Lori Balmer
Encyclopedia
For other persons with the name Lori see Lori (disambiguation)
Lori Balmer (b.1958 -Victoria
, Australia
) is an Australian pop singer. She has put out a number of records, was a session singer and appeared on TV, both in Australia and Britain.
was involved in the production.
, she travelled to England
with her parents. They stayed with the Gibb family and she began to work on children's TV shows & radio, such as The BBC 1 Club, regularly. The British press dubbed her the"bush baby" and would occasionally appear on the same shows alongside the Bee Gees.. At this time too she soon found herself in the recording studio putting down two new Bee Gee's composed songs "Treacle Brown" and Four Faces West". All backing and production was provided by the Bee Gees
(including then members Vince Melouney and Colin Peterson), with Bill Shepherd doing the arrangements. This was duly released on a single on Polydor, however legal problems prevented her from going any further with it. By accounts it seems this record demonstrated a voice more powerful than could be expected from an eleven year old.
In 1971, Lori was signed to Pye Records with Tony Atkins as the producer releasing the single "Here Before The Sun" in 1972.She continued working in the UK as a support to The Marmalade,The Hollies,Johnny Mathis,and various artists in UK and Europe.
She also sang the title song of the Australian movie, Melvin, Son of Alvin in 1984. In 1987 she sang backup vocals on the musical soundtracks of the Australian movies "Sons of Steel" and, in 1995, "Billy's Holiday" More recently she has been involved in the production of the Animalsoztralia CD and the singing group Ozkids.
She returned regularly to the UK and toured or recorded, under pseudonyms (as she puts it in the book Tales of The Brothers Gibb), with many artists such as Tina Turner
, Cliff Richard
, Bryan Ferry
, U2
, Joe Cocker
, George Harrison
, Lionel Richie
, Van Halen
& Johnny Rotten.
Through the 90's to present she has become one of Australia's top session singers.
She married John Vallins in 1982(ex-member of bands, Steve & The Board and Tin Tin
)who is now a music producer and as a songwriter has many credits to his name including the Johnny Mathis and Denice Williams hit "Too Much Too Little Too Late" which topped the Billboard Charts at Number One.
Lori with The Charades
Lori with The Marksmen
Lori Balmer
Lori Balmer & Short Notice
CD's
Lori Balmer (b.1958 -Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, 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...
) is an Australian pop singer. She has put out a number of records, was a session singer and appeared on TV, both in Australia and Britain.
Early life
She started singing professionally at the age of six. Her parents moved from Victoria to Sydney and she was signed by RCA Records at the age of seven. Her first single record (under the name of just Lori) was released in 1966. She was reputed to be Australian RCA's youngest recording star at that time. Through her family connection to the Gibb family of The Bee Gees she was offered two Barry Gibb songs to record "Who's Been Writing On The Wall Again " and "In Your World" which she recorded at EMI's Sydney Studio and became her third single at the ripe old age of eight. All three Gibb brothers provided vocal backing on it and Barry GibbBarry Gibb
Barry Alan Crompton Gibb, CBE , is a singer, songwriter and producer. He was born in the Isle of Man to English parents. With his brothers Robin and Maurice, he formed The Bee Gees, one of the most successful pop groups of all time. The trio got their start in Australia, and found their major...
was involved in the production.
In the UK
In January 1968, following an invitation from Barry GibbBarry Gibb
Barry Alan Crompton Gibb, CBE , is a singer, songwriter and producer. He was born in the Isle of Man to English parents. With his brothers Robin and Maurice, he formed The Bee Gees, one of the most successful pop groups of all time. The trio got their start in Australia, and found their major...
, she travelled to England
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...
with her parents. They stayed with the Gibb family and she began to work on children's TV shows & radio, such as The BBC 1 Club, regularly. The British press dubbed her the"bush baby" and would occasionally appear on the same shows alongside the Bee Gees.. At this time too she soon found herself in the recording studio putting down two new Bee Gee's composed songs "Treacle Brown" and Four Faces West". All backing and production was provided by the Bee Gees
Bee Gees
The Bee Gees are a musical group that originally comprised three brothers: Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. The trio was successful for most of their 40-plus years of recording music, but they had two distinct periods of exceptional success: as a pop act in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and as a...
(including then members Vince Melouney and Colin Peterson), with Bill Shepherd doing the arrangements. This was duly released on a single on Polydor, however legal problems prevented her from going any further with it. By accounts it seems this record demonstrated a voice more powerful than could be expected from an eleven year old.
