Dinah Lee

Dinah Lee

Dinah Lee is the stage name of New Zealand-born singer, Diane Marie Jacobs (born 19 August 1946), who performed 1960s pop and then adult contemporary music. Her debut single from early 1964, "Don't You Know Yockomo?", achieved No. 1 chart success in New Zealand and, across the Tasman Sea,in Australia. It was followed in September by her version of Jackie Wilson's, "Reet Petite", which also reached No. 1 in New Zealand and peaked at No 1 in Australia. The Australian release was a double A-sided single with "Do the Blue Beat". On her early singles she was backed by fellow New Zealanders, Max Merrit & His Meteors. Lee appeared regularly on both New Zealand and Australian television variety programs, including Sing, Sing, Sing and Bandstand. She toured supporting Johnny O'Keefe, Ray Columbus & the Invaders and P.J. Proby. According to Australian rock music journalist, Ed Nimmervoll, in the 1960s, "Lee was the most successful female singer of in [sic] both her New Zealand homeland and Australia ... on stage and on record Dinah had all the adventure and exuberance for the time the boys had".

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