Lynda Topp

Dame Lynda Bethridge Topp (born 14 May 1958), is one half of the Topp Twins, a music comedy duo of New Zealand, the other member being her twin sister Jools Topp. Lynda Topp has been singing and entertaining with her sister for decades, touring live music and comedy performances as well as TV and film. Both sisters were appointed Dames Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2018 Queen's Birthday Honours.[1]

Dame Lynda Topp

DNZM
Topp in 2018
Born
Lynda Bethridge Topp

(1958-05-14) 14 May 1958
Huntly, New Zealand
OccupationEntertainer
Years active1975–present
Known forTopp Twins musical duo
Lesbian activism
RelativesJools Topp (sister)

Background and personal life

On 14 May 1958, Jean Topp gave birth to twin sisters Lynda and Jools in Huntly, New Zealand. They have an older brother Bruce and their father is Peter. Lynda Topp grew up with her family on a dairy farm in Waikato.[1] Topp attended Ruawaro Combined School during the 1960s and early 1970s.[2] Lynda and Jools started singing together for other people when they were five years old, when they were nine their brother bought them a guitar from money he had saved up.[3][4]

After leaving school in 1976, Jools and Lynda Topp joined the New Zealand Territorial Force and were posted at the Burnham Military Camp near Christchurch for six weeks.[5] When they were 17, they performed at the Victorian Coffee Lounge (Montreal Street, Christchurch Central City). This brought them into contact with radical lesbian feminists. They both started identifying as lesbian from the late 1970s.[5][6] Much of their life has been in the public eye and their mother was interviewed by Radio New Zealand about the closure of the Women's Weekly magazine in 2020 talking about how much her children had been featured in these magazines.[7]

Lynda enjoys hunting and fly fishing, which is why she chose to live in the South Island of New Zealand.[8] Lynda has done many things in addition to being an entertainer, including running a café with her partner Donna in Methven, Canterbury.[9][10] In March 2013, Lynda married her long-time partner Donna Luxton, a preschool teacher.[11][12] At the time of their marriage, same-sex marriage was not legal in New Zealand, so the couple entered into a civil union as a substitute for marriage.[12] Same-sex marriage was made legal in New Zealand just a few months after the wedding.[13]

On the birth of a new generation with Lynda being a grandparent and Jools being a grand aunt they admitted they didn't expect it when they were younger because as they said: "We're all gay", referring also to their brother.[9] Both Lynda and Jools Topp use their celebrity status with humour to inform people of issues such as feminism, Māori land rights, homosexual law reform and nuclear free and have been recognised by the LGBT community as being inspirational.[14][15][16][17]

Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill

Before the third reading of the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill, which ultimately passed and legalised same-sex marriage in New Zealand, the Topp Twins publicly endorsed the bill in a post on their website.[18] In a statement, Lynda said:[19]

Everybody should be able to stand up and say "I'm getting married". A Civil Union is demeaning, this idea that you will never be good enough, that your love is somehow less than or not as worthy. There's no romance to it. And today, I feel more romantic and more in love than I've ever felt in my life.

Breast cancer

In March 2022 Lynda and Jools revealed that they had both been diagnosed with breast cancer in 2021.[20]

Local politics

Lynda Topp is seeking election to Ashburton District Council in the 2022 local elections.[21]

Career
Further information: Topp Twins
The Topp Twins in 1981

Lynda Topp along with her sister Jools has had a long career in entertainment in New Zealand. They sing country and folk music with harmonies often to raise people's social consciousness. As entertainers Lynda Topp leads the comedy and "works the audience", and mostly Jools plays the guitar and leads the song making.[8] Lynda focused on yodelling.[22] The Topp Twins' popularity arose from a regular stint busking in Auckland when they were in their early 20s. They got taken to court for causing obstruction on Queen Street because their crowd was too big. They won the case and benefited from the publicity. Soon after that they travelled and performed to university crowds around New Zealand.[22][4] They are well known for their costumed comedic characters such as Ken & Ken, and Camp Leader and Camp Mother. They have been a lot on TV in character including in 2000 hosting a quiz show called Mr and Mrs, in which couples answered questions about how well they knew each other, and a 2014 to 2016 cooking show called Topp Country.[1][23]

Awards
  • 1987 Listener Film and Television Awards. Best Entertainer: Topp Twins
  • 1987 Listener Film and Television Awards. Best Entertainment Programme: Topp Twins Special
  • 1987 Listener Film and Television Awards. Best Original Music: Topp Twins Special
  • 1997 TV Guide Television Awards. Best Performance in an Entertainment Programme (shared with Lynda Topp): for Topp Twins, Do Not Adjust Your Twinset, episode 2
  • 2004 New Zealand Order of Merit. (Shared with Lynda Topp) For Services to Entertainment
  • 2009 Melbourne Film Festival. Audience Award for Documentary: The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls
  • 2009 Qantas Film and Television Awards. Best Feature Film – Under $1 Million: The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls
  • 2009 Qantas Film and Television Awards. Original Music (shared with Lynda Topp): for The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls
  • 2009 Toronto International Film Festival. Audience Award for Documentary: The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls
  • 2010 Brattleboro Film Festival (United States). Best of Festival Award: The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls
  • 2010 FIFO Oceanian International Documentary Film Festival (Tahiti). Special Jury Award: The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls
  • 2010 Gothenburg International Film Festival (Sweden). Audience Dragon Award for Best Feature Film: The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls
  • 2010 Portland International Film Festival. Best Feature Documentary: The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls[22]
  • 2010 Qantas Film and Television Awards. Best Entertainment Programme: The Topp Twins and The APO
  • 2017 New Zealand Television Awards. Best Presenter – Entertainment (shared with Lynda Topp): for Topp Country, season two[22]
  • 2018 Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to entertainment
  • 2019 Lifetime Achievement Award at the NEXT Woman of the Year Awards

Aotearoa Music Awards

The Aotearoa Music Awards (previously known as New Zealand Music Awards (NZMA)) are an annual awards night celebrating excellence in New Zealand music and have been presented annually since 1965.