In 1971, Lori was signed to Pye Records with Tony Atkins as the producer releasing the single "Here Before The Sun" in 1972.She continued working in the UK as a support to The Marmalade,The Hollies,Johnny Mathis,and various artists in UK and Europe.
Later career
In the mid/late 1970s, at a less tender age, she released a number of single records in Australia, touring as a back up singer for Cold Chisel and Richard Clapton and as a member of Dalvanius and The Facinations with the NZ funk band Collision and appeared regularly on TV.She also sang the title song of the Australian movie, Melvin, Son of Alvin in 1984. In 1987 she sang backup vocals on the musical soundtracks of the Australian movies "Sons of Steel" and, in 1995, "Billy's Holiday" More recently she has been involved in the production of the Animalsoztralia CD and the singing group Ozkids.
She returned regularly to the UK and toured or recorded, under pseudonyms (as she puts it in the book Tales of The Brothers Gibb), with many artists such as Tina Turner
Tina Turner
Tina Turner is an American singer and actress whose career has spanned more than 50 years. She has won numerous awards and her achievements in the rock music genre have led many to call her the "Queen of Rock 'n' Roll".Turner started out her music career with husband Ike Turner as a member of the...
, 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....
, Bryan Ferry
Bryan Ferry
Bryan Ferry, CBE is an English singer, musician, and songwriter. Ferry came to public prominence in the early 1970s as lead vocalist and principal songwriter with the band Roxy Music, who enjoyed a highly successful career with three number one albums and ten singles entering the top ten charts in...
, U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
, Joe Cocker
Joe Cocker
John Robert "Joe" Cocker, OBE is an English rock and blues musician, composer and actor, who came to popularity in the 1960s, and is most known for his gritty voice, his idiosyncratic arm movements while performing, and his cover versions of popular songs, particularly those of The Beatles...
, George Harrison
George Harrison
George Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
, Lionel Richie
Lionel Richie
Lionel Brockman Richie, Jr. , is an American singer-songwriter, musician and record producer. Since 1968, he has been a member of the musical group Commodores signed to Motown Records...
, Van Halen
Van Halen
Van Halen is an American hard rock band formed in Pasadena, California, in 1972. The band has enjoyed success since the release of its debut album, Van Halen, . As of 2007 Van Halen has sold 80 million albums worldwide and has had the most #1 hits on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart...
& Johnny Rotten.
Through the 90's to present she has become one of Australia's top session singers.
She married John Vallins in 1982(ex-member of bands, Steve & The Board and Tin Tin
Tin Tin (band)
Tin Tin was a pop/rock band formed in the UK in 1966, by expatriate Australian musicians.-Beginning:The band was formed by Steve Groves and Steve Kipner, who named the band after the popular belgian cartoon The Adventures of Tintin...
)who is now a music producer and as a songwriter has many credits to his name including the Johnny Mathis and Denice Williams hit "Too Much Too Little Too Late" which topped the Billboard Charts at Number One.
45 rpm singles
Lori- Banjo Boy/The Dickey Bird Song - RCA - 1966
- Pink Shoe Laces/Side by Side - RCA - 1966
- Who's Been Writing On The Wall/In Your World - RCA - 1967
Lori with The Charades
- Poor Little Black Sheep/ If I Knew You'd been coming (I'd a baked a Cake)- RCA - 1966
Lori with The Marksmen
- Wear A Yellow Raincoat/Silly Silly Blunder - RCA -1967
Lori Balmer
- Treacle Brown/Four Faces West - Polydor (UK) - 1968
- Here Before The Sun/You're The Only Reason - Pye (UK) - 1972
- Itchy Itch Coo Coo/Sing a Happy Song - Festival - 1974
- Don't Throw It All Away/Shoes - Festival - 1976
- Postcard From Spain/Here's Some Love - Festival - 1976
- Are You Ready For Love/Love Ain't Easy - Festival - 1978
Lori Balmer & Short Notice
- La Booga Booga/Call On Me - RCA - 1979
Compilations
33rpm album- 25 Rare Recycled RCA Rock Relics - Who's Been Writing On The Wall- (RCA) - 1979
CD's
- Melvin, Son of Alvin(soundtrack)- Melvin, Son of Alvin -1984
- It's So Fine - Here Before The Sun - (UK) - 2005
- The Arrest from Tales of Witchcraft - John Loughman - 2006-11-22