Suzanne Lena Prentice (born 19 September 1958 in

Invercargill Invercargill ( , mi, Waihōpai is the southernmost and westernmost city in New Zealand, and one of the southernmost cities in the world. It is the commercial centre of the Southland region. The city lies in the heart of the wide expanse of t ...

) is a New Zealand politician and

country singer Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...

. Her most successful single "When I Dream" peaked at number 11 in New Zealand during 1982. In the 1995 Queen's Birthday Honours, Prentice was appointed an

Officer of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

, for services to music. She stood as a candidate for the 2010 mayoral elections in

but was unsuccessful. In 2016 she was presented with the

Benny Award The Benny Award is bestowed on a New Zealand variety entertainer. It is presented annually by the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand, a non-for-profit organisation and showbusiness club, founded in 1966 and awarded to a variety performer who ha ...

from the

Variety Artists Club of New Zealand The Variety Artists Club of New Zealand Inc (VAC) is a non-for-profit organisation and show business club. It was founded in 1966 and became an incorporated society in 1972. The VAC was formed to promote goodwill within the New Zealand enterta ...

, the highest honour for a New Zealand entertainer.

Discography

Charting albums

Awards and honours

Country Music Awards (CMAA)

Suzanne Prentice has won three

Golden guitar The Big Golden Guitar is one of the many "big" attractions that can be found around Australia. Located in Tamworth, New South Wales, the monument is one of the best-known points of interest in New England. It is also a major attraction duri ...

awards and was inducted into the Roll of Renown at the Tamworth

Country Music Awards of Australia The Country Music Awards of Australia also known as the Golden Guitar Awards (originally named Australasian Country Music Awards) is an annual awards night held in January during the Tamworth Country Music Festival, in Tamworth, New South Wales ...

, - , 1974 , , Suzanne Prentice ''Dust On Mother's Bible'', , Female Vocalist of the Year , , , - , 1977 , , Suzanne Prentice ''Sweet Country Music'', , Female Vocalist of the Year , , , - , 1978 , , Suzanne Prentice ''How Great Thou Art'', , Female Vocalist of the Year , , , - , 1983 , , Suzanne Prentice ''One Day At a Time'', , Top Selling, , , -

Officer of the Order of the British Empire

, - , 1995 , herself ,

(OBE) "for services to music" , , -

References