TIKKI TAYLOR

 

Joyce 'Tikki' Taylor was a regular in stage musicals in the 1950s. She met John Newman in South Pacific, John played Radio Operator Bob McCaffrey and Joyce played Ensign Janet MacGregor. They fell in love and married in 1954. Joyce adopted the stage name of Tikki Taylor soon after. They were touring the UK as a comedy duo in a show with The Great Levant and fulfilled their dream of performing at the Palladium Theatre in London. One night they saw a production of a new show called The Pajama Game and Tikki wanted to play the role of Gladys who performs in the Steam Heat song. Tikki flew to New Zealand to audition and won the role for the Australian tour.

By 1960 Tikki Taylor bought a two-storey house in fashionable South Yarra: ''You know, this is the one thing that television has given me that I have never had before – a settled home''. John and Tikki established a late-night coffee house in Exhibition Street in 1962. It was close to Her Majesty’s Theatre and the Comedy Theatre with the idea that theatregoers could drop in for a coffee and chat after seeing a stage show. As the years went by it developed into a very popular successful Theatre Restaurant with Cabaret and Music Hall. The featured artists included Maurie Fields and Val Jellay, Vikki Hammond, Frank Wilson, Margo Lee, Gus Mercurio, Jackie Clancy and many others. Tikki Taylor was also an actress, known for Homicide (1964), The World of Operetta (1965) and The Saturday Show (1978). In the 1990s, John and Tikki spent time on the Gold Coast, where they set up a cabaret restaurant named Newman's, Tikki was recognised with the OAM in the Australia Day awards of 1993 for services to the entertainment industry and to charitable organisations. Tikki Taylor died in 2011 aged 83.

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GABRIELLE HARTLEY

 

Gabrielle Hartley started out as a fashion model before briefly trying her hand at folk singing in the mid-Sixties, appearing on Bandstand and Boomeride with Olivia Newton-John and Tony Cole. An album of the same name was released in 1965 on the Pakktel label. Gabrielle sang six songs on the album: ''Poor Fred'', ''Turn The Other Cheek'', ''Jump Up On The Wool Press'', ''Seeds Of Grass'', ''All Of Me For All Of You'', ''Magdalena'' and ''Bag O' Prawns''. She was a talented singer with the potential for a big career, but acting ultimately became her true calling. In 1970, she toured Vietnam with the ABC Showband alongside Linda George to entertain the troops. Her first major dramatic role, and perhaps her most memorable, was playing Maggie Emerson, the wife of local landowner Col. Jim Emerson (Carl Bleazby) in ABC-TV’s Bellbird. She later reprised the role in the film version, Country Town (1971). Her other TV appearances included Hunter (1968), Delta (1969), Ryan (1973), Division 4, Matlock Police, Bobby Dazzler, and several episodes of Prisoner. She also appeared in the 1979 film Dawn!.

ELAINE MOORE

 

Elaine Moore started singing at just eight years old, performing with her mother before joining a local group that often appeared at charity events. Her talent and confidence soon took her to television, where she became one of the first performers on Adelaide’s debut pop program, Woodies Teentime, in 1960. From there, she became a well-known and much-loved face on early Adelaide TV, appearing on shows like Adelaide Tonight and others during the formative years of Australian pop broadcasting. At a time when live local music on television was still a novelty, Elaine helped shape the sound and style of entertainment in South Australia.  

Over her career, she worked alongside some of Australia’s early pop and rock legends, including Johnny O’Keefe, Barry Stanton, and Johnny Devlin, placing her at the heart of the country’s growing music scene during its most influential era.  She regularly sang at Ivan Dayman dances at the Norwood Ballroom. Offstage, Elaine was passionate about preserving South Australia’s music history, volunteering for years with Barrie and Jan McAskill, David Day, and many others to ensure the stories, images, and memories of local music were kept alive.  

Elaine Moore – Kurda was not only a trailblazing performer but also a dedicated guardian of the region’s musical heritage. Her impact on South Australia’s music and television history is enduring, and she will be remembered with deep respect and affection. Elaine died in 2026.

