June Dyer born 19 June 1942

June Dyer (19 June 1942 to 14 January 2011) was  best known as South Africa's 1st female rock vocalist. 

She was born in Durban on 19 June 1942. Her parents were divorced when she was very young, and she grew up in several orphanages. She also had hearing problems from birth and at the age of 10 only had about 20% hearing. This did not, however, deter her from pursuing a career in music. She learned to lip-read and kept the beat of the music (while singing) by placing her hand on the piano or bass. 

In an interview with the Sunday Times, she said she had been singing and playing the piano to herself for years.  "I could feel vibrations but I had no idea of the tone or sound of my voice". By the time she was 18 she was working in a Johannesburg bank and between August and September in 1960 she regained her hearing after three operations. 

"While I was recovering I sat and played the piano and sang to myself. All of a sudden I could hear". For the next six months, overcome by the novelty of hearing her own voice - June practiced daily. She entered several talent competitions, winning a number of them, including one at the Colosseum Theatre in Johannesburg. June sang at the Club Pepsi in Rissik Street with bands such as the Vikings. Then she sang with a young rock-'n-roll group called the Silhouettes at a house party. "They liked my voice so much that they invited me to sing at 'gigs' with them" and toured the Republic. 

                                    

An executive offered her a contract and within a week she had cut her first disc - "Whirlpool of Love". June's record reached #1 on the top twenty hit parade in March 1961. Rebel also peaked at #3 on the same charts. Alan Marshall publicity manager at Trutone Records, says June has that "vitality that which somehow only teenagers manage to put into their singing. She enjoys her singing so much that she radiates an enthusiam which is passed on to her audience". He predicted a great future for her. 

 She  recorded two commercial albums, “June Dyer” in 1961 and “Tell It To The Birds” in 1962, as well as a SABC (South African Broadcasting Corporation) transcription album with the Eldon Hawkes Trio (no date). She also released several 7” singles.  June and ex-Silhouettes member, Leon Booysen, formed the Rousers and undertook a tour to Rhodesia. After returning to South Africa, she joined the band of Harold Roy and subsequently performed regular gigs at the Claridges Hotel in Durban. 

At the height of her career June married and decided to leave the entertainment business completely. 

June Dyer passed away on January 14th, 2011 

(Scant information edited from rock.co.za & keurspel @ YouTube)