Gray Bartlett | |
|---|---|
 Bartlett in 2012 | |
| Born | Graham Neil Bartlett 22 July 1942 Auckland, New Zealand |
| Occupations |
|
| Website | www |
Graham Neil Bartlett MBE (born 22 July 1942), generally known as Gray Bartlett, is a New Zealand born guitarist, country music performer, producer, talent mentor, tour promoter and entrepreneur.
He was born in Auckland and attended Auckland Grammar School. [1] Aged fifteen he joined a local band called The Phantoms and was signed to Zodiac Records in 1961.
Bartlett had a major hit record in Japan in 1965 with "La Playa", which featured in the Billboard music industry charts for ten weeks. He has sold over 410,000 singles and over 300,000 albums in Japan. He was presented with the first ever NZ International Gold Disc, presented in March 1968 for "La Playa".
He had his own show at the Tokyo Hilton in 1967, and was resident guitarist on Rolf Harris shows in England and Australia from 1968 to 1973. Bartlett has toured and supported many international acts including Connie Francis, Bobby Vee, The Ventures, Tom Jones, Herman's Hermits, Michael Crawford. In 1968 he joined since-convicted child abuser Rolf Harris for a New Zealand and Australian tour, leading to a seven-year musical relationship. Bartlett moved to England and performed with Harris at prestigious nightspots such as "The Talk of the Town".
Bartlett has released thirty albums including La Playa, Two Shades of Gray and Together Again (New Zealand gold albums in 1985 and 1990). His sales of music in China has been estimated by BMG Hong Kong to be approximately 1.6 million units.
His numerous awards include the NZCMA Hands of Fame in 1981, Top NZ Country Band in 1983, NZ Country Instrumentalist of the Year in 1984 and 1986, Top Country Group of the Year 1984, Country Music Industry Golden Tribute Award for services to country music in 1988, and the Guangzhou (China) Golden Plume Award for Top Foreign Artist Sales in 1988. He was named New Zealand Country Music Artist of the Year 1990, Patron of the New Zealand Country Music Association from 1987, and was New Zealand Cultural Ambassador 1985–86.
Bartlett was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire in the 1987 New Year Honours, for services to entertainment. [2]
In 1980 he stood unsuccessfully for the Auckland City Council as an independent. [3]
He composed The Ballad of Robbie Muldoon, and stood unsuccessfully for the National Party in Panmure in the 1990 election against Judith Tizard. [4]
Bartlett's 1990 Together Again national tour was named the Biggest Selling Concert Tour by New Zealand Artists and the companion album attained Gold status in seven days, making it the fastest selling album in New Zealand history.
He is Patron of the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand Inc and in 2001 he received their prestigious Benny Award, the highest honour for a New Zealand entertainer.
He was the producer of the record-breaking Highway of Legends tours.
Bartlett was involved with establishing the careers of Yulia, Will Martin, Elizabeth Marvelly, Margaret Keys and others. His company New Zealand Entertainment Academy (NZEA) regularly promotes New Zealand tours by overseas stars.
Bartlett was an Auckland City Councillor for nine years until retiring from his position in 2001. He represented the Eastern Bays Ward for the Citizens & Ratepayers Association from 1992 to 1998 and as an independent from 1998 to 2001. [5]
In October 2017 he was presented with the President's Medallion from the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand in recognition of his services as Patron.
Sir David Joseph Dobbyn is a New Zealand musician, singer–songwriter and record producer. In his early career he was a member of the rock group Th' Dudes and was the main creative force in pop band DD Smash. Since then he has released the majority of his recordings as a solo performer.
Shihad are a rock band formed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1988. The band consists of founders Tom Larkin, Phil Knight and Jon Toogood, who were joined by Karl Kippenberger in 1991. The band were known as Pacifier between 2002 and 2004.
Chris Knox is a New Zealand rock and roll musician, cartoonist and movie reviewer who emerged during the punk rock era with his bands The Enemy and Toy Love. After Toy Love disbanded in the early 1980s, he formed the group Tall Dwarfs with guitarist Alec Bathgate. The Tall Dwarfs were noted for their unpolished sound and intense live shows. His 4-track machine was used to record most of the early Flying Nun singles.
