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Keith Potger

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Keith Potger
AO
The Seekers in 1965 – Potger is second from left
The Seekers in 1965 – Potger is second from left
Background information
Birth nameKeith Leon Potger[1]
Born (1941-03-21) 21 March 1941 (age 83)
Colombo, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka)
GenresAcoustic folk
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter, producer
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitar, banjo
Years active1960s–present
Websitekeithpotger.com.au

Keith Leon Potger AO (born 21 March 1941) is an Australian musician. He is a founding members of the Australian folk-pop group the Seekers. He was born in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and is of Burgher descent.[2] In 1969, Potger and his business partner David Joseph co-founded the contemporary English pop group the New Seekers. Potger also records and performs as a solo artist.

In September 2014, along with his colleagues in the Seekers, Potger was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO).

Early life

Keith Potger was born on 21 March 1941 in Colombo, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), to Justin Vere Potger (1914-1990) and Joan Frances Meier (1920-2004). His two brothers are Ralph and Nigel.[3] At age 6, Potger's family migrated to Australia and he began teaching himself to play the banjo, guitar and keyboard. While at Melbourne High School,[4] Potger performed in vocal groups which evolved into the Seekers in early 1962. The lineup of the Seekers then consisted of Athol Guy, Bruce Woodley, Ken Ray and Potger. When Ray left the group in late 1962, Judith Durham joined and they focused on the folk and gospel music boom, accompanying themselves on guitars, banjo and double bass.

The Seekers

Main article: The Seekers
See also: List of Australian of the Year Award recipients

The Seekers consisted of Judith Durham, Athol Guy, Bruce Woodley and Potger, an ABC radio producer. Through Potger's position, the three were able to make a demo tape in their spare time. This was given to W&G Records, which wanted another sample of Durham's voice before agreeing to record a Jazz Preachers' album. W&G instead signed The Seekers for an album, Introducing The Seekers, in 1963. Potger does not appear on the album cover because he was not allowed to have a second job.

In early 1964, the Seekers sailed to the United Kingdom on the S.S. Fairsky, on which the group provided the musical entertainment. Originally, they had planned to return after ten weeks, but they received a steady stream of bookings through the Grade Agency because they had sent the agency a copy of their first album. On 4 November 1964 at EMI's Abbey Road Studios, the Seekers recorded "I'll Never Find Another You" composed and produced by Tom Springfield and subsequently released in December 1964. In February 1965, the song reached number one in the UK and Australia, while their 1966 recording of Springfield and Jim Dale's "Georgy Girl" (from the film of the same name) reached number two (Billboard chart) and number one (Cashbox chart) in the United States.

In 1967, the Seekers set an official all-time record when more than 200,000 people (nearly one tenth of the city's entire population at that time) flocked to their performance at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl in Melbourne. Their TV special The Seekers Down Under scored the biggest TV audience ever (with a 67 rating), and early in 1968 they were all awarded the nation's top honour as "Australians of the Year 1967".[5] On a tour of New Zealand in February 1968, Durham advised the group that she was leaving The Seekers and subsequently left in July 1968.[6]

In the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s, the Seekers reunited and toured extensively. In September 2014, each of them was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO).

The New Seekers

Main article: The New Seekers
See also: Keith Potger and the New Seekers

When the Seekers disbanded in 1968, Potger's musical activities turned to songwriting and record production in major recording studios in the UK. The New Seekers are an English pop group, formed in London in 1969 by Potger. The idea was that the New Seekers would appeal to the same market as the original Seekers, but their music would have pop as well as folk influences. They achieved worldwide success in the early 1970s with hits including "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing", "You Won't Find Another Fool Like Me" and "Beg, Steal or Borrow".

The New Seekers' second album, Keith Potger and the New Seekers, released in 1970, is their only one to feature Potger as a member.

Solo career

Returning to Australia in 1978, Potger wrote and produced television jingles and music tracks as well as performing solo concerts throughout the 1980s. In 1988, he wrote and produced stage musicals for the Australian Bicentenary.[7] In 2004, Potger released his first solo album, Secrets of the Heart. This was followed by Sunday in 2007 and in 2010, with Smile Now.

