Born in Melbourne on January 19 1950, John is one of only a handful of Australian songwriters to have reached the No.1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100, and as a performer and/or writer to have international success with Gold and Platinum sales in the US, Canada, South America, UK, Australasia, Japan, Western and Eastern Europe, and one of an elite group of writers to win The Achievement Award from BMI America.


John Vallins early life was surrounded by an eclectic mix of musical influences. From bebop to the classics and the Hit Parade of the day, the family home in suburban Kew was always filled with music and musicians.


Meeting guitarist Steve Groves at high school, and heavily influenced by the music coming out of the UK at the time, The Kinetics was formed by John, Steve, and friends Ken Leroy and Ian Manzie. Less than a year later, and at the tender age of 15, the four left school to go on tour when their first single Excuses went Top 20, and as live performers, the group forged an impressive reputation among critics and other musicians over the next 2 years. John has maintained a lifelong friendship with all the members in the band.


When The Kinetics eventually broke up, John, Steve Groves and friend Steve Kipner ( Steve and the Board ) formed a new group Rombos World, working the Melbourne club circuit and regular TV performances.


For the next few years John worked alongside many of Australias finest musicians, spending his time gaining more experience as a songwriter and musician touring with everyone from Johnny OKeefe  to John Farnham, and supporting many of the international acts that were touring at the time.


It was also around this period that Johns reputation grew as a studio musician, working on various commercials and other projects as both bass player and singer. However when a call from some old friends came through one night, it was time to pack a suitcase to join Steve Groves and Steve Kipner in London.


Under the management of Robert Stigwood and producer Maurice Gibb, Tin Tin ( John, Steve Groves and Steve Kipner ) found themselves touring the United States after their single Toast and Marmalade for Tea went into the Billboard Top 20 in 1971. With the follow up single  Is That The Way nudging the charts and the new album Astral Taxi getting rave reviews, Tin Tin continued to write and tour until the band eventually parted ways.


After a short period back in Australia, John returned to London where he worked with friend Nat Kipner ( father of Steve), writing and producing records for the European market. John also produced a couple of successful singles for himself as an artist in France, where he toured and appeared on French TV.


John and Nat made record history in 1978 when their song Too Much, Too Little, Too Late hit the No.1 spot on the American/European charts for distinguished singer Johnny Mathis, in a duet with Deniece Williams.


The success of the single earned John both Gold and Platinum Record Awards, and an Achievement Award from BMI America where the track has now notched up over three million air plays.


In 1998 the song was again covered by British pop band SilverSun and reached #20 in the UK Singles Chart.



During the 80s and 90s, as well as having written songs for Australian,  European and South American headliners and American icons such as Barry White,  John headed up his own Music Production Company in Australia concentrating mainly on music for advertising, but also co-writing songs for the score of Tristan Malls film Billies Holiday, and Gary Keady’s cult film Sons of Steel with songs  also featured in The World Music Festival in Japan.


His work in advertising has earned him numerous Australian Writers and Art Directors Awards and Facts Awards, including Europes Gold Lion Award making John one of the most successful advertising campaigners in Australia.


John Vallins has earned the respect of critics and his peers alike with his songs being covered and performed by such a wide range of artists around the world including Johnny Mathis, Deniece Williams, Patti Austin, Tom Jones, Barry White, Filipino sensations Mark Bautista and Sarah Geronimo, Silversun and Acker Bilk, to name a few.


Now, John continues to work from the comfort of Hour Studios in the Northern Rivers District of New South Wales recently completing new compositions with senior Nashville writers as well as working with local artists partially in conjunction with his annual workshop at Camp Creative which is patroned by Bryce Courtenay, David and Gillian Helfgott.


Far from slowing down, John will be releasing his new, much anticipated album Lets Fly Away in late 2011.