CARMEN FRENCH

 

Carmen French is an Indigenous country/pop singer who rose to fame in the early 1980s, taking home titles like the North Queensland Vocal Talent Quest (1980), the Aboriginal Female Vocal Championship in Melbourne (1980), and national honors in Tamworth (1981). In 1983, she released her EP 'Carmen Goes Back' on Crown Records, produced by Barry Thornton at Sunshine Studios in Brisbane, featuring country-style tracks such as ''Sad Movies''.

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PATTI WILLIAMS

 

Patti Williams was a country singer from the Albion Park/Wollongong area in the 1970s, known for her early performances on the club circuit and her debut single, ''What Are You Going to Do with a Dog Like That'', released in 1976 on the Bunyip label. She followed it up in 1977 with the album 'Save A Little for the Morning'. Later, she moved to Tamworth, a major country music hub, to further her career, performing with bands like Country Gold and forming a duo with Lynette Guest.

JULIE PARIS

 

Julie Paris, the stage name of contralto vocalist Lorraine Murden, was a Brisbane-based singer who rose to popularity in the mid-1960s as the frontwoman for local band The Dogs, performing 50s and 60s pop and tribute songs. She appeared at venues like TC's Entertainment Centre and the Cloudland Ballroom, as well as on TV shows such as Teen Scene, and won the Brisbane heats for New Faces. She performed in major cities including Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane, and later teamed up with her husband David Moyes to create nostalgic shows celebrating artists like Helen Shapiro and Connie Francis. She is still out there today belting out a tune.

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IVY SOMERFIELD

 

Country singer Ivy Somerfield earned the title “The Lady of Country Music” through countless performances at hotels, clubs, and on television. Born in Murwillumbah into a musical family, with grandparents who were talented pianists, it was no surprise that Ivy began playing piano. Her true passion, however, was singing. Encouraged by her father, who often sang himself, she would perform for their small community. By age 12, she had learned all of Tex Morton’s songs and decided to pursue a singing career. When her mother gifted her a Pacific Guitar, Ivy quickly mastered her first three chords, and with them, won a silver cup at the Kingaroy Talent Quest at just 13 years old.

She was deeply influenced by the singing of Shirley Thoms and began performing at country shows around town, covering songs by Shirley Thoms and Tex Morton. In 1964, she moved her family to Sydney, where she found work as a machinist while her husband took on long-distance truck driving. She still managed to sing at local clubs and parties. After her husband’s sudden death, she faced the challenge of raising two teenage boys on a single income. In 1979, her life shifted again—her singing career received a big boost, and the following year she remarried, tying the knot with her second husband, Wally Gibson, who encouraged her to keep pursuing her music.

In August 1980, she put out a custom EP of original songs that her fans snapped up quickly. The success of that first EP led to a recording deal with Selection Records, resulting in her debut LP, 'Livin' On Lovin',' which featured nine of her own tracks and three written by her son, Chris. In the 1980s, she formed a backing band called Blue Misty to tour with her and went on to release three more albums. She also contributed songs to compilation records by Selection Records alongside artists like Johnny Heap, Reg Poole, and Gordon Parsons. Ivy died on January 1, 1991.

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SHIRLENE CLANCY

 

Shirlene Clancy (born in 1936) began her career on radio with 3DB’s “Happy Gang” and was the featured vocalist with the Max Causland Big Band before moving into television. One of her early TV appearances was on Variety View, a half-hour live variety show that aired on Melbourne’s ABV-2 from 1958 to 1959. She went on to become a familiar face on Melbourne’s Channel 7, appearing in popular programs like Sunnyside Up and The Penthouse Club. Famous for singing “That’s Amore” and known for her dedication, she once performed on all three commercial stations in a single night. Shirlene died in 2021, remembered as an important figure in Australian entertainment, with tributes from fellow artists including Denis Walter and Kevin Trask.

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MAGGIE STEWART

 

Maggie Stewart, born in Launceston, Tasmania, began singing at the age of nine in church choirs and on local radio programs before moving to the mainland. She later married country music artist Leon Lowes, and together they released several albums from the mid-1970s through the 1980s.

