Deborah Gray
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- Writer
- singer
- songwriter
- cabaret/nightclub performer
- TV host
- composer
- producer
- former fashion model
- former actress
Deborah Gray | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1958 (age 67–68) Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia |
| Occupations |
|
| Musical career | |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Labels | CBS Records/Sony, Laser Records, Coconut Records |
| Formerly of | Trouble, ARVO |
Deborah Gray (born 1958) is an Australian international best selling fictional author, primarily known for publishing magic and spell books and is also a singer-songwriter, who was a former high fashion magazine and catwalk model, actress and documentary director and producer.[1][2][3]
Gray was born in Canberra, Australia in 1958. as a teenager while still at school, she was scouted by a leading Sydney agent for a modelling contract and after moving to Sydney, she became a successful model for fashion magazines. SHe appeared on the covers of the now defunct Cleo and Dolly magazine and also featured in national TV commercials including for National Quintrix, Sunwhite Rice, Holden and Coca Cola.[4]
Gray appeared on catwalks, top fashion magazine covers and pictorials amongst them New Idea, Bride to Be and TV Week.[5][6]
Acting
Gray branched out into acting when she featured on later episodes of the TV series Number 96 in 1977 as Miss Hemingway.[7] She continued her acting career as a popular television and film actress.
She played in several guest role's in soap opera The Young Doctors, acted in the police drama series Bellamy (1981), and was a regular co-host in an Australian Candid Camera style television series titled Catch Us If You Can.
Gray started an all-girl cabaret act named Deborah Gray and the Flames (one of the flames was future Perfect Match hostess Debbie Newsome).[8] Gray went on to appear on the cover of Australian Playboy and was showcased in its best-selling actor profile and pictorial, and acted in two 1981 feature films, the SAFC funded comedy Pacific Banana, and The Best of Friends. Gray co-wrote and sang the title song from Pacific Banana with fellow co-star Luan Peters.[9]
Music career (singing, writing, touring, recording and producing)
Gray's first record deal was with Laser Records, an Australian label. "Love Song of O" peaked at number 89 in Australia in January 1978.
In 1982, Gray left Australia to pursue music full time after being offered a record deal and a European tour in the pop duo “Trouble” with Coconut Records, a label of German record company Hansa. She had a European top 40 hit “No Time to Lose”, released the same year. Trouble’s next singles were “Ich Bin Trouble” and “Cosmetic”.
Gray recorded and toured with her bandmate Luan Peters in Europe throughout 1982 to 1983. She then returned to Australia in 1983 looking to build on the interest in her own solo material (by CBS/Sony New York) and by imagining a sophisticated visual and electronic duo alternative.[10]
In 1983 Gray formed a musical partnership with fellow musician/producer Roy Nicolson who had returned from producing and writing in the UK. Gray composed and co-produced an albums’ worth of demos with Nicolson. She was signed along with Roy Nicolson by CBS Records Australia. They named their musical partnership ARVO. Their first pop album was entitled “Luna” and was produced at Paradise Studios Sydney and released in Australia 1984.
Gray moved to New York in 1986 to study jazz vocalization and songwriting. She lived there for 9 years, performing in many of the known cabaret and jazz clubs (Maxims, Blue Note, Bradleys, The Supper Club, Tatou) and recording her first all original jazz CD featuring trumpeter Roy Hargrove.[5]
Gray returned to Australia in 1996 and continued her jazz performing and recording . She released her new Jazz CD ”Still Got a Thing” in late 1997 through Creative Vibes Label in Australia and performed with her Jazz trio in Australia.[5]
In 2005, Gray produced and hosted the documentary “Wish on a Spell”.[11] She released a DVD internationally by leading American independent distributor Monterey Media, in mainstream stores throughout USA, Canada and Australia and through streaming.[12] In 2007, Gray released her new Jazz CD “Jazz Fresh”.[13]
Gray appeared in the FFC funded documentary hosted by American Pulp Fiction director Quentin Tarantino titled “Not Quite Hollywood”, a film homage to the breakthrough days of Australian films of the 70’s and early 80’s.
In 2018, there was renewed international interest from UK and European DJ’s in one of the album tracks “Bikini” and ARVO’s music was re-released internationally on vinyl along with a DJ remix and streaming through “Strangelove Records”.[14]
