Peter Allen

Australian singer and songwriter

• Born: February 10, 1944
• Birthplace: Tenterfield, New South Wales, Australia
• Died: June 18, 1992
• Place of death: San Diego, California

Also known as: Peter Richard Woolnough

Significance: Peter Allen was an Australian-born singer and songwriter who rose to fame as a part of the Allen Brothers duo in the 1960s. He launched a solo career in the 1970s, releasing multiple solo albums and composing award-winning songs for other artists for three decades.

Background

Peter Allen was born Peter Richard Woolnough on February 10, 1944 in Tenterfield, New South Wales, Australia. His mother was Marion Bryden and his father, Richard John Woolnough, was a soldier and grocer. Peter later had a younger sister, Lynn. Soon after his birth, Allen and his family moved to nearby Armidale in New South Wales where he lived for much of his childhood. During these years, Allen developed an interest in music and learned how to play the piano. He secured his first gig at the age of eleven when he played the piano in the lounge of Armidale’s New England Hotel.

Tragedy struck Allen’s family when his father returned from World War II. When Allen was fourteen years old, his father, who was struggling with alcoholism, committed suicide. The rest of his family then moved from Armidale to Lismore to live with relatives for the remainder of Allen’s childhood.

Soon after his father’s death, when Allen was fifteen years old, a chance meeting with Chris Bell, an English singer and guitarist, helped him further his music career. The pair connected and formed a duo, which they named the Allen Brothers. They debuted their music at the Grand Hotel in Coolangatta, a performance that kickstarted a successful career for the duo and, later, for Allen as a solo artist.

Music Career

The Allen Brothers rose to fame quickly after their debut performance thanks to appearances on the television show Bandstand. Just a year after the duo formed, they were based in Sydney, Australia, and had secured a record contract. They toured Australia and Asia in the early 1960s. During a show at the Hong Kong Hilton, American singer and actress Judy Garland saw the duo perform and invited them to serve as the opening act of her United States tour. This opportunity introduced the duo, who were known as Chris and Peter Allen, to American audiences. They continued to play at US nightclubs through the 1960s. However, in 1970, the duo broke up, and Allen aspired to launch his solo career.

In 1971, Allen released his first solo songs on his self-titled debut album, but his biggest successes during this decade were in songwriting. The song “I Honestly Love You,” co-written by Jeff Barry and performed by Olivia Newton-John, reached the top of the charts in the United States and Canada. It also won two Grammy awards in 1974. Allen wrote or co-wrote other successful songs in the 1970s, including “Don’t Cry Out Loud” and “I Go to Rio.”

Following his debut solo album, Allen released four more albums during the 1970s, including Tenterfield Saddler (1972), Continental American (1974), Taught by Experts (1976), and I Could Have Been a Sailor (1979). Of these albums, Taught by Experts was the most successful, reaching the number-one spot in Australia and earning a gold certification. This album featured several popular songs, including “I Go to Rio,” “The More I See You,” and “Quiet Please, There’s a Lady on Stage.”

Allen continued to produce his own solo albums and write songs for other artists into the 1980s. During the early part of this decade, his popularity peaked both in Australia and internationally. In 1981, he performed at New York City’s Radio City Music Hall, where he became the first male performer to dance with the Rockettes. A year later, he won an Academy Award for Best Original Song, “Arthur’s Theme,” from the film Arthur. The song was also nominated for a Grammy award and won a Golden Globe award. Allen also released two albums, Bi-Coastal and Not the Boy Next Door, during this decade.

Allen’s final album, Making Every Moment Count, was released in 1990. That same year, Allen was recognized for his service in the performing arts by being named to the prestigious Order of Australia. Just two years later, Allen performed for the final time before being diagnosed with throat cancer. Following Allen’s death in 1992, a musical was created to celebrate Allen’s life. The Boy from Oz debuted in Australia in 1998 and told Allen’s life story and featured his greatest works. The musical moved to Broadway in 2003, becoming the first Australian musical ever performed there. Actor Hugh Jackman played Allen and won a Tony award for his performance in 2004.

Impact

Peter Allen was a charismatic and award-winning performer who was known for his bold costumes and energetic performances. The songs he performed as well as those he wrote for other artists were popularized throughout the sixties, seventies, and eighties and left an impact on popular music in the United States and worldwide.

Personal Life

Peter Allen married American actress, singer, and dancer Liza Minnelli, who was the daughter of Judy Garland, in 1967. They separated in 1970 and divorced in 1974. Following his divorce, Allen had a long-term relationship with Gregory Connell, who he met through mutual friends in 1973. They remained together until Connell’s death in 1984.

Bibliography

Arrow, Michelle. “Allen, Peter (1944–1992).” Australian Dictionary of Biography, vol. 19, 2021, adb.anu.edu.au/biography/allen-peter-17370. Accessed 19 June 2023.

“Allen, Peter (1944–1992).” Obituaries Australia, 2023, oa.anu.edu.au/obituary/allen-peter-17370. Accessed 19 June 2023.

Cross, Lucy E. “Peter Allen.” Masterworks Broadway, 2023, www.masterworksbroadway.com/artist/peter-allen/. Accessed 20 June 2023.

“Peter Allen.” IMDb, 2023, www.imdb.com/name/nm0020899/. Accessed 19 June 2023.

“The Boy from Oz.” Playbill, 2023, playbill.com/production/the-boy-from-oz-imperial-theatre-vault-0000006032. Accessed 20 June 2023.