JENNIFER RYALL

Jennifer Ryall’s (born 1956) singing career began as a young child when a neighbour overheard her singing around the house. The neighbour was Walter “Wal” Hucker, who ran Api-Air Productions International, producing TV films and cartoons. Young Jennifer’s first recordings were jingles for 2WG, the Wagga Wagga radio station founded by the family of Hucker’s wife Wendy. This led to a prolific childhood career singing jingles for TV commercials, produced by Jimmy White of Bob Gibson Productions. (Composer and pianist White had written the classic jingles for “Louie The Fly” and – with Bob Gibson – “Mr Sheen”.)

Ryall’s voice was heard on TV ads for many well-known Australian products, including Arnotts biscuits, Milo, Ovaltine, and Fountain Tomato Sauce. When she recorded at Sydney’s EMI studios in the early 60s, she stood on a soapbox to reach the microphone. Her jingle for Dawn toilet tissue (“the softest one”) became a popular request from her schoolfriends. On television, Ryall appeared as Little Girl with the Ukelele on Reg Courtney’s children’s show, singing ''Morningtown Ride'', and as a member of The Hawaiian Trio on ATN7.

At the age of 11 her parents encouraged her to audition for a special Junior edition of the national TV pop show Bandstand. She appeared in September 1967 and returned for another Bandstand performance in 1968. This was almost a family tradition, as her mother Patty Loebel had sung on national radio on Australia’s Amateur Hour, some years before television came to Australia. As a result of her success in Sing For Shelley’s, a competition run by Sydney radio station 2SM, 15-year-old Jennifer Ryall was signed to WEA for its Warner Bros label. Her recording of ''Everything’s Alright'' was used nationally to promote Jesus Christ Superstar.

''Everything’s Alright'' was nominated for Best Female Vocal Single at the Australian Record Awards, held by the Federation of Australian Commercial Broadcasters in Canberra in October 1972. (Colleen Hewitt won with ''Carry That Weight''.) The second and final Jennifer Ryall single ''Summer Song'' was released in 1973. In the 1970s Ryall worked in newsrooms at Sydney radio stations 2WS and Triple M where she was heard reporting on-air, including with top-rating broadcaster Doug Mulray. She has sung in Sydney venues, solo and in groups, including a stint at Sydney’s Comedy Store in the 1980s.

In 1977 she acted in Australia’s first 35 mm pop film clip, for Lindsay Bjerre’s single ''She Taught Me How To Love Again'' (as Bjerre). Its airing on national pop show Countdown is credited with its chart success around Australia (#18 Melbourne, #11 Brisbane, #19 Adelaide, #28 Perth). Jennifer Ryall trained as a primary teacher in the late 70s, lived in London for a while, married, and raised two children. As a music teacher, she delivered a school's program for Musica Viva in the 90s. Jennifer Thomson is still living in Sydney (2020). Her son is the jazz pianist, composer and arranger Matt Thomson. Thanks to Jennifer Ryall – Everything’s Alright - Pop Archives - Where did they get that song? for the information.

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