Page Updated 11/01/2009

Bonnie’s Laurie Allen Tribute

Laurie Allen

Lawrence Frank Allen was born in Melbourne to Jack and Edna Allen, he wasn’t born the strongest of children with a few things going against him health wise but I guess in the balance of things maybe he was given musical talent instead. Archery was the sport that he enjoyed when he was a child but it didn’t help his already long list of problems when he was shot by an arrow, just adding a few more problems to the list. He was encouraged from an early age to take an interest in music. He was first given a banjo and joined the Victorian Banjo Club, but it wasn't long before little Lawrence expressed his wish for a guitar and when he did get his guitar he showed his talent by winning several awards and at a very early age joined several rock n roll and country bands. At this time he was receiving eight pounds for three nights and one afternoon a week as the leader of his trio of guitar, piano accordion and drums even before he left school. At the age of sixteen Laurie joined The Blind Institute Concert Party and toured Victoria for six months. With the influence of people like Elvis, PJ Proby with whom he toured with in the 60's with duo partner Bobby Bright. Good friend Roger Miller had a huge influence on Laurie. Laurie showed he had his own unique talent over the years in both the country music scene and as one of the pioneers of Australian pop music in the 60's. As part of the Bobby and Laurie duo whom I feel are not really given enough credit today for their contribution to the Aussie music scene in the 60's, they really were a couple of the most popular acts of that era, if one doesn't remember "Hitchhiker" or " I Belong With You" or “Through The Eyes Of Love” then they weren't there. But I guess the majority of his career was his involvement in country music. Music was the most important factor in Laurie’s life, music was his life and he was a music information collector, anything you wanted to know, if he didn’t already know he would find out, while he was a part of the music scene he was happy, he also could see the best country music in others. He knew what was good, he would import cd’s from overseas of artists way before they were even heard of here, over the last twelve months or so artists that Laurie had taken an interest in three years ago are starting to get airplay here, names of artists that I had ordered cd’s for him on the internet, artists like Joni Harms, I remember ordering 4 of hers in one go, Ken Overcast, two of his in one go, Isla Grant and of course I spent a long time emailing an artist called Toni Jolene Clay, whom he had heard doing one song, he thought she was great, she didn’t have a cd at the time but he made me keep checking on her. Well because of the communication I had with her for Laurie, a couple months ago she sent me a copy of her new cd, Laurie would have been so pleased and yes he was right yet again, a really great cd.

Laurie never made a big thing of his health issues, I guess in a joking way that in the last few years at least a few may have thought he was not pulling his weight in certain areas but the truth was he was keeping from everyone just how ill he really was, he knew, although he did not want to believe, to him all that was important was his music, it had to go on so maybe to him it was better for people to think…. he wouldn’t rather than couldn’t. Only Laurie knew how ill he really was, he just kept the pain to himself, right to the end. I guess you could say in his Laurieland he could hope and dream and maybe everything would be ok. But it never was.

“That boy’s a great talent…..I’d like to have him write some songs for me.” Quote by Roger