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heard him singing and encouraged him to make it his career. In 1944 he joined professional artists raising money for charitable and patriotic causes. In March 1945 he entered a radio talent quest in
Brisbane and attracted a record number of listeners' votes. The Queensland state government offered
356:
Blair married a fellow conservatorium singing student, Dorothy Eden, on 30 July 1949, and had two children, Nerida and Warren. The marriage encountered some hostility at the time, as it involved the marriage of an
Aboriginal man to a European woman. He is survived by three grandchildren.
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He died in
Melbourne's Mercy Hospital on 21 May 1976, aged 51. An obituary opined that his most enduring legacy would be his Aboriginal children's holiday project, which saw thousands of children boarding in private homes in Melbourne and Sydney during school holidays.
257:, due to a heavy cold but, though suffering laryngitis, gave a good concert at Maryborough three weeks later. He then returned to Brisbane, but was not in good voice. and gave up public appearances, at least temporarily, to concentrate on studying.
260:
Having broken the contract, he was prohibited from singing professionally for three years. Discouraged, Blair sought other work including working for a hardware store. He expressed an interest in education and was taken on as a teacher at
238:, Italian opera, and French art songs, as well as works in English by Handel and Southern spirituals. He also introduced traditional Aboriginal songs — "Nananala Kututja" ("O God, Stay With Us Always"), "Maranoa Lullaby" (arranged by Dr.
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148:. His mother entered domestic service, leaving Harold, then aged two, at the mission, where he received an elementary education. Blair left school at age 16, gaining employment as a farm labourer.
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for encouraging him, and an unnamed medical practitioner as a major sponsor. The fund was managed by a
Brisbane committee, under secretary Harry Green, president Professor
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sponsorship for his further musical training, but was not taken up. A group of trade unionists, academics and musicians formed a trust to sponsor his career. Others credit
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1376:|%20Number%3A357816%20|%20Number%3A362586;querytype=;resCount=10 Harold Blair at the National Film and Sound Archive
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woman. His surname, Blair, came from the family that had "adopted" his mother. He and his mother then went to the
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offered Blair a three-year singing contract, commencing with an extensive tour to celebrate 50 years of
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in 1945 and earned a
Diploma of Music with honours in 1949. In 1950, Blair was invited to study in the
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He had twin half-sisters, Joy and June
Thompson (born around 1936), with whom he remained in contact.
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1002:. Vol. 38, no. 10, 660. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 7 October 1963. p. 1
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1296:. Vol. 50, no. 14, 385. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 22 May 1976. p. 1
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of Wagga), "Jabin Jabin" and other traditional songs, but admitted he most enjoyed singing "
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activist. He has been called the "last great
Australian tenor of the concert hall era".
1330:(1975) biography by Kenneth Harrison (Novalit Australia Pty Ltd, Cheltenham, Melbourne)
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602:. Vol. LXIV, no. 17, 504. New South Wales, Australia. 9 July 1951. p. 12
448:. No. 130. Queensland, Australia. 7 April 1995. p. 1 (TV Entertainment Guide)
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422:, with his grave located directly beneath the "Purga Aboriginal Cemetry Reserve" sign
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230:. At least one critic disapproved of the ABC's lionizing an unproven performer, but
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Federal
Council for the Advancement of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders
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816:. Vol. 2, no. 49. Queensland, Australia. 10 August 1951. p. 1
788:. No. 20, 358. Queensland, Australia. 13 August 1951. p. 2 (Daily)
676:. Vol. 18, no. 44. Australia, Australia. 7 April 1951. p. 19
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Blair continued to act for
Aboriginal rights all his life. He joined the
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1063:. No. 34, 823. New South Wales, Australia. 1 August 1949. p. 3
760:. Vol. 23, no. 59. Tasmania, Australia. 12 May 1951. p. 3
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In 2013, Blair was inducted into the
Victorian Aboriginal Honour Roll.
