The ARIA Hall of Fame award is a signifier of high achievement in the recording industry. Inductees are acknowledged as being responsible for a significant body of recorded work that has had a cultural impact within Australia or has achieved recognition within the world marketplace. This award was presented to Dick Diamonde for his part in the recording career of the Easybeats.

Widely regarded as Australia's greatest pop group of the mid-1960s, the Easybeats had their beginnings in Sydney's Villawood Migrant Hostel. Guitarist George Young had migrated from Scotland, singer Stevie Wright and drummer Snowy Fleet were Englishmen and the remaining two band members were Dutch -- guitarist Johannas Vandenberg, who became Harry Vanda, and bass guitarist Dingeman Van Der Sluys, who called himself Dick Diamonde. Born in 1947, Van Der Sluys had been in Australia since he was four years old.

Wright, Young and Vanda took to writing their own songs and the band's first No 1, 'She's So Fine', came out in June 1965. Many memorable hits followed and soon Australia was in the grip of 'Easyfever'.

In 1966 the Easybeats went to England where they recorded their classic working-class anthem 'Friday on my Mind'. A massive No 1 hit at home, it charted in England and America as well, showing Australians that they could create world class pop records and gain overseas recognition. In 2001 when the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) celebrated its 75th anniversary, a music industry panel voted 'Friday on my Mind' the Best Australian Song of all time. The Easybeats disbanded in 1969 but Harry Vanda and George Young went on to become Australia's most successful team of producers and songwriters, while Stevie Wright enjoyed solo success.

The Australian Records Industry Association (ARIA) Awards have been held annually since 1987. From the following year, the award ceremony included a segment where one or two outstanding recording artists were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame, including AC/DC, Dame Joan Sutherland, Olivia Newton-John, Johnny O' Keefe, Paul Kelly, John Farnham, INXS, Slim Dusty and Jimmy Little.

On 14 July 2005, ARIA introduced a separate annual dedicated ceremony, the ARIA Icons: Hall of Fame event, to allow more of Australia's high achieving recording artists, producers, songwriters and others to be inducted, free of the time constraints of the ARIA Awards ceremony. Dick Diamonde and the other members of the Easybeats were inducted at this time.

The award is based on Mark Denning's original design which has been used for the ARIA awards since 1990. The award was manufactured by Northside Patternmakers, Artarmon, New South Wales, Australia, in 2005, for the Australian Record Industry Association (ARIA).

The award was presented to Dick Diamonde of the Easybeats at the inaugural 'ARIA Icons: Hall of Fame' event on 14 July, 2005. At this event, four hundred industry guests at Melbourne's Plaza Ballroom saw the induction of a number of new ARIA Hall of Famers -- the Easybeats, Split Enz, Renee Geyer, Normie Rowe, Hunters & Collectors and Smoky Dawson. Mr Diamonde subsequently asked that his award be donated to the Powerhouse Museum.

Pyramid-shaped trophy finished in a reflective gold-coloured metal. The word 'ARIA' is inscribed in black near the base on two sides of the award. A small plaque inscribed with Dick Diamonde's name and date of the ARIA Awards. The base of the award is covered with black felt material.

Designed: Denning, Mark; ; 1990

Made: Northside Patternmakers; Artarmon, New South Wales; 2005


Owned: Diamonde, Dick; ; 2005

Inscribed in black on two sides of the award, 'ARIA'.
Inscribed in black on side of the award, 'ARIA ICONS: HALL OF FAME / THE EASYBEATS / DICK DIAMONDE / THURSDAY 14 JULY 2005'.
Printed in white on base of award, 'Design: Mark Denning'.

2006/126/1

1990

300 mm

82 mm

85 mm