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JAN KELLY

Jan Kelly, born in 1948 in Heyfield, Victoria, grew up singing in school choirs, concerts, and anywhere she could. At 13, she performed at the official opening of the Thornton Hotel, earning a glass of cold lemonade for her efforts. In 1962, while living in Eildon, she gained valuable experience singing with The Wanderers during their holiday visits. Soon after, she moved to Melbourne, performing at a concert party club for the elderly and spending a year with the group The Falcons. 

After a four-year break, she moved to Sydney, entered and won several talent quests, and was signed by an agent, keeping her busy on the club circuit. In the 70s, she worked with Nev Nicholls & The Country Playboys at the Texas Tavern, where she met Terry Smith. They also played with Kevin King and the Country Sounds until Terry left for Vietnam. Upon his return, they settled in Wauchope and formed Mainline, later renamed The Kelly Express. 

In the 80s, Jan released the EP 'Baby Tina' and the album 'I’m A Woman (I Need a Lover and a Friend)' on Country Records, followed by the album 'Sorry'. With Nev Nicholls, she released the single ''Country Music Turns Me On / Good Old Love'' on Powderworks, and with Terry Smith and The Kelly Express, she released the album 'Without Reason' and two singles. In 1985, she released ''Bulldog Mack'' on Sundown and was inducted into the Hands of Fame in Tamworth. Jan retired from professional entertaining in 2021.

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MARGIE MILLS

 

Margie Mills was a popular singer from the late 1950s to the early 60s, originally from Melbourne but born in Scotland. She began her career singing on radio before appearing on the TV show Swallows Juniors on Channel 7, as well as other live variety shows in Sydney and Melbourne. She occasionally fronted The Fabulous Autocrats (who were one of about six rock’n’roll bands to form in Melbourne in 1957). Her first recording was as part of an ensemble with Lennie Holmes, Ray Treloar, Maurie Service, The Joy Boys and Joy Belles, and The Night Owls on the album 'Enjoy Yourself At The Party'. She later moved between England and Los Angeles before settling in New York, where she performed and toured with her own band. While in the US, she recorded with the Pick Hit, Vee Jay, Groove, and RCA labels. Margie died in 2004 from a brain hemorrhage.

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SANDY EDMONDS

 

Sandy Edmonds, born Rosalie L. Edmondson on 8 November 1948 in Liverpool, was a British-born pop singer and model who rose to fame in New Zealand during the 1960s. At the peak of her career, she was the country’s most recognizable teen idol, releasing several singles and making appearances on TV and in magazines. In 1966, she spent a few weeks in Sydney also appearing on the Go!! Show, returning in 1968 for about six months of performances. Keith Potger of The Seekers asked Sandy if she would like to audition for the departing Judith Durham, which Sandy declined. She briefly fronted the Sydney band Climax before unexpectedly stepping away from the spotlight. Later, she lived in Melbourne and pursued a career as a fashion retailer after leaving music. Sandy passed away in 2022.

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SALLY SLOANE

 

Sally Sloane, born on October 3, 1894, as Eunice Evelyn Frost, was arguably one of the most significant Australian source musicians, preserving Australian Irish traditional music and songs. Many of her tunes and songs were passed down from her Irish grandmother, who migrated to Australia in 1838, via her mother. Living in Lithgow, New South Wales, Sally was in her 60s when discovered by Australian folklorist John Meredith in 1954. She was a talented singer and skilled at playing the button accordion, fiddle, and mouth organ. Between 1954 and 1960, Meredith recorded over 150 pieces from her, now housed at the National Library of Australia, with nearly 40 transcriptions featured in his influential 1967 book, Folk Songs of Australia; And the Men and Women Who Sang Them, co-authored with Hugh Anderson. She recorded on the Wattle label and can be heard on the album 'Australian Traditional Singers and Musicians (Archive Series No 1)' singing eight songs. Other collectors also recorded her, and an LP of her singing, 'A Garland For Sally,' was released by Warren Fahey's Larrikin Records. Sally passed away in 1982.