Carl William Doy is a British-born New Zealand pianist, composer and arranger. One of New Zealand's most successful musicians, Doy is probably best known for his multi-platinum selling Piano By Candlelight albums.
Donald McGlashan is a New Zealand composer, singer and multi-instrumentalist who Is best known for membership in the bands Blam Blam Blam, The Front Lawn, and The Mutton Birds, before going solo. He has also composed for cinema and television. Among other instruments, McGlashan has played guitar, drums, euphonium and French horn.
Shayne P. Carter is a New Zealand musician best known for leading Straitjacket Fits from 1986 to 1994, and as the only permanent member of Dimmer (1995–2012).
Greg Johnson is a New Zealand singer songwriter.
Hollie Smith is a New Zealand soul singer-songwriter based in Auckland, New Zealand. Her four solo albums Long Player, Humour and the Misfortune of Others, Water or Gold, and Coming In From The Dark have all reached number one on the RIANZ albums chart, making her one of the most successful female New Zealand artists of the 21st century.
Jodi Vaughan is an Australian-born country singer, songwriter, musician, television performer, and actor from Hamilton, New Zealand.
Raymond John Patrick Columbus was a New Zealand Benny Award-winning singer and songwriter, television host, music manager and entertainer, with a career spanning six decades. As the lead singer of Ray Columbus & the Invaders, his best-known hit was "She's A Mod".
Mark Williams is a New Zealand singer with Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ) number one hit singles, "Yesterday Was Just the Beginning of My Life" (1975) and a cover of Buddy Holly's "It Doesn't Matter Anymore" (1977) before he relocated to Australia later that year. His single, "Show No Mercy" (1990) was a top ten hit in both countries. He has undertaken extensive touring in support of numerous Australian bands and worked in television. In 2006 he became the vocalist for the reformed New Zealand band, Dragon.
Dane Aaron Rumble is a New Zealand recording artist. He is a former member of New Zealand hip hop group, Fast Crew.
The Variety Artists Club of New Zealand Inc (VAC) is a non-for-profit organisation and show business club. It was founded in 1966 and became an incorporated society in 1972. The VAC was formed to promote goodwill within the New Zealand entertainment industry and foster a spirit of loyalty, friendship and cooperation between members. Each year the VAC presents a number of New Zealand entertainment awards including the prestigious Benny Award.
Titanium was a New Zealand pop boy band formed in Auckland in 2012 from the winners of The Edge radio station's competition to create New Zealand's first authentic boy band. The Edge radio station hosted auditions across New Zealand and eventually six young men were selected for the group consisting of members, Zac Taylor, Andrew Papas, Jordi Webber, Shaquille Paranihi-Ngauma, Haydn Linsley and T.K Paradza. They released their debut single, "Come On Home". The single debuted at number one on the official New Zealand Singles Chart on 17 September 2012. Titanium released their debut studio album, All For You in December 2012. They became the first New Zealand band to have three songs in the Top 40 Singles Chart at one time.
John Denver Hore, better known by his stage name of John Grenell, was a New Zealand country singer and songwriter.
SOL3 MIO is a New Zealand musical trio consisting of Moses Mackay, Pene Pati and Amitai Pati. Of Samoan descent and classically trained, Moses is a baritone, and the Pati brothers are operatic tenors.
The 2014 New Zealand Music Awards was the 49th holding of the annual ceremony featuring awards for musical recording artists based in or originating from New Zealand. It took place on 20 November 2014 at Vector Arena in Auckland. The awards show was screened on channel Four, the first time the event was broadcast live.
Marlon Williams is a New Zealand singer-songwriter, guitarist and actor based in Lyttelton, New Zealand. Primarily known as a solo artist, he works and tours with his backing band The Yarra Benders and first came to attention as front-man of The Unfaithful Ways and for his collaborative work with musician Delaney Davidson.
Glyn Tucker Jr. was a leading figure in the New Zealand music industry for more than twenty years. Following an early career as a singer/songwriter in The Gremlins (1965–1968) he founded Mandrill Recording Studios in Auckland in 1975, and produced and engineered hundreds of New Zealand songs in the late seventies, eighties and early nineties.
Brendan Dugan is a New Zealand musician.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
