Dragon and Russell Morris will be inducted in the ARIA Hall of Fame this year. The two acts are the first of the five to be inducted by ARIA on July 1.
Russell Morris is best known for his epic “The Real Thing,” and his recent work with Jim Keays and Darryl Cotton.
“When I first began the music path on which I eventually embarked – and walked the full distance – I thought it would be all over at the age of twenty five, and by thirty I would be back doing accounting!” he exclaimed. “So to be here right now and receiving this wonderful award is not only amazing but a beautiful surprise.”
Dragon may be technically a New Zealand band, but that won’t stop us honoring them. Their classics “April Sun in Cuba,” “Get That Jive,” “Are You Old Enough,” and “Still in Love with You,” are favorites of easy-listening radio stations around the country. The band’s lead singer Marc Hunter sadly passed away ten years ago. His brother Todd carries on the band’s name with singer Mark Williams.
“It is an honour to be included in the Hall Of Fame and it has always been a privilege to be part of the Australian music industry even though we may have felt like outsiders for much of the time. It is great to be included with bands and musicians whose work we admire,” Todd said in a statement.
“It is fitting that this should happen exactly 10 years after Marc died. I wish he was here and I know he would be thrilled. There have been 35 members of Dragon since 1973, from the original members to the current band, and this induction is for all of them. As a member of a band that has been playing on and off for 35 years, I’ve got to say it’s been a great pleasure and this is a great compliment for all involved.”
The 2008 ARIA Hall of Fame awards will be held at Melbourne Town Hall on July 1. For the first time, members of the public can purchase tickets through Ticketek.
Image source: Mandy Hall @ Wikimedia Commons