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872:. No. 24, 810. Queensland, Australia. 23 August 1951. p. 5
518:. No. 18, 005. Queensland, Australia. 12 August 1944. p. 5
546:. No. 18, 197. Queensland, Australia. 28 March 1945. p. 1
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928:. No. 4911. Queensland, Australia. 25 August 1952. p. 1
844:. No. 4593. Queensland, Australia. 17 August 1951. p. 1
974:. No. 29, 998. Victoria, Australia. 21 June 1951. p. 4
732:. No. 23, 133. Victoria, Australia. 16 July 1951. p. 4
704:. No. 23, 124. Victoria, Australia. 5 July 1951. p. 10
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Coincident with the ABC's 1951 tour was the variety spectacular
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house in Melbourne while he attended the Melba Conservatorium.
133:, on 13 September 1924. His mother was Esther Quinn, a teenage
1119:. No. 3926. Queensland, Australia. 27 June 1949. p. 3
1035:. No. 3830. Queensland, Australia. 5 March 1949. p. 1
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1151:"Harold Blair: Aboriginal tenor, activist, educator, leader"
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At the age of 17, he was working as a tractor driver at the
1091:. New South Wales, Australia. 26 September 1953. p. 1
1320:
Dark Man, White World: A Portrait of Tenor Harold Blair
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misspelled "Labor Party" several times in this article.
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in Victoria. In 1963 he stood as a candidate for the
265:. He later became a teacher at the Conservatorium in
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1203:"Tiriki Onus awarded Harold Blair Opera Scholarship"
393:
in Queensland, created in 1998, is named after him.
101:(13 September 1924 – 21 May 1976) was an Australian
900:. Queensland, Australia. 27 August 1951. p. 10
630:. Queensland, Australia. 24 October 1945. p. 5
538:"Govt. to Employ Harold Blair and Pay for Training"
296:, toured much of country Victoria to good reviews.
344:, the then Transport Minister and chairman of the
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1232:"Tiriki Onus Has A Chat About New Film "Ablaze""
253:He cancelled his 41st concert in the series, at
947:Aboriginal Arts Board, Press Statement No. 83
668:"Australians in New York help Harold Blair"
379:(AM) in the Australia Day Honours of 1976.
215:. While in New York he sang in a church in
1304:– via National Library of Australia.
1127:– via National Library of Australia.
1099:– via National Library of Australia.
1071:– via National Library of Australia.
1043:– via National Library of Australia.
1010:– via National Library of Australia.
982:– via National Library of Australia.
936:– via National Library of Australia.
908:– via National Library of Australia.
880:– via National Library of Australia.
852:– via National Library of Australia.
824:– via National Library of Australia.
796:– via National Library of Australia.
768:– via National Library of Australia.
740:– via National Library of Australia.
712:– via National Library of Australia.
684:– via National Library of Australia.
638:– via National Library of Australia.
610:– via National Library of Australia.
582:– via National Library of Australia.
554:– via National Library of Australia.
526:– via National Library of Australia.
498:– via National Library of Australia.
456:– via National Library of Australia.
370:
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808:"Harold Blair Visits Mother at Currumbin"
219:, and entered into their community life.
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391:Australian Electoral Division of Blair
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278:Out of the Dark – An Aboriginal Moomba
179:. He boarded at John and Gwen Lloyd's
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482:"Aborigine who's fighting his way up"
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322:Aboriginal Children's Holiday Project
292:participated. This show, directed by
203:by the noted African-American singer
1457:20th-century Australian male singers
1288:"Aboriginal tenor Harold Blair dies"
966:"Aboriginal Stars in Centenary Show"
752:"Associate Artist With Harold Blair"
375:Blair was appointed a Member of the
324:, and he was an early member of the
1452:20th-century Australian politicians
1390:'Maranoa Lullaby' was added to the
1380:Listen to Harold Blair singing the
320:in 1962 led Blair to establish the
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1201:Graham, Jillian (27 August 2012).
