The Barry Sisters

First printed in the “Big Beat of the Fifties”
For
The Australian Rock and Roll Appreciation Society
Issue 66

At the First vintage Rock Awards held in Sydney earlier this year(19900, I once again had the pleasure of meeting the “Barry Sisters” – Dorothy Davidson and Lorna Whiteside. These two charming ladies were only too pleased to share their memories of the early Australian rock’n’roll scene with me.

Childhood friends, Dorothy and Lorna were both deeply interested in music, particularly country music. In the early 1950’s they discovered their voices blended very well and both had a good ear for harmony.

In 1954, they submitted a demo to ARC (now CBS) records, which was housed in the old 2UE building in Sydney. They got an immediate response, being asked to record (with guitar only accompaniment) for ARC’s country label, Rodeo. Sales were encouraging so they recorded several more 78’s, firstly for Rodeo and then with bill Walker’s quartet for ARC’s pop label, Pacific.

Both ladies were very nervous, as rehearsal and recording all happened on the same day. There was no room for mistakes as they were recorded directly onto a 78rpm master disc. “It was like doing a live performance without an audience” remembers Lorna.

Between recording sessions the Barry Sisters performed at various nightclubs on the Sydney harbour “Showboat”, and held a six month residency at a teenage nightclub(name escapes them). Dot and Lorna also had a regular radio spot with Bill Walker on 2KY, plus a weekly radio show on 2SM. They were kept busy to say the least! A two week engagement at Brisbane’s Theatre Royal lasted three months – after which the “Sisters” took a well earned break.

1959 saw the Barry Sisters back at work. They appeared on a series of ABC radio shows which led to the legendary ABC TC show, “Six O’clock Rock”. This introduction to rock’n’roll became the highlight of their careers; they were caught up in a whirlwind of endless performances for the next few years. For the ten to twelve artists performing on Six O’clock Rock, the day began with rehearsals in an old church in Forbes Street. Then all the artists would dash over to Channel 2, grab a sandwich, throw on their outfits – all this between camera rehearsals – to be on air by 6.00pm. If you managed to look cool, calm and collected after that, you’d earned a regular spot ! Dot and Lorna appeared regularly until the demise of Six O’clock Rock.

In the meantime, Brian (I’m the news) Henderson booked the duo for his TV show “Bandstand”. As part of the bandstand “family’, they were backed by either the Joy boys, (Johnny Rebb’s) Rebels, Don Burrows or Bob Young’s Orchestra. They also appeared on TCN9’s Bobby Limb show (backed by the Isador Goodman Orchestra). For Channel 7, the Barry Sisters appeared on Teentime, Roy Hampton’s Rhythm Roundup, plus various shows including Digby Wolfe’s “Review 61”. They were still heavily booked on ABC radio shows, including Johnny O’Keefe’s “Rockville Junction”, which had a live audience (“that screamed a lot”) remembers Lorna, a Hawaiian show with Johnny Wade, mainstream for Moderns with Don Burrows, and a travelling factory show with Jim Gussy’s Orchestra. They were also heavily booked on the Sydney club circuit.

Dorothy remembers “ that one day we were to record a jingle. We didn’t have time to get together beforehand, so we met outside the studio where Lorna taught me the jingle just before we went into the studio. “It was hectic times that’s for sure!”. They didn’t even have time for a nervous breakdown (it happened later though), because they also squeezed a couple of recording for the Pye label, including “No Hesitation” with the Allen Brothers which made the charts.

Dorothy and Lorna felt they had fulfilled their ambitions as a duet at this stage so they split up. Dorothy has remained in the business making a name for herself as a soloist, whilst Lorna has turned to her long-time love – song writing. In the early 1980’s, for old time sake, the Barry Sisters recorded a single for the Arika label. “Detour” was coupled with “I’ve had more highs than lows” which Lorna wrote especially for Dorothy.

In 1988, the duo was honoured to be invited to Tamworth to leave their handprints in the “Hands of Fame”.

1989 saw Dorothy play a major role in the internationally successful movie “There’s a love that waits”. She also appeared in “A Country Practice”.

Both ladies still see a lot of each other, living only 3kms apart and often talk about the exciting early days of Australian Rock’n’roll.

I hope you enjoyed reading about one of Australia’s most popular female duos.

To both Lorna and Dorothy, thank you for the memories.

Copyright 2008
Bob Hayden

Update 2008

In early 2008, I was contacted by Lorna (through the ARRAS) in regards an article on the “Barry Sisters” on the Wikipedia website. So concerned was she that she asked if my “TRUE” story could be added to the net as much of the Wikipedia article was poorly researched and incorrect in so many ways..

So I asked the ARRAS to assist and try and have the article removed or recorrected by the writer or better still have the writer of that article contact me thru the ARRAS, and we can go throug all the information and come to a compromise to have that article corrected asp.




Further update

In my recent chats with Lorna on the phone and by mail , it has been bought to my attention that the Barry Sisters were requested by Johnny O’Keefe to appear on the first show of “Sing Sing Sing”, but sadly they could not and recommended the “Taylor Sisters”.

Very quickly the Taylor Sisters contacted Lorna and asked her to write a rock and roll song for them. Lorna wrote a song and sent them a demo. The song was titled “How long can a girl Pretend”.

It could not have come at a better time as Lorna had just signed a contract with EMI.
They all got together with Milton Saunders (who was the musical director for S-S-S) to talk about the arrangement. Milton said “We will put a new sound to this, and we will use the band from S-S-S”. The song went very well for the Taylor Sisters.

Bob Hayden 2008