I hope you enjoy the updated story of The Seekers in Multimedia form! Click on the videos (left) to play them, or on the pictures (right) to hear streaming audio clips.
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In 1963, Judith Durham was belting out Jazz around the clubs in her Home Town of Melbourne. The video (below left) is of Judith singing 'We Shall Not Be Moved'. Click on her picture (below right) to hear her sing 'Papa De Da Da' with Frank Traynor's Jazz Preachers.
Athol Guy and Keith Potger also began their musical career in Melbourne - as 'The Escorts'. In contrast to Judith, They were playing rock 'n' roll. This is a live rendition by Athol and Keith of 'Hello, Mary Lou'.
It was while playing at the 'Treble Clef' Coffee Bar that the boys met a young singer / guitarist, Bruce Woodley. Bruce was playing and singing his own songs, a wonderful example of which is 'I wish you could be here'.
Together with Judith, The Seekers became
regular performers at the Treble Clef. It wasn't long before W&G records,
after hearing a demo tape, decided to sign both Judith and the Seekers. The
first Seekers album, 'Introducing The Seekers' was released in Australia in 1964
(see discography
for details). The song 'Myra' is the only W&G song for which a video has
been released (below left). The group's distinctive harmonies are already evident on
the soundclip from that album: 'Kumbaya' (below,
right).
Following their success in Australia, the group worked their way over to England on the cruise ship 'FairSky'. The video below is a re-enactment of a performance from that trip
.
Within a few months of their arrival in the UK, a single and 2 albums had been made. From the album 'Hide and Seekers', which featured Bobby Richards' Orchestra, came the first version of 'Morningtown Ride', the 1968 video of which you can view below. The soundclip from the album is the group's cover of Bob Dylan's 'Blowin' in the Wind'.
The Seekers first UK single, 'I'll Never find another You', was released in December 1964. After a little help with airplay from the pirate station 'Radio Caroline' It rapidly climbed the charts, reaching the number one spot in January 1965.
