Seek and Ye Shall Find

This is going to be a bit repetitious to a slight degree -- four videos -- but I think it'll all be worth it.  Most especially if you were a fan of the group The Seekers.  But even if not.

The first video comes from 1966, at the peak of their fame.  If you don't know the group, who came from Australia, this should give a respectable sense.  That's Judith Durham singing lead in her distinctive voice, with one of the huge hits, the theme to the movie, Georgy Girl, one of the more iconic movie themes written, which really helped define the film.  And when I say "distinctive voice," that's not hyperbole.  Among other things, notice how far away she stands from the microphone, knowing how powerful her voice is. 

And if you do know the group, this will just flood back a ton of smiles.

The Seekers broke up only two years later, still extremely successful, in 1968.  Judith Durham had only joined the group initially because they needed her for 10 weeks.  Her stay lasted much longer.  But she had other interests in music -- mostly jazz, she later wrote in her autobiography.  They had a big farewell concert on the BBC, and that was it.  The individuals did stay on touch over the years, but group was disbanded.  (Literally.)

However, Judith Durham kept on singing, had some personal challenges in her life (among them, almost dying in a car accident, and also losing her life savings in a bank collapse), but recorded many solo albums with her husband, and became a beloved icon in Australia and England.

And here she is in concert, only 10 years ago, in 2003.  Looking joyously happy, clearly not hiding one iota from the hits of her group's past, and singing with such...well, take a look.

The Seekers had quite a few big hits, but perhaps their other huge it was, "I'll Never Find Another You."  This is from that same 2003 concert, and I include it here specifically because if you ever want to know how to win over a crowd with the showmanship of simplicity and a sincerity that can't be faked, no matter how much you practice, start taking notes at the 2:00 mark.  And observe that the audience just doesn't let up.

I should mention, by the way, that Judith Durham is still performing today.  This below might help show why.

Finally -- so, you remember when I said above how the individual members of The Seekers all stayed in touch over the years?  That was no lip service.  In 1993, all four of the original members, including Judith Durham, got back together for a reunion tour, and here they all are, 25 years after breaking up, in their final concert in Melbourne.