and "Don't Put Out The Flame" - from her second and final album Detour, produced by John Hudson
John Hudson
John Hudson may refer to:* John Hudson , older brother of actor William Hudson* John Hudson , former NFL player* John Hudson , former American basketball player...
, but they were only mildly successful. Terry Britten had now moved on and was having success with Tina Turner writing her hits "What's Love Got to Do with It" and "We Don't Need Another Hero
We Don't Need Another Hero
"We Don't Need Another Hero " is the hit theme song to the 1985 film Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome with Mel Gibson and Tina Turner. The single was recorded by Turner, who played Aunty Entity in the movie...
" and also writing songs for The Pirate Movie
The Pirate Movie
The Pirate Movie is a 1982 musical and comedy film directed by Ken Annakin and starring Christopher Atkins and Kristy McNichol. The film is loosely based on Gilbert and Sullivan's comic opera The Pirates of Penzance. The original music score is composed by Mike Brady and Peter Sullivan...
starring Kristy McNichol
Kristy McNichol
Christina Ann "Kristy" McNichol is an American actress.McNichol is best known for her roles as Leticia “Buddy” Lawrence on the television drama series Family and as Barbara Weston on the sitcom Empty Nest. She is also the sister of former child actor Jimmy McNichol...
. A long illness prevented Allen from adequately promoting her career and she subsequently retired.
After starting a family, the 1990s saw Christie Allen return to music, albeit in a low profile capacity, performing as a vocalist with country music bands. In 1998, Michael Gudinski
Michael Gudinski
Michael Solomon Gudinski, AM is an Australian entrepreneur and businessman currently based in Melbourne who is a leading figure in the Australian music industry...
sought her out via an appeal on national radio to perform at a televised tribute concert for the 25th anniversary of Mushroom Records
Mushroom Records
Mushroom Records is an Australian recoJrd company formed by Michael Gudinski and Ray Evans in Melbourne in 1972. After its sale in 1998, it merged into Festival Mushroom Records. From 2005 to 2009, it is one of the record labels operated by Warner Bros...
and she retired following that performance, singing her hit "Goosebumps", before a huge crowd at the MCG
McG
Joseph McGinty Nichol , better known as McG, is an American director and producer of film and television, as well as a former record producer....
on 14 November 1998.
In 2006, Gudinski asked Christie to participate in the Countdown Spectacular
Countdown Spectacular
The Countdown Spectacular is a series of concerts reviving the nostalgia of the Australian music television series Countdown.-Countdown Spectacular:...
tour, however due to her ill health, she had to decline.
Allen was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer refers to a malignant neoplasm of the pancreas. The most common type of pancreatic cancer, accounting for 95% of these tumors is adenocarcinoma, which arises within the exocrine component of the pancreas. A minority arises from the islet cells and is classified as a...
in March 2008 and died at her home in country Western Australia on Tuesday 12 August 2008, aged 53.
Family
Allen had three brothers: Keith, Steve and Mark. Together with her husband Mark (whom she married in 1998) she had a daughter Christa Lea, and a granddaughter Ashlee.Albums
- Magic Rhythm - Mushroom (November, 1979) AUS #59 (re-released in 1997)
- Detour - Mushroom (1980) AUS #96
Singles
- "You Know That I Love You"/"Nashville Tennessee" - Mushroom (1978) AUS #67
- "Falling in Love with Only You"/"Under Lock and Key" - Mushroom (April, 1979) AUS #20
- "Goosebumps"/"Ships That Pass in the Night" - Mushroom (September, 1979) AUS #3
- "He's My Number One"/"Count Me Out" - Mushroom (January, 1980) AUS #4
- "Magic Rhythm"/"Only Yes Will Do" - Mushroom (May, 1980) AUS #38
- "Baby Get Away"/"Don't Stop" - Mushroom (August, 1980) AUS #38
- "Switchboard"/"Monday through to Friday" - Mushroom (November, 1980)
- "Don't Put Out the Flame"/"City Lights" - Mushroom (March, 1981) AUS #68