Jackie Clarke, Suzanne Lynch and Tina Cross. Photo/supplied
Dream team of NZ songbirds gets ready to hit the road again for another magical tour
Tina Cross, Jackie Clarke and Suzanne Lynch have been singing for decades and despite the media and music industries' obsession with promoting the sexiness of youth, the Lady Killers are as popular as ever.
The dream team hits the road again this year, and stop off at Mills Reef to dazzle us with their sweet harmonies and cross genre antics covering jazz, pop, R&B, country and rock. They've been together for 10 years and Jackie says it's easy keep things fresh, especially when they have such individual lives outside the group.
"We have a lot of space apart. We each do lots of different things. So, when you get in the same room it is actually quite a treat. We have some certain songs which we simply have to do. But we like to find new tunes, work out harmonies, rediscover new ones, and then do it our way. It is still special."
So how do you get three totally different women to gel artistically and musically? "While we are from quite different eras, there is a happy space in the middle where all our tastes meet. When we get together it is magical. Anything you can sing harmonically we like to do."
Jackie says their "old school'' approach to snapping up a variety of different performance work has kept them all busy with work over the years.
"We are versatile and keep learning and growing and saying yes to what comes up. We are entertainers at heart, but singers first and foremost," she says.
Despite the fact that music can be an ageist industry, the group have keep doing what they do mainly because they love it, and because they have fans who want to listen.
"Just because the media tells people you have to be young to be relevant, we know different. We know we have an audience. It's a choice. We live for music and we carry on.
We are not going to shut up and be invisible. Suzie sings better than she has ever done. In the States they revere their older musicians. But here, because it is a tiny country, people have their little time in the spotlight and then it is 'next!'
"To keep going you need to re-invent yourself and keep it fresh for ourselves and for the audience - to keep on discovering things," she says. "Musically we try to be curious about what's going on out there - and be inspired about everything you hear out there."
THE SHOW From a whisper to a scream and everything in between, Tina Cross, Suzanne Lynch and Jackie Clarke make beautiful music bursting with harmony and power. The Lady Killers' approach is simple; take great songs and lovingly accessorise them with harmony.
The Lady Killers' sound defies pigeonholing, wilfully crossing genres from pop, R&B, jazz, gospel, country to a whole lot of rock and gleefully name-checking artists such as Queen, The Beatles, Neil Young, Neil Finn and Dolly Parton. These gals sing anything that takes their fancy.
THE DIVA Tina Cross ONZM (Te Aupouri /Ngati Kuri /Ngati Porou) has been part of pop culture history since she took Nothing But Dreams to the winners' podium at the Pacific Song Contest in 1979.
In her early years Tina conquered the charts on both sides of the Tasman, as a soloist and as part of Koo De Tah. As an entertainer she's worked in New Zealand, Australia, the United Kingdom and Asia, and headlined TV shows both at TVNZ and the BBC.
She's worked alongside such luminaries as Sammy Davis Jnr, Tom Jones and Meatloaf and won many awards, including New Zealand's Top Female Vocalist and an Australian Johnny O'Keefe MO award.
In musical theatre Tina has triumphed in lead roles in Chicago, Once Were Warriors, Boogie Nights, The Rocky Horror Show, Cats, the Australian production of Sisterella, Miss Saigon and The Wizard of Oz. She also plays a mean ukulele and dances a tremendous cha-cha (Dancing With The Stars).
Tina recently released a solo album of original songs, Lay Down Your Heart, with a single Walk Away that is in support of New Zealand Women's Refuge, New Zealand Police and the It's Not OK campaign.
THE ICON Suzanne Lynch MNZM is New Zealand pop royalty. Having spent her teenage years on our prime-time screens as the blonde half of The Chicks (C'mon and Happen Inn), Suzanne then travelled the world singing with Cat Stevens, Neil Sedaka, Cleo Lane, Lulu, The Walker Bros, Charles Aznavour, Olivia Newton John and Leo Sayer.
Suzanne recently supervised the music and wrote and performed songs for the Kiwi movie 3 Mile Limit, about Radio Hauraki's pirate beginnings, and regularly tours the country with Operatunity.
Suzie is the go-to vocal coach for private lessons or public performances (NZ Idol, Stars in Their Eyes, New Zealand's Got Talent).
THE CHAMELEON Jackie Clarke started out in pop music singing at age 17 in indie synth band Marching Orders and has gone on to sing with Kiwi stars such as Annie Crummer, The Netherworld Dancing Toys, Dave Dobbyn and the NZSO.
In later years Jackie morphed into the theatre world.
Her recent stage appearances include star turns in Mamma Mia, Anything Goes, Sweet Charity, Spelling Bee, A Christmas Carol, Mum's The Word, The Underwatermelonman, C the Musical, Porgy and Bess, Dumped and Joseph.
Jackie tours annually with Kids for Kids in support of the work of World Vision. She's also a member of acappella gospel choir Jubilation (Shout and Never Get Tired Ode Records).
the details What: The Lady Killers Where: Mills Reef When: June 11 Tickets: Eventfinda.