Noel Parlane has
always had a strong interest in music and competed in many country music talent quests from a young
age. Later, as a teenager, he formed several bands and tried his hand at various forms of music
including virtually everything from light country to heavy rock.
Fortunately for the New Zealand music industry, Country music kept luring him back. Noel entered many of
the big name country music awards, November 1977 at the South Island Country Music
Awards held in Christchurch, he won the song writing section. Through that, he went on to win the overall
award - The South Island Country Music Scroll for the highest points, this was to be the start of what is
now a country music legend. Then only seven months later, Noel won both the 'Best Male' and 'Yodeling'
sections as well as the 'Gold Guitar Award' for overall highest points at the prestigious New Zealand Gold
Guitar Awards. Part of that prize was a chance to audition with Music World Ltd in Christchurch - a big
break which was to see his first album 'Noel Parlane Country' recorded. |
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Since then, Noel has recorded several albums with four albums being certified 'GOLD' by sales figures - which are 'Country Heartaches', 'Old Time Country Music', 'Trucks & Trains' and 'Country Love'
At the first New Zealand Country Music
recording Artists Awards held in Invercargill during November 1980, Noel
won the 'Top Selling Artist' award for his album 'Country Heartaches'. This album was also released
in Australia where it performed equally impressively, selling in excess of 40,000 copies. Since these
early days Noel has continued to impress the music industry and his ever- growing number of fans by
winning a string of awards including 'Best Yodeler' (1981 NZ Country Music Recording Artists Awards),
Top NZ Male Vocalist (1984 Nationwide Radio Poll), Top Duet (NZ Recording Awards 1988) and several others.
In 1985, he was inducted into the Hands of Fame at Tamworth, Australia's Capital of Country
Music. Only four years later in 1989, he was given honorary membership to the
Pioneer Club in Brisbane Australia alongside other big names in Country music such as Tom T Hall, Charlie
Pride and Randy Travis.
In another tribute to his musical ability in 1997, the Gore Gold Guitar Awards
committee have inducted Noel into the 'Hands of Fame" to be established in New Zealand's Capital
of Country Music - Gore.
Several tours of New Zealand and Australia as well as two Australasian tours followed, with interest in
his music continuing to spread and attract fans worldwide with the album 'Can I Count On You' being signed
and released by Hawk Records in Northern Ireland in 1995. This album was released
in Great Britain, Europe and the USA in 1996,
and in 1997.
Noel was invited to perform in Norfolk Island and Nashville, Tennessee, USA. In 1998, Noel traveled to Nashville where he visited the Grand Ole Opry and appeared on the Midnight Jamboree'-
a show which went live to 80 million listeners across the USA. While in Nashville he also recorded a track for a Christmas album, which was released worldwide, with a new song
titled "Merry Christmas Mama".
As well as releasing nine singles, 16 albums and 5 compact discs,
Noel has been involved in more than 30 television shows in New Zealand namely Dunedin & Christchurch with programs released in Nashville with the USA cable nine networks over a period of 15 years.
He is in huge demand to appear in Country Music festivals, Awards and Shows in New Zealand, Australia and the USA.
Noel is now residing in Brisbane Australia and has been since 2000 where he is
recording and performing his kind of music to the people throughout the club scene all over Australia.
Noel Parlane is certainly one of the top entertainers New Zealand has ever produced!
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