Australian Biography: Jimmy Little

1998, 26 Minutes. Exempt from classification.

Aboriginal singer Jimmy Little talks about what stardom meant for a boy from the bush and the profound impact his Aboriginal heritage has had on his life and his music.

In the 1950s Australia's indigenous people were still more than a decade away from being recognised as citizens. So the fact that Jimmy Little, Aboriginal singer, was able to become a major star on the pop and country music scene was quite remarkable. So much so that when he did achieve mainstream recognition he found that some members of the Aboriginal community regarded him as a turncoat.

The respect Jimmy Little earned from contemporaries such as Johnny O'Keefe and Col Joye came not just from his musical prowess (his 1960s hit Royal Telephone was a phenomenal success) but also his capacity to remain true to his principles in a world where many lost their way. This is not just the story of a talented Australian but of a strong and immensely likeable one.

In this interview, Jimmy Little talks about what stardom meant for a boy from the bush, and the profound impact that his Aboriginal heritage has had on his life, and more recently, his music.

A Film Australia National Interest Program. Made in association with SBS TV. © 2011 National Film and Sound Archive of Australia.

NB The Australian Biography series (1-11) are only available for sale within the territories of Australia and New Zealand.