Jimmy Little

Career James Oswald Little was born on 1 March 1937, a member of the Yorta Yorta people with his mother, Frances, a Yorta Yorta woman and his father, James Little Sr, from the Yuin people. Little's totem is the long-necked turtle.

Little grew up, the eldest of seven children, on the Cummeragunja Aboriginal Reserve on the Murray River in New South Wales, about from Echuca in Victoria. Little later recalled his upbringing, "[my parents] taught me well about the value of life, freedom, love, respect, all those basic things that we need. As Vaudevillians, I loved them. It was part of my dream to follow in the footsteps of Mum and Dad. And I'm so proud that I was able to do that". He became a devout non-denominational Christian. He is an uncle of writer, soprano, and composer Deborah Cheetham and older brother of the late Aboriginal author and singer-songwriter Betty Little. In February 1939, about 200 to 300 members of the mission participated in the Cummeragunja walk-off – in protest at the low standard of living conditions. The Little family moved to his father's tribal land (near Wallaga Lake) and lived for some years on the New South Wales south coast at Nowra and Moruya.

Not long after moving, Frances died from a tetanus infection after cutting her finger on an oyster shell.

Early years: 1956–1979 Little signed with Regal Zonophone Records in 1956 and released his first single, "Mysteries of Life"/"Heartbreak Waltz". In 1958, Little married fellow singer, Marjorie Rose Peters. He worked at a towelling factory and supplemented his income with performances at concerts and dances, and TV appearances on Bandstand. Little had the role of Johnny, a devout stockman on a cattle station where his American employer's son Bob refers to him as "that nigger". Little issued the title song as a single backed by "Little by Little". By 1962, Little joined a touring stage production, All Coloured Show produced by Ted Quigg, and gained wider public exposure.

In October 1963, after 17 singles, Little issued his biggest hit with the gospel song, "Royal Telephone", based upon the Burl Ives' version. In November it peaked at No. 1 in Sydney and No. 3 in Melbourne. In March 1964 the Barry Gibb-penned "One Road" reached No. 19 in Sydney and No. 30 in Melbourne. Doug Peters and Neville Thorn.

Later years: 2000–2012

Little returned in September 2001 with Resonate, an album featuring songs written by Paul Kelly, Don Walker, Bernard Fanning (from Powderfinger), Brendan Gallagher and Dave Graney. In 2002 Little won the Golden Gospel Award at the Australian Gospel Music Awards for his lifetime support of Australian gospel music. He also sang "Happy Day" with Olivia Newton-John that year. In 2000 he was a guest of The Wiggles on their children's DVD It’s A Wiggly Wiggly World.

Little released the album Down the Road for ABC Country in 2003. In 2004 he released his 34th album, Life's What You Make It, a collection of distinctive and poignant versions of songs by contemporary artists as diverse as the Red Hot Chili Peppers, U2, PJ Harvey, Neil Young, Brian Wilson, Elvis Costello and Bruce Springsteen.

In 2010 Little retired from performing.

On 27 May 2022, he was honoured with a Google Doodle.

A biography, Jimmy Little: A Yorta Yorta Man, written by his daughter Frances Peters-Little, was published in March 2023 by Hardie Grant.

Personal life Jimmy Little image on Water Tank in Walgett, New South Wales Little married fellow singer, Marjorie Rose Peters in 1958 and they had one child, Frances Claire Peters-Little (born ca. March 1958 ), In 1990, Little was diagnosed with kidney disease, "Unfortunately, I didn't get check-ups often enough or soon enough to realise the possibility that my kidneys could fail".

From 1985, Little taught and mentored indigenous music students at the Eora Centre in Redfern, and from 2002 he was an ambassador for literacy and numeracy for the Department of Education. Since 2000, Little was a guest lecturer at the University of Sydney's Koori Centre.

His wife Marjorie Rose Little died on 25 July 2011, aged 74, in Dubbo – she had been under medical care since early that year for an unspecified illness.

On 2 April 2012, Little died at his home in Dubbo, aged 75. Also that year he was named a Living National Treasure.

In June 2005, on the last day of National Reconciliation Week, Little and composer Peter Sculthorpe were awarded honorary doctorates in music by the University of Sydney in recognition of "their joint contribution to reconciliation between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians". Other honorary doctorates have been awarded to Little by Queensland University of Technology and Australian Catholic University. Jimmy Little Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to Australian Music

Australia Council for the Arts The Australia Council for the Arts is the arts funding and advisory body for the Government of Australia. Since 1993, it has awarded a Red Ochre Award. It is presented to an outstanding Indigenous Australian (Aboriginal Australian or Torres Strait Islander) artist for lifetime achievement. 2003 himself Red Ochre Award

Australian Roll of Renown The Australian Roll of Renown honours Australian and New Zealander musicians who have shaped the music industry by making a significant and lasting contribution to Country Music. It was inaugurated in 1976 and the inductee is announced at the Country Music Awards of Australia in Tamworth in January. 1994 Jimmy Little Australian Roll of Renown ARIA Music Awards The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music. They commenced in 1987.

Jimmy Little ARIA Hall of Fame Messenger Best Adult Contemporary Album 2002 Resonate Best Adult Contemporary Album 2004 Life's What You Make It Best Adult Contemporary Album Country Music Awards (CMAA) The Country Music Awards of Australia (CMAA) (also known as the Golden Guitar Awards) is an annual awards night held in January during the Tamworth Country Music Festival, celebrating recording excellence in the Australian country music industry. They have been held annually since 1973.

