George Assang | |
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Also known as | Vic Sabrino |
Born | 1927 Thursday Island, Queensland, Australia |
Died | 1997 (aged 69–70) Nowra, New South Wales, Australia |
Genres | |
Occupations |
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Instrument | Vocals |
Spouse |
George Assang (1927 – 1997), also known by his stage name Vic Sabrino, was an Australian jazz and blues singer and actor from Thursday Island, Queensland, Australia. He performed under his own name and the stage name Vic Sabrino. Assang was of Aboriginal, Pacific Islander, and Asian descent. [1]
As Vic Sabrino, he may have made the first Australian rock and roll recording, with Rock Around The Clock , but whether he recorded it before or after American Bill Haley, who the song is best known has never been established, A single he recorded with French jazz artist Red Perksey (Born; Siegbert Perlstein, in Berlin, Germany, (1921-1995) known professionally as Robert Bernard "Red" Perksey (Jazz trumpeter, pianist, singer, composer, music director, orchestra leader and A and R) [2] and His orchestra included this recording as a B-side. His version of the song has been described as having a distinct difference from Haley's more rock sounding recording, and said to more resemble a Jazz-Swing style more in the vein of Dean Martin. [3]
This single may have been recorded in 1955, some three years before Johnny O'Keefe's recording of "Wild One" in 1958. [3]
Assang was briefly married to actress Rowena Wallace from 1973 until their divorce in 1974.
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