John Hanlon (singer)

John Hanlon (born 1949) is a New Zealand singer and songwriter. From 1974 to 1976, he collected three successive New Zealand Album of the Year and Songwriter of the Year awards, a feat achieved by no other artist before or since, as well as the APRA Silver Scroll two years in succession.[1]

Though Hanlon was born in Malaya, he migrated to New Zealand during the 1960s. In 1978 he then moved to Australia running Sydney ad-agency LOUD.[2][3] In recent years he has moved back to New Zealand where he continues to write books and play golf.[citation needed]

In 2024 he was presented with a Scroll of Honour from the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand for his contribution to New Zealand entertainment.

Career

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Musicians he played with include Frank Gibson Jnr., Bruce Lynch, Suzanne Lynch, Billy Kristian, Tommy Adderley, Dave MacRae and Symphonia of Auckland.[citation needed]

Discography

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Albums

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  • Floating – 1973
  • Garden Fresh – 1974 NZ #28
  • Higher Trails – 1975 NZ #7
  • Use Your Eyes – 1976
  • Short Stories – 1988
  • The Very Best of John Hanlon – 2003
  • Just Quietly – 2009
  • 12 Shades of Blue[4] – 2010[5]
  • After The Dam Broke – 2013, a double CD, 40 song compilation,[3] Cd1 from the 70's and CD2 from then on. All track are re-mastered.[6]
  • Naked Truths – 2021

Singles

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  • "Damn the Dam" – 1973. Originally made as a 2-minute radio commercial for New Zealand Fibreglass as part of a campaign to make insulation compulsory in new homes, it became very popular and was released as a single by Hanlon on condition that the profits were donated to environmental bodies. It was a NZ #5. It was adopted by the opponents of the Lake Manapouri dam.[7]
  • "Knowing" – 1973
  • "Shy Ann" – 1973
  • "I Care" – 1974
  • "Is It Natural" – 1974
  • "Lovely Lady" – 1974 NZ #1
  • "Apple Wine" – 1975 NZ #6
  • "Higher Trails" – 1975 NZ #35
  • "Romantically Inclined" – 1982
  • "Don't It Ever Get You Down" – 1988

References

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  1. ^ Gilchrist, Shane (14 September 2013). "He writes the songs". Otago Daily Times. Retrieved 1 May 2015.
  2. ^ Steel, Gary (1 September 2013). "The voice of a generation". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 1 May 2015.
  3. ^ a b "John Hanlon: Top New Zealand Writer/singer/songwriter – Still Making Waves". New Zealand Music Commission. 2 September 2013. Retrieved 1 May 2015.
  4. ^ "12 Shades of Blue (2010) – John Hanlon". John Hanlon. 14 September 2017. Retrieved 20 October 2017.
  5. ^ "12 Shades of Blue – John Hanlon". Marbecks. Retrieved 20 October 2017.
  6. ^ "After the Dam Broke (2013) – John Hanlon". John Hanlon. Retrieved 20 October 2017.
  7. ^ "Damn the Dam". NZ Folksong. October 2008. Retrieved 20 October 2017.
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