"To say I love you
can't find a way to say I love you
to say I love you
after all this time
I just don't think I love you right
there were times I used to think about
all the space within my life if I should go without
there were times when I would scream and shout
don't look now
but this good thing could go astray
and I can't watch you throw away
what was right from the start
you don't want to tear apart
don't want to tear apart what could be saved, why can't you face what was meant to take place in this life?"
I Belong With You - Laurie Allen.
Former rock and country music icon and actor Bobby Bright has died at 80 after a colourful career that also included hosting radio shows at Nu Country FM at Beer Can Hill in Northcote in the nineties.
Bobby and Daddy Cool drummer Gary Young and Channel Seven personalities Craig Willis and Sandy Roberts were among the guest DJ hosts at the pioneer country music community station.
Bright, also a 3XY disc jockey, died in Melbourne three years after being diagnosed with lung cancer.
The English-born singer moved to Australia at the age of nine and had an incredible career in both music and film for over five decades.
Bright, who soared to fame with the late Laurie Allen in the famed Bobby and Laurie duo, also sang at the fiftieth birthday party of fellow Nu Country DJ and singer-songwriter Leslie Avril with Daddy Cool and Marcie Jones.
Bobby and Laurie pursued solo careers in in the late 50s and early 60s before teaming in 1964 as Bobby & Laurie.
They were regulars on The Go Show and released their first record I Belong with You, penned by Laurie, for Go Records – a Melbourne record label established by Australian musician and television host Horrie Dargie.
Bobby & Laurie worked with backing band The Rondells featuring Wayne Duncan on bass and Gary Young on drums who later formed Daddy Cool.
By 1965 Bobby & Laurie were both regulars on Australian TV which helped make them pop stars.
They joined international artists including The Dave Clark Five, The Seekers, The Easybeats and PJ Proby on their Australian tours.
In 1966 they scored another #1 hit when they covered Roger Miller’s Hitch Hiker.
Bobby – A Bright Hitchhiker No More
“Hitch hiker, Hitch hiker
like a restless tiger you can't stand still
and you never will
here I stand
and the cars go by
some of them honk - and some just wave Hi
it seems like life and the cars both just pass me by.”
Hitchhiker - Roger Miller
The duo had their own TV show – It’s a Gas/Dig We Must – for a New York Minute in 1966 but in 1967 they split for three years.
When they reformed another hit The Carroll County Accident reached number 30 in 1969.
Although The Eyes of Love reached number 13 in 1970 they broke up again in 1971.
Bobby also pursued an actor career and appeared in Homicide and played The Doctor in the Australian production of Tommy in 1973.
Bright appeared with Lisa McCune in Blue Heelers and late American singer Aaliyah in Melbourne-filmed Hollywood movie Queen of the Damned.
Bobby’s final acting role was in a 2015 short movie called Lazy Boy with Neighbours star Steven Carroll.
Bright continued to perform around Melbourne after Laurie Allen passed away in 2002.
The last time Nu Country TV producer David Dawson spoke to Bobby was at the wake of revered bassist Les Gough who died at 75 on September 29, 2021.
Gough began his music marathon with Russell Morris and Somebody’s Image in 1966 before playing with diverse bands including Atlas with Ronnie Charles, Rip Rawers, Moonlighters, Heart & Soul, Spot The Aussie, Ross Nicholson’s Road Dogs, Tex Nobody, Texas Touch, Billy Jack Band, Colin Jones Band, Chicken House, the Four Aces, the Dead Livers, P.C Caulton, the Vic State Opry and Arizona singer-songwriter Billy Wyatt.
TRIBUTE by Nu Country TV producer David Dawson
