Post 393 - Bev Harrell - Carols By Candlelight / You've Got To Save Me

Petite 4'9" blonde pop vocalist Bev Harrell was one of the most popular female solo singers in Australia in the late 1960s. Bev began her career on radio, starting out when she was just six in the children's radio talent series Kangaroos on Parade in her hometown of Adelaide, South Australia. She started performing as a pop vocalist as a hobby in 1965 while she was still at school. Her debut single was a cover of "What Am I Doing Here with You?", originally a hit for Johnny Rivers. In 1969 and 1970 Bev was one of many Australian female entertainers who were sent to Vietnam to entertain Australian troops. In 1970, she travelled overseas, and cut a single for the US Bell label. She toured through Europe, Canada (where Bev had her own television special "Two New" on Toronto TV), the Caribbean, South Africa and South East Asia. In January 1971 in London, Bev released a single on Bell, "Back To The People" / "Travelling Easy". The single is of interest to Bee Gees aficionados because the A-side was co-written and the single produced by Maurice Gibb. According to Bee Gees expert Joseph Brennan, Bev did not know the Gibbs and was simply offered the song by their publisher. Later that year, as England's representative in the 1971 Tokyo World Song Festival, Bev took out the 'Outstanding Composition and Performance' award.Returning to Australia in 1972, she signed to RCA and issued three singles, "It Was Easy" '73 and here for you to download "Carols by Candlelight" b/w "You've Got to Save Me" (102380) in October 1973. Her last single, "Bring Back Those Memories", was released on the Polydor label. Today, Bev lives back in Adelaide and continues to work regularly on the musical stage and on the club and corporate circuit. She was awarded the Order of Australia (OAM) in 2006.