Biography

Marcia Hines: Life Bio

"Nothing survives," Jackson Browne once sang, "but the way we live our lives."

Marcia Hines has lived a remarkable life.

Born in Boston, she started her singing career in 1966 using the stage name "Shantee Renee".

"I thought that "Marcia Hines" was a bit plain and bland," she explains. "I remember doing the gig and a girl spotted me and said, "You're Shantee Renee!" I said, "No, I'm Marcia Hines." And that was the end of that name."

It was Marcia's first showbiz lesson - you have to be true to yourself.

Marcia went to Woodstock in 1969, and a few months later she was on a plane headed for Australia - though she thought she was going to Austria. She als didn't know she was pregnant.

She came to Australia on a six-month contract, and she's still here - 37 years later.

Marcia became a single mum in Australia at the age of 17. Twenty-one years later, she saw her daughter, Deni, become a star, first with the Rockmelons and then solo.

Queen of Pop three times, Marcia has been married four times. And she has had hits in four decades.

By mid-1975, Marcia had become Australia's biggest female star. She was recently asked if it was tough being a woman in the music business. She replied: "I never thought it was tough being a woman my whole life. I think it is as tough as you want it to be.

"Work with the difficulty, I say."

Australia's "First Lady Of Song" became known as a brilliant song interpreter. At the start of her career, she preferred to be a singer and not a songwriter. "I'm a great believer - know your limitations before someone tells you what they are," Marcia explains.

But her new album includes a song that Marcia wrote, I Am, and it's the centrepiece of a remarkable record.

"When someone asks if you can do something, say 'yeah', because you know you can," Marcia says.

"I"ve been pushed and I've done stuff I never knew I could accomplish."

Remarkably, Marcia has had the same manager for 33 years. "Peter Rix has always considered my career the way I consider it - a long-term career. I never wanted to be a one-hit wonder. Of course, I'm not sure if you can control that, but I did know that I wanted a career that spanned many years.

"It's easy to start something, but it's very difficult to sustain it."

Marcia has had a remarkable life - and she's still living it.

As well as nurturing young talent on Australian Idol, Marcia continues to record and perform live. "I was brought up to work," she says simply. "When I'm not working, I'm not happy."

And she adds: 'the great thing about this industry is you never know what's around the corner."

Marcia's new album follows the 2006 Top 10 gold smash, Discotheque. It also comes nearly 30 years to the day after her first number one single in1977, You.

In 2007, Marcia was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame. "I'm just so happy to be inducted into the Austrian Hall," she joked, before adding: "I love Australia, but most importantly I'm so happy that I am an Australian."

And now comes the story of her life. It could also be the story of your life. It's Marcia Hines' new album "Life". Songs that have helped her survive, and given her strength. A life affirming album exploring the joys and challenges faced by us all.

"Music is my Life"

1953:  Marcia Elaine Hines is born on July 20 in Boston, Massachusetts.

1966:  Marcia performs at a Boston talent show under the stage
name 'shantee Renee".

1969:   Attends the rock festival Woodstock. Seeing Jimi Hendrix is the highlight.

1970:  Marcia moves to Australia, to star in Hair. She is the youngest person in the world to play a featured role in Hair.
Marcia's daughter, Deni, is born on September 4.

1972:  Marcia stars as Mary Magdalene in the Australian production of Jesus Christ Superstar. She is the world's first black Mary. The show runs for nearly two years.

1974:  Peter Rix becomes Marcia's manager, and she signs to Wizard Records.

1975:  Marcia's debut single is a cover of James Taylor's Fire And Rain.
She tours Russia with The Daly-Wilson Big Band.
Her debut album is released - Marcia Shines. It becomes the biggest-selling album by an Australian female artist. It also includes the hit From The Inside.

1976: Releases second album, Shining, featuring the hit I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself.
She is crowned Queen of Pop.

1977: Marcia releases her third album, "Ladies And Gentlemen - Marcia Hines" .
She does two huge Australian tours - "Shining Over Australia" and "Ladies And Gentlemen - Marcia Hines".
You tops the Australian singles chart.   Marcia is Queen of Pop for a second time.

1978: The live album, Marcia Hines Live Across Australia, becomes Marcia's fourth Top 10 album.
She is crowned Queen of Pop a third time.

1978:  Marcia has her own variety show on the ABC, Marcia's Music. Sydney Daily Mirror journalist Matt White writes: "thank you, America, for giving us Marcia Hines". A second series is announced.

1979:   Releases fourth studio album, Ooh Child . Singles include Somethings Missing, and Where Did We Go Wrong

1981:  After leaving Wizard Records, Marcia goes to London for three months to make a new album with producer David McKay. The album titled Take It From The Boys features the hit single Your Love Still Brings Me To My Knees .
The single was Top Ten in Australia and New Zealand and also Marcia's first European chart debut when it reached the Top Ten in Holland,   Many Rivers To Cross was the second single from that album.
While in London, Marcia's mother calls to tell her that her brother, Dwight, has died. Marcia dedicates the album to Dwight.

1982: Marcia goes on the road with Jon English. The "Jokers and Queens" tour runs for nearly two years.
Marcia releases the Love Sides album, again produced by David McKay. She is the first Australian female artist to have seven consecutive Top 20 albums.

1984:  Marcia puts her solo career on hold, to concentrate on being a mum.

1987:  Stars in the play Jerry's Girls, alongside Judi Connelli and Jeannie Little.

1989:  Marcia discovers she is diabetic.

1994:  Releases Right Here And Now for the new Warner Music label

1999:  Releases the album Time Of Our Lives. The title-track is a Top 40 hit.

2000:  Releases Rise, the theme song for Australia's Olympi c Team.

2001:  Marcia releases Greatest Hits album and biography, both called Diva, for Christmas

2002:  Stars in the musical Oh! What A Night.
She is one of the stars of the multi artist retrosp ective Australian national "Long Way To The Top" tour.

2003:  Marcia's beloved mother, Esme, dies in May.
Australian Idol starts on Channel 10 on July 27. Marcia says: 'this show is going to be bigger than anybody could imagine."

2004:  Releases the album Hinesight - Songs From The Journey, produced by Idol musical director John Foreman. The first single is a cover of Chaka Khan's Ain't Nobody. The album enters the Australian charts at Number 12.

2006:  Marcia releases Discotheque, her collection of dance classics, produced by Paul Wiltshire. It enters the Australian charts at Number 6 and goes gold.

2007:  Inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame. Marcia returns for a fifth series of Australian Idol, and guest stars in Neighbours.
She releases her new album, Marcia Hines: Life, produced by Paul Wiltshire.
Tours nationally with Lionel Ritchie.

2008: For the sixth year running Marcia appears as a judge on the national television program, Australian Idol.
Continued to perform regularly around the country (including a trip to PNG) and was the opening act for Chaka Khan on her Australian tour.
Ambassador for the Garvan Institute Fundraising Appeal to assist with further research into a cure for diabetes.
Ambassador and face of the Red Ribbon World Aids Day Appeal in Australia.

2009:  Received an AM in the Australia Day Honours for services to the entertainment industry as a performer, judge and mentor, and to the community through a range of charitable organisations.
Marcia returns as a judge for the seventh series of Australian Idol joining Dicko and Jay Dee Springbett on the panel.
Released book "LIFE: Things To Get You By" Published by Hay House.