Maria Dallas

{{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) was discovered at a talent contest in small town of Morrinsville, New Zealand.{{cite web|url=http://www.sergent.com.au/music/mariadallas.html|title=Maria Dallas|first=Bruce|last=Sergent|accessdate=4 January 2017}}

Her first single "Tumblin' Down", written by Jay Epae, released in 1966 and made it to #11 in the charts.[http://www.flavourofnz.co.nz/index.php?qpageID=search%20listener&qartistid=592#n_view_location Flavour of New Zealand, 9 September 1966] It also won her a Loxene Golden Disc award.{{cite web|title=Jay Epae|publisher=sergent.com.au|url=https://www.sergent.com.au/music/jayepae.html|accessdate=1 July 2019}}

She released several albums and singles and starred in the New Zealand television series Golden Girl{{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}} before moving on to Australia in 1967. Her single "Ambush", which charted #20 in Australia, was recorded in Nashville, produced by Felton Jarvis.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) She returned to New Zealand in 1970 and scored a #1 hit with the song "Pinocchio".[http://www.flavourofnz.co.nz/index.php?qpageID=search%20listener&qartistid=592#n_view_location Flavour of New Zealand, 5 October 1970]{{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}} 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.{{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}} "Pinocchio" peaked at number 96 in Australia in March 1971.{{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}}