In November 2018, Potger coined the word "mynonym" to be an autological synonym for the word palindrome.[citation needed]

Personal life

On 18 November 2006, Potger married Australian actress Nicola Paull in front of six witnesses and a celebrant on the Mornington Peninsula.[8] They divorced on 8 February 2014. The following year, Potger was reportedly living in Braidwood, New South Wales.[9]

Potger's previous two marriages were to Pamela Potger (1994–2004; divorced), and British swimmer Pamela Powley (22 January 1966 – 1984; divorced), from which they had two children.[10][11] Their son Matthew (born in London, 1967) is an actor and composer.[12][13]

Honours and awards

The Seekers

  • In 1966, The Seekers (Judith Durham, Athol Guy, Bruce Woodley, Keith Potger) received the Carl Alan Award for Best New Group (1965) at the Top Of The Pops Awards, in London.[14]
  • In 1968, Potger and the other members of The Seekers were named jointly and severally Australians of the Year 1967.[15]
  • In 1995, Potger and the other members of The Seekers were inducted into the Australian Record Industry Association (ARIA) Hall of Fame.[16]
  • In the 1995 Australia Day Honours, Potger, along with the other members of The Seekers, was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM).[17]
  • In 2006, Potger and the other members of The Seekers were presented with the Key to the City by Melbourne's Lord Mayor, John So.[18]
  • In 2012, Potger and the other members of The Seekers were honoured by Australia Post with a special Legends Of Australian Music postage stamp.[19]
  • In the 2014 Queen's Birthday Honours, Potger, along with the other members of The Seekers, was advanced as an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO).[20]
  • In 2013, Potger and The Seekers received the Ted Albert Award from the Australian Performing Rights Association (APRA) for Outstanding Services to Australian Music.[21]  
  • In 2015, Potger, along with the other members of The Seekers, was inducted into the Music Victoria Hall of Fame.[22]

CMMA

In 1983, Potger won a Golden guitar award and was inducted into the Roll of Renown at the Tamworth Country Music Awards of Australia (CMAA)[23]

Year Nominee / work Award Result
1983 "Used to Be a Gold Song" with Allan Caswell Song of the Year Won

Discography

Albums

List of live albums
Title Details
Keith Potger and the New Seekers (with The New Seekers)
  • Released: 1970
  • Label: Philips
Secrets of the Heart
  • Released: 2004
  • Label: Keith Potger
Sunday
  • Released: 2007
  • Label: Keith Potger
Smile Now
  • Released: 2010
  • Label: Keith Potger

References

  1. ^ "The Seekers Official Website". Theseekers.com.au.
  2. ^ Sherrille Hermon (14 April 2014). "About the Burghers". Burgherassocn.org.au.
  3. ^ "Family tree of Justin Vere Potger". Geneanet.
  4. ^ "A bigger biog". Keithpotger.com.
  5. ^ "About Judith Durham". Judith Durham. Archived from the original on 23 September 2016. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
  6. ^ "The Judith Durham Story". Judith Durham. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
  7. ^ "Keith Potger". The Seekers. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
  8. ^ "(The other) Keith and Nic tie the knot". The Age. 22 November 2006. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
  9. ^ "Arts / Seeker finds a new home". CityNews.com.au. 25 November 2015. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
  10. ^ IMDb name|0693088
  11. ^ "Lyn Paul website: New Seekers - Keith Potger". Lynpaulwebsite.org.
  12. ^ "Matthew Potger". IMDb.com.
  13. ^ "Matthew Potger : Deputy Headteacher at The Moat School". Linkedin.com. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
  14. ^ New Music Awards - 1965. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  15. ^ The Seekers: Athol Guy, Judith Durham, Keith Potger, and Bruce Woodley – Australian of the Year. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
  16. ^ ARIA Hall of Fame, retrieved 15 February 2020.
  17. ^ "It's an Honour". itsanhonour.gov.au. Retrieved 9 November 2015.
  18. ^ "Judith Durham" Ruyton Girls' School. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  19. ^ The Australia Post Legends Awards. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  20. ^ Queen's Birthday honours: Australians recognised for services to community. ABC News 9 June 2014. retrieved 9 June 2014.
  21. ^ The Music.com. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  22. ^ The Sydney Morning Herald, 15 June 2015. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  23. ^ "Past Winners". Country. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
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