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MERRIEL HUME

 

Merriel was a talented and versatile jazz singer who began her career as a teenager at Brisbane’s Theatre Royal. In 1962, she joined the resident band at Cloudland, where she met future husband trumpeter Lloyd Adamson and performed for five years. In 1966, she competed on Channel 9’s Bandstand against Helen Reddy, who won a trip to New York and a record deal. Around the same time, Merriel took on the role of managing the Wonderland Ballroom in Corrimal, near Wollongong. In 1968, sponsored by the Australian Government, she toured Vietnam to entertain Australian and US troops, performing at the Luscombe Bowl for 1,200 Australian soldiers. She shared the tour with Yvonne Barrett, Lorrae Desmond, and The Chiffons. Unfortunately, Merriel never recorded her music that I am aware of.

Reflecting on her early days, Merriel said that her first jazz experiences came from invitations by established swing musicians like the Thomsens, Jack and Vern, Lloyd Adamson, Stan Walker, and Rick Farbach. She performed with them at gigs outside formal venues and at late-night restaurant gatherings hosted by music-loving proprietors. She also cherished Sunday jam sessions, where she and others honed their performance skills.

By the 1980s, Merriel had moved to the Northern Rivers region of NSW and joined the Lismore Women’s Music Collective, contributing her professional expertise and improvisational skills to the growing women’s music scene. She credited her mother, Annie Lisha Hume (Kayrooz), for inspiring her love of music, recalling how Annie’s beautiful voice filled their home. Encouraged from a young age, Merriel and her sister Loretta became professional singers, participating in school concerts and eisteddfods. For Merriel, music was an inseparable part of life. It wasn’t until she joined an arts course in Lismore in the early 1980s, following a life-altering trauma, that she began exploring composing and writing.

PATRICIA STEPHENSON

 

Patricia Stephenson (born September 24, 1955) was a regular cast member of TVW Channel 7 Perth’s Stars of the Future in the 1970s. The show originally aired on Saturday mornings but later moved to a family-friendly time slot at 7 p.m. on Thursday evenings, though it was still recorded on Saturday mornings. The talent show ran throughout the year, culminating in a grand finale with finalists. Patricia, of Burmese descent, was a popular cabaret performer in Perth. She appeared on the 1973 series Showcase 73, hosted by Gordon Boyd, where she won $1,500 for first place in the viewers' final and second place in the judges’ final, along with a world trip air ticket. She made her acting debut in Channel 10’s soap opera The Box as Suki King. In 1975, she signed with the Fable label, releasing "Sometimes" (also released in New Zealand), followed by "Bye Bye Mama" in 1976. Patricia passed away in 2018 at the age of 62.

ZETA BURNS

 

Zeta Brose was born in Ayr, North QLD on January 23, 1928. She ecame interested in music as a child and was influenced by Dorothy Juniper. Her favourite artists were Tex Morton, Shirley Thoms and June Holm. In 1940 she toured with the Gene Leroy 4QR Concert Party and became a regular artist on Gene’s live radio program, The Town Hall Midday Show. A couple of years later she met Tex Morton in Cairns. A year later she moved to Brisbane and later to Toowoomba. Her grandfather bought Zeta her first guitar from Cliff Tutin, which she later traded in on a Gibson. Over the next few years, she performed in and around Toowoomba billed as the Yodelling Cowgirl.

In 1948 she joined Eric Tutin on her first travelling show with Lester’s Follies. It was also the first tour for Gordon Parsons. After her marriage in 1949, her career took a back seat. In the early 1950s Zeta performed on stage with many top artists of the time – Dusty Rankin, Monty Fayne, Ron Peters and Joan Ridgeway. In 1952 she quit the business and didn't resume her career until 27 years later when she began appearing at various CM club functions. In 1980 she recorded the EP and in 1981 recorded a single, which was to unveil the grave of June Holms. Later that year, appeared on an LP coupled with June Holm.

