{{Short description|New Zealand musician (born 1946)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=July 2019}} {{Infobox musical artist |name = Maria Dallas |birth_name = Marina Devcich |birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1946}} |birth_place = Morrinsville, New Zealand |genre = Country, Pop |label = Viking Records }}
'''Maria Dallas''' (born '''Marina Devcich''', 1946) is a New Zealand country music singer.
She was discovered at a talent contest in small town of Morrinsville, New Zealand.<ref>{{cite web |last=Sergent |first=Bruce |title=Maria Dallas |url=http://www.sergent.com.au/music/mariadallas.html |accessdate=4 January 2017}}</ref> Her first single "Tumblin' Down", written by Jay Epae, released in 1966 and made it to #11 in the charts.<ref>[http://www.flavourofnz.co.nz/index.php?qpageID=search%20listener&qartistid=592#n_view_location Flavour of New Zealand, 9 September 1966]</ref> It also won her a Loxene Golden Disc award.<ref name="Sergent">{{cite web|title=Jay Epae|publisher=sergent.com.au|url=https://www.sergent.com.au/music/jayepae.html|accessdate=1 July 2019}}</ref> She released several albums and singles and starred in the New Zealand television series ''Golden Girl''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nzonscreen.com/title/golden-girl-maria-dallas-1967/overview|title=Golden Girl - Maria Dallas|publisher=NZ On Screen|accessdate=4 January 2017}}</ref> before moving on to Australia in 1967. Her single "Ambush", which charted #20 in Australia, was recorded in Nashville, produced by Felton Jarvis.<ref>Prague Franks's Country Music Discographies: [https://countrydiscoghraphy2.blogspot.com/search/label/Dallas%20Maria%20Maria%20Dallas%20sessions Maria Dallas recording session] May 1967, RCA Victor Studio, Nashville (producer: Felton Jarvis)</ref> She returned to New Zealand in 1970 and scored a #1 hit with the song "Pinocchio".<ref>[http://www.flavourofnz.co.nz/index.php?qpageID=search%20listener&qartistid=592#n_view_location Flavour of New Zealand, 5 October 1970]</ref><ref name="Billboard">{{cite web|title=Billboard Magazine|date = 10 October 1970|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jCkEAAAAMBAJ&q=Maria+Dallas+Billboard&pg=RA1-PA86|accessdate=7 February 2018}}</ref> The song spent six weeks at number one during the autumn of the year. In total, Dallas produced at least 10 albums and 25 singles.<ref name=AudioCulture>{{cite web|url=http://www.audioculture.co.nz/people/maria-dallas#|title=Maria Dallas Profile|first=David|last=Herkt|publisher=AudioCulture|date=21 August 2014}}</ref> "Pinocchio" peaked at number 96 in Australia in March 1971.<ref name=aus>{{cite book|last=Kent|first=David|authorlink=David Kent (historian)|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992|edition=illustrated|publisher=Australian Chart Book|location=St Ives, N.S.W.|year=1993|isbn=0-646-11917-6|page=81}}</ref>
==Personal life== Dallas met Barry Kairl while she was performing in Brisbane, and he became her manager. They married in 1968, and had a daughter in May 1969. The relationship ended in 1983.<ref name=AudioCulture/>
==Discography== ===Studio albums=== * ''Country Girl'' (1966, Viking) * ''The Second Album'' (1966, Viking) * ''Maria Dallas In Nashville'' (1967, Viking) * ''Western Take-Off'' (1967, Viking) * ''Face To Face'' (1967, Viking) * ''Tumblin' Down'' (1968, RCA Victor) * ''Pinocchio'' (1970, Viking) * ''Town And Country'' (1972, Viking)
==Awards and nominations== ===Aotearoa Music Awards=== The Aotearoa Music Awards (previously known as ''New Zealand Music Awards'' (NZMA)) are an annual awards night celebrating excellence in New Zealand music and have been presented annually since 1965.
{{awards table}} ! {{Abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |- | 1966 || "Tumbling Down" || Single of the Year|| {{won}} ||rowspan="2"| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://aotearoamusicawards.nz/award-history/|title=Aotearoa Music Awards|website=aotearoamusicawards.nz|access-date=18 August 2021|archive-date=25 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201025201023/https://aotearoamusicawards.nz/award-history/|url-status=dead}}</ref> |- | 1967 || "Handy Man" || Single of the Year || {{nom}} |- {{end}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[https://www.audioculture.co.nz/people/maria-dallas AudioCulture profile] *[http://www.sergent.com.au/music/mariadallas.html Maria Dallas] *[http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/waikatotimes/4202492a6579.html Re-entry as The Satellites celebrate 50th] *Gerry still a pacemaker, ''Waikato Times'', 29 January 2005
{{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Dallas, Maria}} Category:1946 births Category:Living people Category:New Zealand people of Croatian descent Category:20th-century New Zealand women singers Category:Viking Records artists Category:People from Morrinsville