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George Assang

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}

{{Use Australian English|date=June 2011}}

{{Short description|Australian singer and actor (1927–1997)}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = George Assang

| alias = Vic Sabrino

| birth_date = {{birth-date|1927}}

| birth_place = Thursday Island, Queensland, Australia

| death_date = {{death year and age|1997|1927}}

| death_place = Nowra, New South Wales, Australia

| genre = {{hlist|Jazz|blues}}

| occupation = {{hlist|Singer|actor}}

| instrument = Vocals

| spouse = {{Marriage|Rowena Wallace|1973|1974|end=divorced}}

}}

George Assang (1927 – 1997), also known by his stage name Vic Sabrino, was an Australian jazz and blues singer and actor from Thursday Island, Queensland, Australia. He performed under his own name and the stage name Vic Sabrino. Assang was of Aboriginal, Pacific Islander, and Asian descent.{{cite book |last=Walker |first=Clinton |authorlink=Clinton Walker |title=Buried Country: The Story of Aboriginal Country Music |year=2000 |publisher=Pluto Press |isbn=1-86403-152-2 |pages=62–63 |chapter=Last of the Red Hot Mammas }}

Assang was briefly married to actress Rowena Wallace in 1973, however they divorced the following year.

Music career

As Vic Sabrino, he may have made the first Australian rock and roll recording, with Rock Around The Clock, but whether he recorded it before or after American Bill Haley, who the song is best known has never been established, A single he recorded with French jazz artist Red Perksey (Born; Siegbert Perlstein, in Berlin, Germany, (1921-1995) known professionally as Robert Bernard "Red" Perksey (Jazz trumpeter, pianist, singer, composer, music director, orchestra leader and A and R){{cite web|url=https://poparchives.com.au/red-perksey-his-orchestra-vocals-by-ray-dickson/a-little-boy-called-smiley/|title=Red Perksey & His Orchestra - Vocals by Ray Dickson - A Litle Boy Called Smiley (1956)|author=Clyde Frederick Collins}} and His orchestra included this recording as a B-side. His version of the song has been described as having a distinct difference from Haley's more rock sounding recording, and said to more resemble a Jazz-Swing style more in the vein of Dean Martin.

This single may have been recorded in 1955, some three years before Johnny O'Keefe's recording of "Wild One" in 1958.The Age 4 June 2005 [http://www.theage.com.au/news/Music/Discovered-rocknrolls-scratchy-start/2005/06/03/1117568374677.html Discovered: rock'n'roll's scratchy start]

Filmography

= Television =

= Film =

Discography

=George Assang=

;with Trevor Jones' Orchestra

  • "Daughter of Mona Lisa" (1955) Mercury

=George and Ken Assang=

  • Just A Closer Walk (1965) Philips
  • "Songs From Down Under" - The Colonials (1967) Phillips PD 200

=Vic Sabrino=

  • "Dust in the Sun / Who Needs You" Festival

;with Red Perksey & His Orchestra and Sheila Sewell

  • "The End of the Affair/Drifting Along" Pacific AUS #19{{cite book|title=Australian Chart Book (1940–1969)|last=Kent|first=David|publisher=Australian Chart Book|location=Turramurra, N.S.W.|year=2005|isbn=0-646-44439-5}}

;with Red Perksey & His Orchestra

  • "The Magic of Love/(We're gonna) Rock Around the Clock" (1955) Pacific
  • "Merry-go-round/Time For Parting" (1955) Pacific
  • "Blue Suede Shoes/Heartbreak Hotel" (1956) Pacific

;with Dave Owens and his Blue Boys with The Blue Notes

  • "Long, Long Lane/Painted Doll" (1957) Festival

;with Gus Merzi's Orchestra and with Harry Willis Orchestra; and The Belltones & Iris Mason Singers

  • "Fraulein/Hitch-Hiking Heart" (1957) Festival

;with Graeme Bell and his Skiffle band

  • "Sweet Georgia Brown/ Freight Train" (1957) Columbia
  • "John Henry/Don't You Rock Me, Daddy-O" (1957) Columbia
  • "The Gospel Train/Come Skiffle Chicken" (1957) Columbia
  • "Gamblin' Man/Skiffle Board Blues" (1957) Columbia

References

{{reflist}}

  • [http://www.nfsa.gov.au/docs/collectionguide_thefirstwave1955-1963.pdf THE FIRST WAVE: Australian rock & pop recordings, 1955–1963] by Ross Laird (pdf)
  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20100911181413/http://scarcesoundscom.melbourneitwebsites.com/files/discfile7.pdf Australian Popular Music Recordings 1955–1969] by Ross Laird (pdf)

External links

  • [http://www.poparchives.com.au/feature.php?id=1202 Pop Archives feature]
  • [http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn503583 National Library of Australia] Biographical cuttings on Vic Sabrino, actor and singer

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Assang, George}}

Category:1927 births

Category:1997 deaths

Category:20th-century Australian male singers

Category:Indigenous Australian male actors

Category:Indigenous Australian musicians