Lisa Edwards
Queenscliff Ambassador
With a voice that is as powerful as it is recognizable, Lisa’s 30 year career in the entertainment industry has seen her perform with some of the world’s biggest stars with highlights that include gold album sales, movie themes and performances at some of the world’s most prestigious events.
Born in Adelaide, the daughter of a jazz pianist and a stage performer, she was introduced to the entertainment world at the tender age of seven singing along with her father at various venues and making numerous television appearances. Her earliest musical memories are of Billie Holliday, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra and other jazz greats. Constantly surrounded by music and watching her idols singing on television, Lisa dreamed of one day emulating their success . . .
In secondary school, Lisa joined with three other students to form the quartet “Harmonic”. They went from appearing on talent programs to performing the club circuits and supporting international acts.
In the late 70’s, Lisa worked as a solo artist both in South Australia and Sydney supporting such artists as The Seekers, The Platters, The Drifters and The Pointer Sisters to name a few.
Renowned for her on-stage presence and incredible voice, she is also a multi-instrumentalist and talented dancer. A consummate performer, Lisa’s success as a vocalist has been well documented. She has shared the stage with high-profi le international and Australian acts such as Stevie Wonder, Natalie Cole, Ray Charles , Olivia Newton-John Barbara Streisand, Al Green, Sting, Bryan Adams, Hall & Oates, Cindy Lauper, Lenny Kravitz, Yoko Ono, Tom Jones, Toto, Kylie Minogue, Noiseworks, The Black Sorrows, Ross Wilson, Billy Thorpe, Brian Cadd and Kate Ceberano, though she is probably best known to Australian audiences as one of John Farnham’s accomplished and dynamic backing singers.
She has been a constant member of the Farnham band since 1988, touring both nationally and internationally. Popular, with live audiences, Lisa performed the duets “Angels”, “Don’t Let It End” and “Something Is Wrong With My Baby” with John, receiving overwhelming responses. She says “I get a lot of satisfaction from working on stage and in the studio. The opportunities of having met and worked with some wonderful people have provided me with great experiences.”
It had become obvious that this exceptionally talented lady could no longer remain hidden. Recognizing her talent, Lisa was signed to a record label deal that saw the release of her first solo album “Thru The Hoop”, from which the song “Cry” achieved gold status throughout Australia.
The nineties were a challenging and rewarding decade for Lisa starting off with a national tour with Kylie Minogue, and then heading to Europe for a further engagement with John Farnham and Kylie Minogue. She returned to Australia to do a national tour with a trifecta of great Australian talent - John Farnham, Olivia Newton-John and Anthony Warlow on The Main Event, finishing 1998 with a three week tour with Olivia Newton-John, opening at the Las Vegas Hilton on New Years Eve.
1999 began with a national tour on the road with some of Australia’s top artists - Kate Ceberano, Human Nature, James Reyne and Merril Bainbridge to celebrate John Farnham’s “I Can’t Believe He’s 50” tour. Then due to the success of Olivia’s three week tour in ‘98, Lisa was again asked to be a part of a two-month tour with Olivia Newton-John in America. To cap the year off, a spur of the moment decision was made to put on the “Tour of Duty” concert in appreciation of the peacekeeping effort in East Timor. For Lisa Edwards, this was one of the most moving and emotional musical and personal experiences she has ever had in her long time in the music industry.
The year 2000, began for Lisa with the great opportunity to work with yet another of the worlds’ great artists – Barbra Streisand, at the opening of the new Dicklands Stadium in Melbourne, followed by sell out performances in Sydney. Later in the year, Lisa worked on several projects including John Farnham’s “33 1/3” album and in October, Lisa performed on the “Man Of The Hour” national tour on which she performed the duet “Angels” with John. She finished that huge year in Singapore with Olivia Newton-John performing to the president of Singapore to bring in the New Year.
In January 2001 Lisa had the honour of becoming an Australia Day Ambassador for her contribution to the Australian music scene and tireless charity work.
She then embarked on a tour with fellow performers Debra Byrne and Wendy Stapleton in a tribute show “Girls, Girls, Girls” performing the hits of The Supremes, Cilla Black, Dusty Springfield, Patsy Cline, Lulu and more.
Lisa began John Farnham’s “The Last Time Tour” in 2002, touring major arenas in major cities before finishing up in her home town of Adelaide, eight months pregnant with daughter Madison. The work did not stop there, as she continued to perform sell-out shows to rave reviews for her show “A Song For You”, a tribute to such greats as Ella Fitzgerald, Diana Ross, Billie Holliday and Natalie Cole. She also performed at the “John Farnham and Tom Jones “Together in Concert” tour and performed with Brian Cadd, Glenn Shorrock and Mike Brady on the Pacific Princess “Cruise, Blues and Rock & Roll” Luxury Cruise which was so successful they returned the following year for a repeat performance. She then performed at the Australian Red Cross 90th Anniversary Gala Dinner, “One Enchanted Evening” with Olivia Newton-John which was attended by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Frederik and Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mary of Denmark.
Her latest project is the album “State Of The Heart”, a collection of familiar songs treated in an unfamiliar way. Lisa has brought a new meaning to hits by Australian artists spanning more than thirty five years in this sumptuously produced offering. With arrangements and production by top Melbourne pianist Phil Turcio and featuring guest performances by Ross Wilson, Daryl Braithwaite and Russell Morris, it’s a wonderful showcase for Lisa’s sublime vocal work and unique interpretation. Exuding sensuality, Lisa is the epitome of sophistication. Poised for phenomenal success both here and in the international market, the versatility of this masterful singer will charm both the critics and public alike.