(wins only) 1994 Jimmy Little Australian Roll of Renown

Deadly Awards The Deadly Awards, (commonly known simply as The Deadlys), was an annual celebration of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander achievement in music, sport, entertainment and community. They ran from 1996 to 2013. (wins only) 1997 "himself" Outstanding Contribution to Aboriginal Music

"himself" Male Artist of the Year "The Way You Make Me Feel" Single Release of the Year 2002 "himself" Country Artist of the Year 2007 "himself" Jimmy Little Lifetime Achievement Award for Contribution to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Music

Helpmann Awards The Helpmann Awards is an awards show, celebrating live entertainment and performing arts in Australia, presented by industry group Live Performance Australia (LPA) since 2001. In 2012, Little received the JC Williamson Award, the LPA's highest honour, for their life's work in live performance. 2012 Himself JC Williamson Award

Mo Awards The Australian Entertainment Mo Awards (commonly known informally as the Mo Awards), were an annual Australian entertainment industry awards. They recognised achievements in live entertainment in Australia from 1975 to 2016. Little won two awards in that time. (wins only) 1996 Jimmy Little John Campbell Fellowship Award 2003 Jimmy Little Classic Rock Performer of the Year

Discography Albums You'll Never Walk Alone (Festival Records, 1960) A Tree in The Meadow (Festival, February 1962) By Request (Festival, 1963) Sing to Glory (Festival, 1963) Royal Telephone (Festival, 1964) Encores (Festival, 1964) Onward Christian Soldiers (Festival, 1964) Jimmy Little Sings Country & Western Greats (Festival, 1965) 10th Anniversary (Festival, 1966) Ballads and Strings (Festival, 1967) New Songs from Jimmy Little (Festival, 1967) The Best of Jimmy Little (Festival, 1968) I Can't Stop Loving You (Festival, 1969) Song to Glory (1969) The Country Sound of Jimmy Little (1969) Goodbye Old Rolf (1970) Winterwood (Festival, 1972) Waltzing Matilda (Festival, 1972) Jimmy by Request (1973) Country Boy, Country Hits (Festival, 1974) All For Love (Festival, 1975) Country Sounds (February 1975) I Can't Stop Loving You (February 1975) Jimmy Little Sings Country (1975) Travellin' Minstrel Man (Festival, 1976) The Best of Jimmy Little (Festival, 1977) An Evening with Jimmy Little (1978) (2× live album recorded at the Sydney Opera House) 20 Golden Country Greats (Festival, 1979) The Best of Jimmy Little (June 1994) Yorta Yorta Man (Monitor, 1995) Messenger (June 1999) - Australia #26 and was certified gold. Resonate (October 2001) Passage 1959–2001: Jimmy Little Anthology (October 2002) / Jimmy Little: The Definitive Collection (2004) (2×CD) Down the Road (September 2003) Life's What You Make It (May 2004) Songman (December 2012) (3×CD)

EPs The Grandest Show of All (1957) Jimmy Little Sings Ballads with a Beat (FX-5126 Festival Records, 1959) A Fool Such As I (1960) Whispering Hope (1960) Too Many Parties & Too Many Pals (1961) A Man Called Peter (1962) The Way of the Cross (1962) Jimmy Little's Big Four (1962) The Grandest Show of All (1963) Royal Telephone (1963) Old Time Religion (1964) One Road (1964) A Christmas Selection (1965) Eternally (1965) Lifeline (1965) Ring, Bells Ring (1965) A Christmas Selection (1966) Goodbye Old Rolf (1970)

Singles Year Single Chart Positions AUS1956"Mysteries of Life"-"It's Time To Pay"-"Someday You're Gonna Call My Name"-"Sweet Mama"-1957"Silver City Comet"-1959"Frances Claire"-"Give The Coloured Boy a Chance"-"Danny Boy"181960"El Paso"21"The Shadow of the Boomerang"-"Bells of St. Marys"-"Somebody's Pushing Me"971961"Kissing Someone Else"-"Silent Night"-1962"Little Green Valley"-1963"Pledge of Love"-"Royal Telephone"101964"Eternally"99"Lifeline"-"One Road"311965"His Faith in Me"-"Bimbombey"-"Ring, Bells Ring"-1966"I Want To Be Free"-"Too Many Times"-1968"Molly"-1969"I Can't Stop Loving You"-1970"Goodbye Old Rolf"-1973"There's a Heartache Following Me"-1974"Baby Blue"241975"Ain't It Good (To Feel This Way)"-"Goodbye Is Really Good at All"-1976"Where The Blues of The Night Meets The Gold of The Day"-1978"Beautiful Woman"-1999"Randwick Bells"-"The Way I Made You Feel"-2001"Bury Me Deep in Love"(with Kylie Minogue)-2002"In a Field in France"-2009"Royal Telephone" (Re-Recording)-

Other resources Jimmy Little: Performing Artist (1997), a 26-minute videocassette produced and directed by Robin Hughes and Linda Kruger for SBS-TV and Film Australia. Jimmy Little's Gentle Journey (2003), a 55-minute video written and directed by Sydney-based film-maker Sean Kennedy and released by Indigo Films and Warner Vision Australia. Jimmy Little (2005) a 26-minute DVD of a Talking Heads interview by Peter Thompson first broadcast on 29 April 2005. Frances Peters-Little. 2023. Jimmy Little: A Yorta Yorta Man. Hardie Grant Books. ISBN 9781743799062. Biography by his daughter.