Little Pattie
During the early years of Australian Rock & Roll, the scene
was almost entirely male-dominated. As the beat softened and the
frantic momentum diminished during the early 1960s, the first
female solo singers began to emerge.
These included Noeleen Batley
(dubbed 'Australia's Little Miss Sweetheart'), Judy Stone,
Patsy Ann Noble, Betty McQuade, Lana Cantrell, Lee Grant, Candy
and Mandy, Laurel Lea, Patti Markham, and Patricia 'Little Pattie'
Amphlett.
By the age of 13, Patricia Amphlett had already appeared on the
television show Opportunity Knocks. She then became a
regular at Sydney's southern beaches surf club dances, singing
with The Statesmen.
Patti was spotted by EMI while singing at
Bronte Surf Club and issued He's My Blonde Headed Stompie
Wompie Real Gone Surfer Boy which became an instant hit in
December 1963.
At 15, Little Pattie left Sydney Girl's High
School to concentrate on her singing career. She scored three more
hit singles during 1964 and made regular television appearances on
shows like Bandstand, Saturday Date and Sing,
Sing, Sing.
She followed up We're Gonna Have A Party Tonight, Drag
Race Johnny and Surfin' Time Again with more hits
in Sydney; Pushin' A Good Thing Too Far (March 1965) and
Dance Puppet Dance (October 1965). She rounded out 1965
with My Love. By 1966, Pattie had moved upmarket. She
left the dances behind to make club and cabaret appearances, and
continued to release singles for EMI up until 1970.
Her single releases during this period were; Game Of Love
(1966), Will Ya Or Won't Ya? (1966), Don't Walk
Away (1966), Let Me Dream (1966), With Love From
Jenny (1967), I'll Eat My Hat (1967), If He
Would Care (1967), I Knew Right Away (1967), Sunshine
Boy (1968), Love Is A Happy Thing (1968), Someone
Out There (1969), Gravitation (1969) and The
Penthouse (1970).
In 1966, Pattie (having dropped the 'Little') toured Vietnam
to entertain Australian troops. Despite assurances of absolute
safety, at the tender age of 17 she found herself being evacuated
from the beach at Long Tan, and returned home a changed (and more
politically mature) person. She also married Col
Joye's brother,
Keith, and signed to the Joye Organisation's ATA label.
In the 70s she released seven singles and in 1972 she played a
leading role in the Australian Labor Party's "It's
Time" campaign, which saw Gough Whitlam elected as the first
Labor Prime Minister in 23 years.
Although Patricia Amphlett tried
in later years to forge a career as an adult country and jazz
singer, she fell foul of a common fate for child stars - the
public refused to let her grow up.
Christina Amphlett, the provocative singer of 80s Australian
rock band The Divinyls, is Little Pattie's cousin.
|
