The Airlie Beach Festival of Music is all about ‘You’, and that is why Marcia Hines has been added to the all-star line-up for 2018.
The disco diva, who needs little introduction, has 22 albums, 15 top ten singles, an ARIA Hall of Fame induction and membership of the Order of Australia to her name.
Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Marcia first sang as a nine-year-old in her church choir before being ‘discovered’ by producer Harry M. Miller and director Jim Sharman, who cast her in their Australian production of ‘Hair’.
The youngest person ever to appear in the musical, Marcia arrived in Sydney in 1970 and never looked back.
From a starring role in ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ in 1973 to her first record deal, Marcia Hines became Australia’s Queen of Pop.
Famous for her songs ‘You’, ‘Fire and Rain’, ‘Something’s Missing’ and ‘I Just Don’t Know What To Do With Myself’, she was also a star of the popular television show Countdown and her own series ‘Marcia Hines Music’.
Popular with the next generation for her long-standing role as a judge on ‘Australian Idol’, Marcia has just completed an APIA Good Times Tour and is now looking forward to performing at Airlie Beach.
Having called through the Whitsundays once before, her memories are of “a beach kind of resort suburb that’s beautiful”.
“Very rarely do I get to go anywhere where I can stay and explore but it sounds to me like Airlie Beach is the kind of place I should put on my list,” she said.
“And the festival site – that tent by the water – it’s like a Cirque du Soleil on steroids!”
Without giving away too much about her set on Saturday, November 10, Marcia promises “we’ll do our very best to make it fun”.
“It’s going to be a great festival and what’s better than shared music, so please come along,” she said.
Festival founder Gavin Butlin said he was thrilled to have an Australian icon of Marcia’s calibre on the line-up this year.
“I think it’s a coup for the festival and I think she’ll appeal to everybody,” he said.
“A lot of young people know her from her time on Australian Idol and everyone who’s 40-plus would know her from her hey day.
“Once she gets on that stage people will be mesmerised by her.”
Marcia joins Smash Mouth, Killing Heidi, Ash Grunwald, Dave Dobbyn, The Church, Kasey Chambers, Frankie J Holden and Wilbur Wilde, Diana Anaid, The Ted Mulry Gang and the 25-piece Melbourne Ska Orchestra on the 74-band line-up from November 9-11.
Tourism Whitsundays General Manager, Tash Wheeler, said it was wonderful to see such strong artists and such a diverse offering this year.
“Tickets are definitely going to sell out so get your family and friends to come and visit and book now,” she said.
Festival tickets cost $255 for a three-day pass and are available via www.airliebeachfestivalofmusic.com.au or by phoning 0408 062 816.
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