Veteran talent manager Roger Davies will be the recipient of this year's Ted Albert award for outstanding services to music at the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) awards next month in Sydney.
The 56-year old Australian born Davies is best known for relaunching the career of Tina Turner. He A&R'd Turner's 1984 album "Private Dancer" which sold 10 million units globally, provided her first U.S. hit in 25 years and won her four Grammys the year after. Aussie rock singer James Reyne played Davies in the Oscar-nominated 1993 Turner biopic, "What's Love Got To Do With It."
The artist manager also oversaw Janet Jackson career at the time of her "Rhythm Nation" release and its accompanying world tour, plus Cher's 2003 farewell tour.
He was also instrumental in Pink's new direction on her second album, 2001's "M!ssundaztood" which sold 16 million worldwide, according to Sony BMG. The pop singer's follow-up "Try This" (2003) sold 3 million, and "I'm Not Dead" (2006) has shifted 10 million worldwide.
Davies' first display of his marketing acumen came in 1971 when he took over management of Sydney pop band Sherbet, and turned them into the biggest Australian teen sensation act of the 1970s. He helped established a loyal following for the band through a carefully cultivated image and lengthy big-production regional tours that no other rock names attempted.
Sherbet notched up 20 consecutive Top 10 singles and 17 platinum albums through Australian independent Festival Records, and became the first domestic act to sell $1 million ($960,000) worth of product. Sherbet's biggest Australian hit "Howzat!" reached No. 4 in the U.K. in September 1976 through Sony/Epic. Davies relocated to Los Angeles after that.
APRA's Sydney-based CEO Brett Cottle said in a statement, "Roger Davies' gift to the artists he represents is his incomparable drive, passion and determined belief in their talent. That's an unbeatable combination that has brought great artists to the public's attention."
The APRA award is named after the late publisher whose company J Albert & Co signed the publishing for the Easybeats and AC/DC. Other recipients of the award have included tour promoter Michael Chugg, Hoodoo Gurus manager Michael McMartin, record producer Bill Armstrong, jazz player Don Burrows, entrepreneur Michael Gudinski, producer Charles Fischer and the late country music singer Slim Dusty.
The APRA awards will be held July 16 at the Sydney Hilton.
APRA Lauds Aussie Manager Davies
Artist Mentioned