She was a guest artist at Dubbo’s Easter Country Festival in 1982 and again in 1983 she was a guest artist at Noel Poley Everett’s Easter Festival, Gloucester. Recorded a single in June and again in August. In 1984 Zeta recorded an LP for Hadley 'Queensland's Yodelling Cowgirl'. In 1985 she started touring with Ian Hands and Larry Dulhunty. She released six records with Queensland Country Style label. In 2010 she appeared at the Gympie Muster and in 2015 was inducted into the Hands of Fame, Tamworth. 

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JOANNE BOWDITCH-LANZON

Joanne Bowditch-Lanzon was the lead vocalist with three bands, Dream Riot (1989-1991), Deep Dish Action (1992) and Blitz Babiez (1993-1997). Blitz Babiez released a number of albums, EPs and singles.

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LISA PARTINGTON

Lisa Partington was the lead singer of The Rose Mary's, a band that released the single "Freedom Riders / You Can Talk Now" on the Half A Cow label in 1990. In 1991 she joined the Snow Leopards that released a mini-album and one full length album on Waterfront Records, leading to a national tour, frequent airplay on JJJFM, a live performance for "Live at the Wireless," and music videos featured on ABC’s Rage. They climbed into the Top 10 of the Alternative ARIA charts and played regularly at various venues. Their track "Coco Pops" was included on the Roo Art 'Young Blood 3' compilation album, which opened doors to tours with The Fauves, The Clouds, The Welcome Mat, and other notable independent bands of the 90s. However, the band was short-lived and it was all over in a matter of moments. I have no idea what this wonderful vocalist did after this time. Please help.

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TINA HAVELOCK STEVENS

Tina Havelock Stevens played drums in a number of Australian post-punk rock bands, notably Plug Uglies, with whom she recorded the mini album 'Knock Me Your Lobes' (1989) and and the EP 'Johnny Panic' (1990). After they disbanded she joined The Titanics with whom she recorded the albums 'Love is the Devil' (2000) and 'Size Isn't Everything' (2000). She also played with Chicks on Speed and Crow. She co-founded the largely instrumental ensemble The Mumps, who featured on Triple J Unearthed and with whom she recorded the EP 'I Wish I was You' (2018). Tina became an award-winning artist exhibiting her work internationally. Stevens is currently on the MCA Artist Advisory Group. Her work has been featured on ABC Radio’s Arts and Books shows, ABC TV News Breakfast and in publications such as The Saturday Paper, Sydney Morning Herald, RealTime, Running Dog, Artlink, Art Almanac, Artshub, and in Art Collector ’s Top Fifty Artists (2017 & 2020), as well as feature articles on her art drumming practice in magazines Tom Tom, 2016 (US) and Drumscene, 2018 (AU). Her work is in the collections of Artbank, Campbelltown Arts Centre, Newcastle Art Gallery, Macquarie Group Collection and numerous private collections.

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ELLEN HUNDLEY

Ellen Hundley started her musical journey in the 1970s when her mother, singer and recording artist Joan Martin, enlisted her to provide backing at various festivals and events in Victoria, NSW, and QLD. They also recorded several commercial albums together. After this early experience, Ellen played with several folk bands in Melbourne's pub scene while pursuing a B.Ed. Mus at Melbourne University.

During this time, she performed regularly at the Cuckoo and Skyhigh Restaurants and was invited to perform solo in Brisbane at a private luncheon for the Duke of Edinburgh, organized by business figure Richard Pratt. In 1985, she toured Victoria, South Australia, the Northern Territory, and the east coast with folk singers Martyn Wyndham Read and Danny Spooner. She also continued performing for Richard Pratt, entertaining notable figures like Zubin Mehta and members of the Israeli Philharmonic.

After completing her studies, Ellen played both folk and jazz, performing in local schools and teaching colonial dancing with various bush bands. She studied classical singing with Loris Synan, joined the Melbourne Chorale, and performed regularly at The Boite with Latin American groups. She has been a regular performer at the Titanic Theatre Restaurant in Williamstown and has focused on entertaining Senior Citizens Clubs and Aged Care facilities. She is multilingual, singing in twenty languages, and is skilled in playing ten musical instruments.

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