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 recent 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.

TRIVIA NOTE
Christina Amphlett, the provocative singer of 80s Australian rock band The Divinyls, is Little Pattie's cousin.

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