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Doug Parkinson -
Dear Prudence
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Doug Parkinson -
Without You
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Douglas "Doug" Parkinson is an Australian singer who first came to fame with his band, Doug Parkinson In Focus, in 1969. He has had numerous hits on the Australian Top 40 charts.
Parkinson first started singing with a band called The A Sound but, in 1966 graduated to a more professional outfit, The Questions. Led by Rory Thomas (piano, organ, woodwind and brass) the group held a residency at the Canopus Room, colloqually known as "The Can", at The Manly Pacific Hotel in Manly, a seaside suburb of Sydney, Australia.
In 1969 The Questions changed personnel and in the process became a four-piece band and took on the name of Doug Parkinson In Focus. This band, made up of some of Sydney's top musicians, Billy Green (guitar), Mark Kennedy (drums) and Duncan McGuire (bass), allowed him to showcase his powerful, soulful voice. With this band he rose to prominence with a number of Top 20 hit records in Australia such as "Dear Prudence" and "Without You" / "Hair", the latter written by guitarist and songwriter Billy Green (aka Wil Greenstreet ) in the mid-1970s, when Green composed the soundtrack to the film Stone, Parkinson sang on two tracks.
In 1969 Doug Parkinson In Focus won Australia' prestigious band competition, Hoadley's Battle of the Sounds. Following the demise of that band he joined Vince Melouney's post-Bee Gees supergroup Fanny Adams, which recorded one album and broke up. He then embarked on a successful solo career. He also sang the theme song of the short-lived 1980s soap opera, Arcade.
He continues to be a perennial favourite in stage shows, cabaret, club work and recording until the present day.
Doug Parkinson (vocals, guitar) with:
Strings & Things / The A Sound (1966)
Helen Barnes (bass)
Syd Barnes Jr (drums)
David Lee (guitar)
The Questions (1966-68)
Ray Burton (guitar) Jan-Feb. 1968
Bill Fleming (drums)
Billy Green (guitar) 1965-1968
Duncan McGuire (bass)
Wally Scott (?)
Rory Thomas (organ)
Les Young (bass) (Jan. Feb. 1968)
Doug Parkinson In Focus (Mk 1) Mar. 1968-Sept. 1969
Billy Green (guitar)
Doug Lavery (drums)
Duncan McGuire (bass)
Rory Thomas (organ)
Doug Parkinson In Focus (Mk 2) 1969
Johnny Dick (drums)
Billy Green (guitar)
Duncan McGuire (bass)
Doug Parkinson In Focus (Mk 3) 1969- Sept. 1970
Johnny Dick (drums)
Mick Rodgers (guitar, bass)
Les Stacpool (guitar, bass)
Fanny Adams 1970-71
Johnny Dick (drums)
Vince Melouney (guitar)
Teddy Toi (bass)
(Note: Billy Green and Duncan McGuire also reportedly had
short stints in Fanny Adams in its final days)
Doug Parkinson In Focus (Mk 4) June 1971
Billy Green (guitar)
Mark Kennedy (drums)
Duncan McGuire (bass)
Doug Parkinson Band 1973-74
Rod Coe (bass)
Bruno Lawrence (drums)
Mick Lieber (guitar)
Ray Vanderby (guitar)
Doug Parkinson's Life Organisation 1974-75
Johnny Dick (drums)
Peter Figures (drums)
Warren Ford (piano, guitar)
Peter Martin (guitar)
Graeme Morgan (drums)
Bill Motzing (brass, keys)
Teddy Toi (bass)
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