Lori Balmer

Early recordings

She started singing professionally at the age of six. Her parents moved from Victoria to Sydney and she was signed by RCA Records. Her first single record (under the name of just Lori) was released in 1966. She was reputed to be Australian RCA's youngest recording star at that time. Through her family connection to the Bee Gees members: Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb and Maurice Gibb, she was offered two Barry Gibb songs to record "Who's Been Writing on the Wall Again" and "In Your World" which she recorded at EMI's Sydney Studio and became her third single at age seven. All three Gibb brothers provided vocal backing on it and Barry Gibb was involved in the production.

International career

In January 1968, following an invitation from Barry Gibb, she travelled to England with her parents. They stayed with the Gibb family and she began to work on children's TV shows & radio, such as The BBC 1 Club, regularly. The British press dubbed her the 'bush baby' and would occasionally appear on the same shows alongside the Bee Gees. At this time too she soon found herself in the recording studio putting down two new Bee Gee's composed songs "Treacle Brown" and "Four Faces West". All backing and production was provided by the Bee Gees with Bill Shepherd doing the arrangements. This was duly released on a single on Polydor, however legal problems prevented her from going any further with it. By accounts it seems this record demonstrated a voice more powerful than could be expected from an eight-year-old.

In 1971, Balmer was signed to Pye Records with Tony Atkins as the producer releasing the single "Here Before The Sun" in 1972. She continued working in the UK as a support to The Marmalade, The Hollies, Johnny Mathis, and various artists in UK and Europe. In the mid to late 1970s, she released a number of single records in Australia, touring as a back up singer for Cold Chisel and Richard Clapton and as a member of Dalvanius and The Fascinations with the NZ funk band Collision and appeared regularly on TV. She also sang the title song of the Australian movie, Melvin, Son of Alvin in 1984. In 1987 she sang backup vocals on the musical soundtracks of the Australian movies Sons of Steel and, in 1995, Billy's Holiday More recently she has been involved in the production of the Animalsoztralia CD and the singing group Ozkids. During this time she also worked as a print and fashion model, appearing in many TV commercials.

She has returned regularly to the UK and toured or recorded, under pseudonyms (as she puts it in the book Tales of The Brothers Gibb), with many artists such as Tina Turner, Cliff Richard, Bryan Ferry, U2, Joe Cocker, George Harrison, Lionel Richie, Van Halen and Johnny Rotten. She married John Vallins in 1982 (ex-member of bands, Steve & The Board and Tin Tin) who is now a music producer and as a songwriter has many credits to his name including the Johnny Mathis and Denice Williams hit "Too Much Too Little Too Late" which topped the Billboard Charts at Number One.

Through the 1990s to present she has become one of Australia's top session singers and owns one of Australia's most successful marketing companies.

Singles

Lori

Lori with The Charades

Lori with The Marksmen

Lori Balmer

Lori Balmer & Short Notice

Compilation albums