One of the great icons of the Australian music industry Daryl Braithwaite will be inducted into the ARIA Hall Of Fame at the 2017 ARIA Awards with Apple Music at The Star Event Centre, Sydney on Tuesday, 28th November 2017.
Daryl Braithwaite's extraordinary career spans over 45 years and is one of Australia’s most successful pop singers. With an impressive discography including two multi-platinum albums, Edge (1988) and Rise (1990), he has paved the way, making history as an indisputable Australian legend both as a solo act and with the band Sherbet.
ARIA Chief Executive Officer, Dan Rosen, said: “On behalf of ARIA it is with great honour that we will induct Daryl Braithwaite into the ARIA Hall of Fame.
With his many timeless songs that have crossed generations of Aussie music fans, Daryl Braithwaite is one of our country’s musical legends. The longevity of his recording career is a testament to his enduring talent and artistry. We are proud to see Daryl take his place amongst the icons of the Australian music industry in the ARIA Hall of Fame on November 28.”
When Edge was released in November 1988 by Sony Music Australia, it made a beeline for the top of the ARIA Album Charts where it stayed for three weeks through early 1989. Produced by Simon Hussey, Daryl had created an album that resonated with quality material and managed to strike a chord with radio programmers and listeners alike. The album was the perfect combination of people, producer Simon Hussey, Michael Letho and guitarist Jef Scott, and everyone all personally felt that it was a great-sounding album. Edge came out of the dream of hoping for success or even acceptance,” Daryl comments on the album, “We had all these songs that just all felt right. After "As the Days Go By", it all went from there”.
Almost two years to the day after Edge came out, Rise appeared, and went on to become the highest selling album in 1991, selling over 300,000 copies and garnering accolades. The title track "Rise" and "Higher Than Hope" were highlights, but it was his interpretation of Rickie Lee Jones’ "The Horses" that has gone on to become his signature song and one of Australia’s most loved anthems. On the track, Daryl says: “It's a strange, exciting, situation with that song… trying to fathom why it is so endearing to people. I've spoken to Rickie Lee Jones about it, and, like myself, she doesn't know. But it continues on.”
These timeless gems added to Daryl’s cannon of uplifting classics including "One Summer" and "As The Days Go By", as well as the countless tracks from his time as frontman of Sherbet including "Summer Love", "Howzat" and "Cassandra", just to name a few.
Upon hearing the news of the ARIA Hall Of Fame induction, Daryl Braithwaite said,“I feel very honoured to be inducted into the ARIA Hall Of Fame, in an industry that I started out in because I was so passionate about it. I loved music, and being associated with my band members at the time. It’s been a great journey and life through music, and all its associated with, especially with the public that I get to perform to. I am just completely thrilled to be accepted.”
Now 68 years young, Daryl says he feels he’s had a blessed life and career and this latest chapter might just be the greatest blessing of all. Showing no signs of slowing down, Daft Punk recently sampled The Sherbs' ‘We Ride Tonight’.
Sending the internet into meltdown, Daryl was also recently added to the Falls Festival line-up, alongside the likes of Flume, Liam Gallagher and The Kooks. After performing at Perth’s Beer Fest, where most members of the audience were not yet born when he started his career, Daryl had this to say:
"It was about 3000 people and they were mainly in their '20s… it was quite staggering and it's strange because I've been doing it for 40-odd years and it’s still as enjoyable now, if not more, than when I started out. I can't figure it out. All I know is that I love it. I love performing, I love the people, doesn’t matter what age. But when you do see young guys wanting to shake hands and then they sing The Horses and it goes ballistic and you think, ‘My God, what an effect music has on people’."
