It was quite a skill. "Little was a huge football fan, having been a sportsman in his younger years and Henry remembers times shared with him at Leichardt Oval supporting his beloved Balmain Tigers, now Wests Tigers. If felt if I can communicate between… peoples, I could perhaps set a small example…for the world around us. Gallagher introduced himself after the show and the pair exchanged numbers. "
He has created new work for the 2016 Melbourne Festival and for the inaugural …
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"I saw an old man, Mother.
The best in Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander MusicJames Henry, 34, from Melbourne is known to many as a singer/songwriter in his own right, as well as being the grandson of Jimmy Little – and he has certainly inherited Jimmy’s musical talent.The songs on this new EP span Country-Rock, Reggae and Hip Hop and talk of his Aboriginal identity and society’s rules and expectations – with topics ranging from incorporating Aboriginal culture into the mainstream to how he doesn’t eat fish.He has also taken the pioneering route of doing it all on his own – even distribution.
I had three to four weeks in January where I didn’t have much work going on – so I thought I’d put them together and get them out so people could listen to what’s on my mind,” James says.The songs deal with themes ranging from being a token Aboriginal person at events (“Token”), to a ballad about why Aboriginal people don’t stand for the National Anthem (“Why We Won’t Stand”) to a song about the struggle between the communities of the Pilbara and mining (“Separate Paths”).“I am pleased when people respond to my lyrics – that is something that I am pleased about in my progression of writing songs,” he says.James has drawn plenty of inspiration for his new songs from conversations with people, as well as general observations on society.“When I was first writing songs, I wanted bright nice melodies but I ended up finding that I had this opportunity to be on stage – that I had a chance to make my voice heard – to put my perspective across that hopefully could be enjoyed by Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people alike and also promote some reconciliation,” he says.Apart from playing his own gigs, James is currently performing with the Skin Choir and touring with Archie Roach on his ‘Into The Bloodstream’ tour. I'd seen him over the years and he had this innate skill to walk in to a room and shine -everyone knew a star was in the room.
"Henry recalls when Little was recognised by fans, he always gave a lot of time.
The pair worked together on the 1999 album Messenger which won an ARIA Award for best adult album.
Henry recently got a bunch of old albums of Little's from Ebay and is getting acquainted with the grandfather who was of an age at the time of recording that he wasn't around to know. "I was raised by my grandparents, I called them Mum and Dad - though even though he was my grandfather, he wasn’t that much older than me..he had his daughter, my mother (Frances) at an early age and she had me at an early age so he really did feel like a father. " When he told a story he traced the fold in a tablecloth with his forefinger just like you." When Frances was 18 months old, Little Little's former music manager Graham 'Bizz' Bidstrup, "He was going to play in places where they would tell him that he had to walk in the back door," Bidstrup said.In the July 1963 edition of 'Young Modern' , responding to remarks about the political climate in both the US and at home in Australia, Little said, "I [walked] forward into the world and I found that music… is the best way of expressing myself… as the universal language of this country [and] the world over.
"He had great patience and he was very good at making people feel relaxed. I picked up a few things from him. (Facebook)"Unfortunately, I didn't get check-ups often enough or soon enough to realise the possibility that my kidneys could fail". "Quite often we would also go down to Chinatown, a particular Vietnamese place - there was a special soup that he loved and I knew that he was in his happy place when he was down at that restaurant. He was widely loved and known as a true gentleman with 'The Honey Voice' Little continued to release charting songs including the Little's only grandson, James Henry, a talented photographer, singer/songwriter & composer , tells NITV of his fond memories and the influence his grandfather had on him. Also widely acknowledged in the community for his mentoring and outreach work, Little was known as a 'Living National Treasure' and in 2004 was made an Late Aboriginal Singer Uncle Jimmy Little AO is being remembered fondly by loved ones today on what would have been his 80th birthday. If felt if I can communicate between… peoples, I could perhaps set a small example…for the world around us.Aboriginal Singer Uncle Jimmy Little AO was born on this day in 1937.
He could make everyone feel at ease and win them over very quickly, even before he opened his mouth. ""There was a particular song, 'Quasimodo's Dream', that I had always wanted to reinterpret in a 6/8 waltz and when I saw him singing I thought, that's the guy who could sing it." Little's only grandson, James Henry, a talented photographer, singer/songwriter & composer , tells NITV of his fond memories and the influence his grandfather had on him. "Singer/Musician Brendan Gallagher with Uncle Jimmy LIttle. That's how it all started.
"The recording process was very simple and casual and Gallagher remembers LIttle as being a very talented but also special person.