Musician. Born James Oswald Little, at Cummeragunja Mission, Australia, he was an Aboriginal country singer, songwriter and guitarist, whose career spanned over five decades. He was noted as the first Australian singer to have a major pop hit in Australia, with "Danny Boy" (1959), which peaked at Number 9 in Sydney, followed by "El Paso" (1960). He scored his biggest single hit with "Royal Telephone" (1963), which sold over 75,000 copies and was named Australian Pop Star of the Year with the hit "One Road" (1964). Recording for the Australian label Festival, his many albums included "New Songs from Jimmy" (1964), "The Country Sounds of Jimmy Little" (1969), "Baby Blue" (1974), "An Evening with Jimmy Little " (1978) and "The Best of Jimmy Little" (1994). At the 1999 Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Music Awards his album "Messenger", won Best Contemporary Album and Little was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame. In 2002, he won the Golden Gospel Award at the Australian Gospel Music Awards for his lifetime support of Australian gospel music. Little released his 34th album "Life's What You Make It" (2004), plus also was named an Australian Living National Treasure and was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia. In 2010, he was awarded the APRA Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to Australian Music. He died of kidney failure at age 75 in Dubbo, South Wales Australia.
Musician. Born James Oswald Little, at Cummeragunja Mission, Australia, he was an Aboriginal country singer, songwriter and guitarist, whose career spanned over five decades. He was noted as the first Australian singer to have a major pop hit in Australia, with "Danny Boy" (1959), which peaked at Number 9 in Sydney, followed by "El Paso" (1960). He scored his biggest single hit with "Royal Telephone" (1963), which sold over 75,000 copies and was named Australian Pop Star of the Year with the hit "One Road" (1964). Recording for the Australian label Festival, his many albums included "New Songs from Jimmy" (1964), "The Country Sounds of Jimmy Little" (1969), "Baby Blue" (1974), "An Evening with Jimmy Little " (1978) and "The Best of Jimmy Little" (1994). At the 1999 Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Music Awards his album "Messenger", won Best Contemporary Album and Little was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame. In 2002, he won the Golden Gospel Award at the Australian Gospel Music Awards for his lifetime support of Australian gospel music. Little released his 34th album "Life's What You Make It" (2004), plus also was named an Australian Living National Treasure and was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia. In 2010, he was awarded the APRA Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to Australian Music. He died of kidney failure at age 75 in Dubbo, South Wales Australia.
Bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith
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