By Luke Voogt
Pakenham songstress Leslie Martin has a split personality – at least when she’s on stage.
Martin will perform as the iconic Judith Durham this month when she comes to the Sphinx for its Morning Melodies series.
“I specialise in certain artists,” she told the Indy this week.
“They range from ABBA, which I do with my daughter, to the other of end of the scale, which is Slim Dusty.”
“(Performing as Slim) was funny because they were all expecting a bloke – they couldn’t believe a girl could pull it off.”
All-told Martin performs covers of 10 artists.
“I’ve been doing these shows since about 2007,” she said.
But she is relatively new to playing the Seeker’s lead woman – one of her idols.
“We’ve only done a couple of those so far,” she said.
After a few Seekers tributes Martin decided to go solo.
“That’s when we decided Judith warranted her own show and I took on some of her solo tracks.”
In a career highlight Martin met Durham herself who was delighted to have someone imitating her, she said.
“That was amazing. She was very charming but quiet. She couldn’t believe someone would to do a show on her.”
Martin said Durham’s “gentle listening” style came easily to her as a teenager.
“I wasn’t into that boppy stuff. I also look very much like her without her without even trying.”
Martin has performed for 20 years, earning herself the nickname the Princess from Pakenham.
“I was dressed in white doing a show and someone came up and said ‘you look like a little princess’ and it stuck.”
The cover artist was grateful for chance to pass her musical knowledge along the family line.
She said she and her daughter get mistaken for sisters playing their ABBA tribute act.
“It’s great and people are really surprised when we tell them,” she said.
“I came from a musical family dating way back to the early 1900s. Both sides of my family were involved in the music and entertainment industry.”
Martin supported ‘Queen of Rockabilly’ Wander Jackson when she came to Australia a few years ago.
“That was fantastic, she was out from Oklahoma,” she said.
Martin will perform at the Sphinx on 22 February.
