Manager, Graham Bidstrup has confirmed in a statement this afternoon that Jimmy Little passed away in his sleep this morning.
Jimmy Little grew up on the Cummeragunja Mission on the Murray River in New South Wales Australia. In 1955 he left for Sydney to pursue a career in music where he was nicknamed "Gentleman Jim" and "The Honey Voice" for his mellow singing style.
Having released seventeen singles in the period between 1956 and 1963, it was his song "Royal Telephone" that went to number 1 in Sydney and Number 3 in Melbourne in November 1963.
In 1994 Little was inducted into the Tamworth Country Music Roll of Renown and also released his 14th album Yorta Yorta Man. Five years later, Little was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame as well as winning the ARIA award for Best Adult Contemporary Album. The album was "Messenger" and featured cover versions of songs by the likes of Crowded House, The Church, The Sunnyboys and Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds. Also in 1999, Little won Best Male Artist of the Year and Best Single Release of the Year at "The Deadlys" the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Music Awards.
Jimmy Little went on to release the album Resonate in 2001, featuring songs written by Don Walker, Paul Kelly and Dave Graney. His final and 34th studio album "Life's What You Make It " was released in 2004 which was the same year he received a kidney transplant after being diagnosed with kidney failure in 2002. It was also the year that saw him appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in the Australia Day Honours.
Following his kidney transplant Jimmy Little set up The Jimmy Little Foundation to assist indigenous Australians succumbing to kidney disease. The Foundation works with patients in regional Australia and partners with The Fred Hollows Foundation to develop education and nutrition programs for indigenous children in order to curb the cycle of bad nutrition that can lead to kidney failure.
Jimmy Little was loved dearly and will be missed.
