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Days after a brain hemorrhage almost killed The Seekers front woman Judith Durham, she was up and singing in her hospital bed.
‘‘It was a couple of days after it had just happened and my neurologist said to me to sing a couple of bars,’’ Durham said.
‘‘I just thought well the easiest song was Morning Town Ride and I just sung a couple of bars and that sounded OK.
‘‘It was like thank goodness that he said to just sing.’’
At the age of 71, Durham continues to count her blessings.
Her latest success includes releasing her first-ever live in concert album which was recorded at London’s prestigious Royal Festival Hall on Durham’s milestone 60th birthday.
Durham said she never dreamt that she would have the opportunity to release her live performance eleven years later on a CD.
‘‘It’s a big thrill,’’ she said.
‘‘It’s lovely to think that fans who couldn’t be there on the day can now listen to it.’’
Durham recounts the 2003 performance like it was only yesterday.
‘‘Some people had flown in from the United States others had flown in from overseas to be there,’’ she said.
‘‘It was part of a tour which I think was 36 dates.
‘‘It was my first solo tour for a while in England and so it was about three quarters of the way through that tour.
‘‘Luckily I was word perfect by that time and that meant when the taping took place that no editing was needed.
‘‘All the people who had come to the performance had gifts like little teddy bears and lots of things and they were giving me hugs.’’
Durham said the reason she had not released a live-in-concert CD during her career which spans more than 50 years was because of ‘‘circumstances’’.
‘‘Life isn’t always going to give you the timing of things that you wish. I’ve tried to combine a lot Seeker events, album releases and performances and you need to give time to things happening,’’ she said.
‘‘It’s sort of trying to make room for things that are happening and for the unexpected like getting sick and all sorts of things.’’
