Suzanne Prentice


While still in her teens, Suzanne Prentice became a household name in New Zealand for her powerful performances and recordings of mainstream country music. She would go on to sing at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, in Auckland before the Queen, and make hundreds of charity appearances. She transcended the country genre to become one of New Zealand’s most enduring and successful pop artists.

Suzanne Lena Prentice was born on 19 September 1958 in Invercargill to Rose and Bob Prentice. Bob played the Hawaiian guitar and could whistle; Rose sang in an English dance band during the war. 

Gentle Annie and the Gray Bartlett Band back up singer Suzanne Prentice (front) on That’s Country, late 1982. Left to right: Murray Wood, Peter Gillette, Paddy Long, Wayne Allen, Gary Sammons, Gray Bartlett, Cath Newhook, Peter Madill, Denny Stanway.
Suzanne Prentice, from the Go New Zealand Tour programme, 1985.
Photo credit: Glen Moffatt Collection
Gold Guitar Awards in Gore, mid-1980s. Left to right, Noel Burns, Suzanne Prentice, George Hamilton IV, Oklahoma singer-songwriter Becky Hobbs, Paul Walden, Michael Roycroft. Hobbs sang a duet with Roycroft on the 1985 album Slow Burnin’.
Photo credit: Michael Roycroft collection
Suzanne Prentice - In Concert, EMI, 1986.
Suzanne Prentice - Daddy's Waiting, Music World
Suzanne Prentice performing at the Variety Artists Club awards night 27 Oct 2010, Bruce King on drums. 
Photo credit: VAC
Suzanne Prentice performance - Heartland, Gore (1993)
Suzanne Prentice with her first guitar, early 1970s. 
A young Suzanne Prentice faces the press, 1970s; from a tour programme later in her career. 
Suzanne Prentice, a publicity still from a 1980s tour programme. 
Suzanne Prentice - So Precious To Me, CBS, 1983.
Suzanne Prentice at the Variety Artists Club Awards, 27 October 2010.
Inaugural NZ Country Music Recording Artists Awards winners, Invercargill, 1980. Back, left to right: Les Thomas, Greg and Richard Harrison (Ovation), Maaki Goodwillie, Nola McCrorie, Cole Wilson and Colin McCrorie (The Tumbleweeds), Gray Bartlett, Eddie Low, Noel Burns, Ian Murdoch. Front, left to right: Max McCauley, Helen Harrison and Neville Tosach (Ovation), Patsy Riggir, Suzanne Prentice, Brian McCauley, Noel Parlane. Photo credit: Max McCauley collection
Photo credit: Max McCauley collection
Suzanne Prentice performing at the Royal Variety Performance, St James Theatre, Auckland, 1981.
Suzanne Prentice - Let Me Be The One (Music World, 1975)
Suzanne Prentice - Sing Me An Old Fashioned Song (Mirage / Music World, 1980)
Suzanne Prentice (left) with Tami Neilson at the Variety Artists' Club awards night in 2010, when Neilson won female vocalist of the year.
Photo credit: Jason Fell
Suzanne Prentice at the Variety Artists Club Awards, 27 October 2010.
Suzanne Prentice - Country Girl (Master, 1973)
Three stalwarts of New Zealand entertainment after receiving their royal honours in 1995: from left, Robin Scholes, Max Cryer, and Suzanne Prentice.
Suzanne Prentice, 1990s. 
Funny Face - a four-track EP released by Suzanne Prentice on the Master label in 1973, the year she made her recording debut. 
Music World recording artist Suzanne Prentice in an early promotional photo.
Photo credit: Hoghton Hughes collection
Suzanne Prentice talks to Newstalk ZB's Danny Watson, 2013
Suzanne Prentice In Concert, 1986 - part one
Suzanne Prentice - Selections, RCA, 1987.
Suzanne Prentice with her Benny Award from the Variety Artists' Club, 2016. 
Suzanne Prentice's self-titled third album on Music World, 1975. 
Benny statuette presented to Suzanne Prentice by Max Cryer at the 2016 Variety Artists Club of NZ.
Suzanne Prentice In Concert, 1986 - part three
Suzanne Prentice - Any News, EMI, 1986.
Suzanne Prentice: an early 1970s publicity portrait. 
Max McCauley and Suzanne Prentice are inducted into the Hands of Fame at the NZ Gold Guitar Awards in Gore, 1993. Photo credit: Max McCauley collection
Photo credit: Max McCauley collection
Suzanne Prentice on Canadian television, aged 15.
Suzanne Prentice In Concert, 1986 - part two
The Harrington Ford And Associates Go New Zealand Tour in full swing, early 1985. Back, left to right, Andrew Kimber, Kevin Coleman, Bruce Morley, Sid Limbert, Paddy Long, Bob Paris. Front, left to right, Midge Marsden, Suzanne Prentice, Ritchie Pickett (at piano), Tom Sharplin, Michael Roycroft, The Yandall Sisters – Mary, Adele, Pauline.
Photo credit: Michael Roycroft collection
Trivia:

Although the numbers are unknown, Suzanne has a reasonable claim to being the biggest selling NZ country artist of all time.

Labels:

Music World


CBS


EMI


RCA


Master

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