Doug Parkinson

For the member of the Tasmanian Legislative Council in Australia, see Doug Parkinson (politician).
Doug Parkinson
Years active 1960s – present

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.

Career

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.

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[1]) 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's 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.

Discography and chart positions

The A SOUND

(Australia #-)

THE QUESTIONS

Album

(Instrumental Album recorded before Doug joined the band)

(Australia #-)

A/ Fire Down Below/Wheels/Again/Proud of You/Guantanamera/Canadian Sunset

B/ Deep Purple/How High the Moon/Hello Young Lovers/A Hard Day's Night/Kareila/Speak Low

Singles

(Instrumental single recorded before Doug joined the band)

(Australia #-)

(Australia#33-8 Sydney#12)

(Australia #-)

(Australia#54-6 Sydney#33)

Extended Plays

A/ Sally Go Round the Roses / Hey Gyp (Dig the Slowness)

B/ Deep Purple / How High the Moon

(B side has Instrumental tracks recorded before Doug joined the band)

A/ Something Wonderful / We Got Love

B/ And Things Unsaid / I Can't Hear You

DOUG PARKINSON IN FOCUS

Singles

(Australia #-)

(Australia#5–19, Melbourne#2, Sydney#9, Brisbane#2, Adelaide#1)

(Withdrawn From Sale)

(Australia#4–17, Melbourne#3, Sydney#7, Brisbane#4)

(Australia#42-9*, Melbourne#22, Sydney# -) (*Both sides charted)

(Australia #-)

Extended Play

A/ Hair / Without You

B/ Today (I Feel No Pain) / Dear Prudence

FANNY ADAMS

Album

(Australia #-) (US# -) (UK# -)

Single

(Australia #-) (US# -) (UK# -)

DOUG PARKINSON

Album

(Australia #-)

A/ Takin' It Easy/Tell Him I'll Be All Right/I Ain't Gonna Live That Way No More/And Things Unsaid/No Regrets

B/ Sweet Rock and Roll/Lonely/Get What You Can/Light My Fire/Dear Prudence, Love Gun

Singles

(Australia #-)

(Australia#99-1)

The LIFE ORGANISATION

Singles

(Australia#76-6, Sydney#36)

DOUG PARKINSON

Single

(Australia #-)

The LIFE ORGANISATION

Singles

(Australia #-)

(Australia #-)

(Australia #-)

(Australia #-)

(Australia#87-4)

DOUG PARKINSON

Singles

(Australia#22-18, Melbourne#14, Sydney#25, Adelaide#16)

(Australia#95-1)

(Australia #-)

DOUG PARKINSON & THE SOUTHERN STAR BAND

Album

(Australia#37-15)

A/ I'll Be Around/In My Life/Now You're on Your Own/Rainbow in Your Eyes/Soon As Your Thing Is Done

B/ The Hungry Years/Riff Raff/Midnite Sky/Lonely/Shuffle Up

Singles

(Australia#88-7)

(Australia#22-18, Melbourne#19, Sydney#20)

(Australia #-)

(Australia#70-7)

DOUG PARKINSON

Albums

Re-Issue of 1973's No Regrets

(Australia#59-3)

A/ Heartbeat To Heartbeat/Let Sleeping Dogs Lie/Don't Let Love Go/ It's Your Move/Better Keep Your Hands Off My (Potential New Girlfriend)

B/ I Can't Live With You/I Don't Unlove You/Thanks To You/What Does It Take/The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore

(Australia #-)

A/ Reach Out, I'll Be There/The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore/A Whiter Shade of Pale/Without You/Reflections/You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'/I Heard It Through the Grapevine/(Love Is Like A) Heatwave

B/You Keep Me Hangin' On/Dear Prudence/When a Man Loves a Woman/I'll Be Around/Endlessly/It's a Man's Man's World/You've Really Got a Hold on Me/You Are So Beautiful

(Australia #-)

You Don't Know Me/The Look of Love/Somewhere/Windmills of Your Mind/At Last/My Love/Try A Little Tenderness/Nature Boy/If You Go Away/Norwegian Wood/Ruby/The Moon's A Harsh Mistress/Somewhere ( Reprise)

Singles

References

  1. ↑ http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/26/nyregion/thecity/26disp.html
  2. ↑ Australian Chart Book 1970–1992
  3. ↑ Who's Who of Australian Rock (5th Edition)

Further reading

External links