TOURED:
From the producers of the smash hit concert tour "The Class of '59" and "Buddy: The Concert", comes "THE CLASS OF '69"! 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 '60s, the first female solo singers began to emerge. From the original class of '69, PATRICIA 'LITTLE PATTIE' AMPHLETT introduces the humbling beginnings of Australian soul music performing her string of hits.
The second set brings together four of the world's most recognizable voices – DIANA ROSS, LESLEY GORE, PETULA CLARK and DUSTY SPRINGFIELD performing a tribute to their catalogue of hits that established the 1960s musical landscape. Performed by Australian songstresses– Tyla Bertolli (Lesley Gore), Naomi Price (Petula Clark), Bec Laughton (Dusty Springfield) and Evelyn Duprai (Diana Ross).
The 1960's were a turbulent decade met with triumph and sorrow. The assassination of JFK and the celebration of the Apollo 11 moon landing kept us fixated on the TV for days. Those of us growing into our own during the 60's were also very much affected by the war in Vietnam and the new drug and counter-culture scene. Racial issues were a growing pain that faced us all. The rock 'n' roll craze was changing the way young people entertained themselves. The American psychedelic and acid rock movements had filtered into Australia. Lyrics from this music style spoke of peace, love, freedom, social protest and civil rights - the social revolution had arrived.
Little Pattie's debut single was "He's My Blonde Headed, Stompie Wompie, Real Gone Surfer Boy" and became an instant hit in November 1963. The teenaged pop star and cousin of Divinyls singer Chrissie Amphlett, continued to have a succession of hits over a career that spans five decades including "We're Gonna Have A Party Tonight" (1964), "Drag Race Johnny" (1964), "Surfin' Time Again" (1964), "Pushin' A Good Thing Too Far" (March 1965), "Dance Puppet Dance" (1965) "My Love" (1965), "I Knew Right Away" (1967), "Sunshine Boy" (1968), "Love Is A Happy Thing" (1968), "Someone Out There" (1969) and "Gravitation" (1969).
Many times Pattie has represented Australia including performing on the Ed Sullivan Show on television in the U.S and at age seventeen, Pattie was the youngest Australian to entertain our troops in Vietnam. In 2009, Little Pattie was inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Hall of Fame.
INTRODUCING THE CLASS OF '69 CAST:
DIANA ROSS – Leading The Supremes from 1959 to 1970, Diana Ross left the group to launch a successful career as a solo recording artist and movie star. Having been decalred in 1993 by the Guinness Book of World Records as the most successful female music artist in history, Ross has sold more than 100 million records worldwide and released countless hits including"Ain't No Mountain High Enough", "Reach Out (I'll Be There", "Touch Me In The Morning", "Upside Down", "I'm Coming Out" and "Love Hangover".
LESLEY GORE – Following her 1963 pop hit "It's My Party", Lesley Gore became one of the most recognized teen pop singers of the 1960s. Gore's first hit was followed by many others, including "Judy's Turn To Cry", "She's a Fool", "You Don't Own Me", That's The Way Boys Are", "Maybe I Know, "The Look of Love" and Grammy-nominated "Sunshine, Lollipops, and Rainbows".
PETULA CLARK – With a career spanning eight decades and record sales in excess of 68 million, Clark became known globally for her popular upbeat hits, including "Downtown", "I Know a Place", "My Love", "Colour My World", "A Sign of the Times", and "Don't Sleep in the Subway".
DUSTY SPRINGFIELD – Dubbed The White Queen of Soul, Dusty Springfield was one of the most successful British female performers at her peak, with 18 singles in the Billboard Hot 100 from 1964 to 1970 including "I Only Want To Be With You", "Wishin' and Hopin'", "You Don't Have To Say You Love Me", "Son of a Preacher Man", "In Private" and "I'll Try Anything". Springfield has also been inducted in to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Grammy Hall of Fame.
Patricia "LITTLE PATTIE" Amphlett
Lesley Gore – Tyla Bertolli
Petula Clark – Naomi Price
Diana Ross – Evelyn Duprai
Dusty Springfield – Bec Laughton
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