Christie Allen, one of Mushroom Records chart topping pop stars of the late 70s and early 80s, has died of pancreatic cancer. Christie was best known for the hits Goose Bumps and He`s My Number One. Sarah Morgan from Liberation Records has put together the following release.
Christie Allen was born in the UK in 1954. She went on to make a name for herself in her adopted homeland of Australia as a chart topping pop singer.Allen was performing with her brothers in a band in Perth when she came to the attention of songwriter and record producer Terry Britten. Britten, a former member of The Twilights who would go on to a hugely successful song writing career, was impressed by Allen's vocal ability and bubbly personality. He began working with Christie and a recording contract with Michael Gudinski’s independent record label Mushroom Records resulted.
Mushroom Records made sure that their new pop artist got plenty of national radio support and television screen time on national iconic music television program; Countdown.
‘Christie Allen gave Countdown something it had been lacking - a local female artist to appeal to the teeny boppers. It is sometimes not appreciated just how successful Christie was. The first female artist to sign up to Mushroom Records since Renee Geyer, she released the single ‘Falling In Love’ (April 79) which went top 20. Then came ‘Goosebumps’ which went to number 3 nationally and was to that point Mushroom Records’ biggest-ever selling single. ‘He’s My Number One (January 1980) outdid it and was the biggest-selling Mushroom single of all time until Split Enz ‘I Got You’ knocked it off three months later. Even as late as 1997, ‘He’s My Number One’ was Mushroom Records 7th highest selling single with over 75,000 sales. Allen’s first album ‘Magic Rhythm’ went Gold. Christie was awarded the Most Popular Female Artist at the Countdown Music Awards in 1979 and in 1980’ - Dave Warner - 25 Years Of Mushroom Records
Christie went on to release another album ‘Detours’ and had a handful of singles in the early 1980s. A long illness prevented Allen from adequately promoting her career and forced her into subsequent retirement whilst she recovered. By the 1990s Christie had resurrected her singing career performing as a vocalist with country music bands.
1998 was a very happy year for Christie. In October, she married her partner Mark in October. Around the same time, Christie’s daughter Christa Lea heard an appeal on the Martin Molloy program on radio. Mushroom Records Michael Gudinski was trying to track down Christie to invite her to perform on the Mushroom Records 25th Anniversary concert. Christa Lea got in touch with them immediately and passed on Christie’s phone number. Michael Gudinski got straight on the phone and invited Christie to perform at the concert held on November 14th. Christie performed ‘Goosebumps’ to a thrilled audience and a packed Melbourne Cricket Ground. Sadly this was to be the very last time Christie performed in public. She told her husband Mark that if the Mushroom 25th was to be her last public performance, what a huge high to go out on.
In 2006, Michael Gudinski asked Christie to participate in the Countdown Spectacular tour. Unfortunately, not being in the best of health at the time, Christie had to decline.
In March 2008, Christie was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer. She was very ill and lost a lot of weight, but still kept her inner strength. She knew that she was unlikely to recover and went to great lengths to ensure that her husband and family would be OK. Christie chose to live out her remaining days at home with her husband Mark taking care of her and family around her.
Christie passed away at home in country West Australia on Tuesday August 123th at 7.35 am. She is survived by husband Mark, her much loved daughter Christa Lea, granddaughter Ashlee and her as yet unborn grand child due in December and her brothers Keith, Steve & Mark.
Christie thoroughly enjoyed her time in the limelight but also was very proud and protective of her private life and her family. With this in mind, her family have asked that the funeral remains private and for family and close friends only. Instead of floral tributes, they have asked that a donation in Christie’s name be made to the Cancer Council of Australia. Thank you.