1149:Barnard, Loretta (6 August 2018).
994:"Aborigine To Be Labour Candidate"
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224:Australian Broadcasting Commission
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1437:Members of the Order of Australia
1432:Indigenous Australian politicians
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1111:"Tenor draws big crowd at church"
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308:in its early days and later the
125:, 5 kilometres (3 mi) from
1427:Indigenous Australian musicians
1392:National Film and Sound Archive
1372:, a documentary by Steve Thomas
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1262:First Peoples - State Relations
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117:Blair was born at the Barambah
1088:Daily Advertiser (Wagga Wagga)
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418:Harold Blair is buried at The
402:Harold Blair Opera Scholarship
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1361:National Library of Australia
1138:It's an Honour - Harold Blair
673:The Australian Women's Weekly
571:The Central Queensland Herald
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306:Aborigines Advancement League
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892:"Orchestra had hushed night"
363:Blair's favourite sport was
7:
1442:Politicians from Queensland
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1341:Transcript of 2004 episode
1447:Musicians from Queensland
1060:The Sydney Morning Herald
420:Purga Aboriginal Cemetery
365:Australian rules football
312:. Watching an Aboriginal
263:Ringwood Technical School
250:" with his wife Dorothy.
162:organiser Harry Green of
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1027:"Blair with Bride-to-Be"
864:"Blair Pleased Audience"
780:"Harold Blair Impresses"
757:Saturday Evening Express
627:The Telegraph (Brisbane)
346:Aboriginal Welfare Board
326:Aborigines Welfare Board
1386:australianscreen online
1211:University of Melbourne
920:"Harold Blair studying"
813:The South Coast Express
654:18 October 2012 at the
371:Honours and recognition
207:. Blair studied at the
181:(Gwenoldyn Kent Hughes)
1357:Papers of Harold Blair
1083:"Meeting with sisters"
729:The Herald (Melbourne)
724:"No way to aid singer"
701:The Herald (Melbourne)
440:"True Stories: Harold"
382:Blair was honoured on
330:Australian Labor Party
869:Maryborough Chronicle
386:, aired Apr 29, 1976
271:Aboriginal Arts Board
57:Cherbourg, Queensland
16:Australian politician
1422:Australian educators
1266:Victorian Government
952:18 July 2005 at the
543:The Queensland Times
338:Victorian Parliament
314:marching girls group
269:, and served on the
242:, of Narrandera and
193:Melba Conservatorium
153:Fairymead Sugar Mill
1396:Sounds of Australia
1268:. 30 September 2019
1155:Australia Explained
487:The Daily Telegraph
300:Aboriginal activism
255:City Hall, Brisbane
37:Blair at piano 1958
1353:video documentary)
1293:The Canberra Times
1182:. 30 November 2019
1055:"Singer's Wedding"
999:The Canberra Times
897:Brisbane Telegraph
566:"Aboriginal Tenor"
408:in 2012 and 2013.
377:Order of Australia
248:Aba Daba Honeymoon
177:Dr Dalley-Scarlett
119:Aboriginal Reserve
53:September 13, 1924
1462:Australian tenors
1382:'Maranoa Lullaby'
1368:by Norm Dixon of
1258:"Harold Blair AM"
1180:Melba Opera Trust
696:"Music and Films"
599:The Barrier Miner
398:Melba Opera Trust
384:This Is Your life
169:Marjorie Lawrence
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1417:1976 deaths
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1366:1995 review
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445:Torres News
406:Tiriki Onus
290:Georgia Lee
205:Todd Duncan
173:J. V. Duhig
160:trade union
76:Nationality
1406:Categories
426:References
232:Henri Penn
228:Federation
135:Aboriginal
131:Queensland
113:Early life
107:Aboriginal
84:Occupation
79:Australian
49:1924-09-13
286:Bill Onus
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