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
2008Lynda Topp (as part of Topp Twins)New Zealand Music Hall of Fameinductee[24]

Screenography
  • Give us a clue. 2021, As: Ken – Television
  • Wellington Paranormal – Covid-19. 2020, As: Mrs O'Leary – Web
  • Funny As: The Story of New Zealand Comedy. 2019, Subject – Television
  • Funny As: The Story of New Zealand Comedy (series promo). 2019, Subject – Television
  • Wellington Paranormal. 2019, As: Officer O'Leary's Mum – Television
  • Poi E: The Story of Our Song. 2016, Subject – Film
  • Topp Country. 2014 – 2016, Presenter – Television
  • The Topp Twins and the APO. 2010, Presenter, Presenter – Television
  • The Topp Twins: – Untouchable Girls. 2009, Subject – Film
  • Ken's Hunting and Fishing Show. 2007, Director, As: Ken Moller – Television
  • Ken's Hunting and Fishing Show – Tongariro. 2007, As: Ken Moller, Director – Television
  • The Adventures of Roman Pilgrim. 2005, As: One of the Fates – Short Film
  • Mr and Mrs. 2000, Presenter – Television
  • In Search of the Lonesome Yodel. 2000, Presenter – Television
  • The Topp Twins – Highland Games. 2000, Performer, Writer, Producer – Television
  • The Topp Twins – Speedway. 1998, Performer, Writer, Producer – Television
  • 1998 Hero Parade. 1998, Subject – Television
  • Destination Planet Earth. 1997 – 1998, Subject – Television
  • Highwater. 1997, As: Marge – Television
  • The Topp Twins. 1996 – 2000, Writer, Musician, Producer – Television
  • The Topp Twins – The Beach. 1996, Performer, Writer, Producer – Television
  • The Topp Twins: Do Not Adjust Your Twinset. 1996, Presenter – Television
  • Beyond a Joke!. 1995, Subject – Television
  • The People Next Door. 1994, Subject – Television
  • Camping Out with the Topp Twins. 1993, Musician – Television
  • Rivers of NZ. 1992, Subject – Television
  • Great New Zealand River Journeys. 1991, Presenter – Television
  • Topp Twins TV Special. 1986, Musician
  • That's Country. 1980 – 1984, Performer – Television

Books

2018 Topp Country: A Culinary Journey Through New Zealand with the Topp Twins by Jools Topp and Linda Topp ISBN 9780473442972 Hardcover (New Zealand)

She has also released five best-selling children’s audio books.[25]

Discography
Main article: Topp Twins § Discography

The Topp Twins have released a number of vinyls, tapes, and CDs.

References
  1. Van Beynen, Jack (3 June 2018). "'The rebels got their medals': Topp Twins Jools and Lynda made Dames". Stuff. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  2. Topp, Jools; Topp, Lynda (2003). The Topp Twins Book. Penguin Books. ISBN 0143018604.
  3. "Topp Twins | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
  4. Bailey, Jo. "Sister Act". Jo Bailey. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
  5. Bourke, Chris (27 April 2018). "The Topp Twins: Good Sisters Gone Bad". Radio New Zealand. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
  6. "The Topp Twins". Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
  7. "Topp fan mourns end of Woman's Weekly". Radio New Zealand. 3 April 2020. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
  8. Mann, Britt (3 February 2018). "Us Two: Jools and Lynda Topp". Stuff. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
  9. Byrne, Lana; Henger, Karen (12 October 2019). "The Topp Twins On Their Joy At Having A Baby In The Family". Now To Love. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  10. Hawkes, Colleen (21 October 2019). "Topp twin Dame Lynda and wife Donna have sold their country retreat". Stuff. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
  11. "Lynda Topp Marries Her Lady Love!". Topp Twins Official Website. March 2013.
  12. "Couple to tie knot in Topp style". Television New Zealand. 1 March 2013. Retrieved 18 April 2013.
  13. "MPs vote to legalise same sex marriage". Television New Zealand. 17 April 2013.
  14. "Living Legends in New Zealand: The Topp Twins". San Francisco Bay Times. 7 May 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
  15. Mau, Alison (2 December 2018). "Topp Twins' 'souls sold to the highest bidder'". Stuff. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
  16. Zwan, Sebastian van der. "The Topp Twins Win Big At The LGBTI Awards And Speak Out On The Portrayal Of Gay Couples On MAFS". Now To Love. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
  17. "Dame Jools and Dame Lynda Topp". ngataonga.org.nz. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
  18. "We Support the Gay Marriage Bill introduced by Louisa Wall and urge MP's to consider the rights of all New Zealanders in their pursuit of happiness". Topp Twins Official Website. 17 April 2013.
  19. "Trailblazers: Jools and Linda Topp". The New Zealand Herald. 17 September 2018. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
  20. "Kiwi icons the Topp Twins reveal they both have breast cancer". Stuff. 27 March 2022. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
  21. Kenny, Jake (11 August 2022). "Dame Lynda Topp to run for Ashburton council after battling cancer". Stuff. Retrieved 11 August 2022.
  22. "Lynda Topp". NZ On Screen. 5 February 2020. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
  23. "Topp Country". Topp Country. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
  24. "HOME INDUCTEES". www.musichall.co.nz. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  25. "The Topp Twins – New Zealand Musicians & Bands". www.muzic.net.nz. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
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