Jimmy Doyle (musician)

Jimmy Doyle

A black-and-white shot of a 36 year-old-man. He is playing an electric guitar at a live concert. His body is tilted to his left, with his face twisted to look down and to the right.

Jimmy Doyle performing with Ayers Rock, 1981
Background information
Birth name James Vivian Alfred Doyle
Born (1945-10-14)14 October 1945
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Died 5 May 2006(2006-05-05) (aged 60)
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Genres Blues, pop, rock, jazz rock fusion
Occupation(s) Musician, radio presenter, songwriter
Instruments Guitar
Years active 1960–2006
Labels Mushroom, A&M
Associated acts

James Vivian Alfred "Jimmy" Doyle (14 October 1945  5 May 2006) was an Australian musician, best known as a founding member, and guitarist in Ayers Rock (1973–81), a jazz fusion, progressive rock band.[1][2] As a member of Ayers Rock, Doyle appeared on all three of their studio albums, Big Red Rock (1974), Beyond (1976) and Hotspell (1980). They toured both nationally and internationally including through the United States, where they supported Bachman–Turner Overdrive (July 1975) at a stadium concert with an audience of 35,000 people in Seattle.[3] For the group's third album, Hotspell, Doyle wrote or co-wrote four tracks.[4]

Doyle's musical career began at the age of 15, spanned 45 years, and covered a wide range of music from blues to pop/rock to jazz. He was musical director, and guitarist for Winifred Atwell for more than two years,[5] and a member of the backing bands for The Delltones, and Dig Richards.[4] From the late 1960s to 1970, Doyle performed with The Soulmates,[6] Col Nolan and The Soul Syndicate,[7] Aesop's Fables (1968–69),[8][9] Moonstone and King Harvest (1970).[4][10] Leon Isackson, in his book Behind the Rock and Beyond, recalled that "Jim was a young 'Humphrey Bogart look-alike" with an excellent style on Gibson guitar. His suave appearance ... earned him the salubrious nickname of 'Diamond Jim'".[6] In the 1980's, English jazz singer, and keyboardist Georgie Fame invited Doyle to play as a member of The Aussie Blue Flames, which was the Australian line-up of Fame's backing band on his national tours.[11]

Elvin Bishop, a United States blues musician, was impressed with Doyle during Bishop's first tour of Australia in 1986, "Jimmy Doyle is a hell of a guitar player — I love him".[12] In his later years, Doyle presented a regular radio program called "In the Deep with Jim" on North Shore's FM99.3 (2NSB), a community radio station in Sydney.

Doyle, aged 45, is standing with a drink in each hand. His head is turned to the viewer.
Doyle, the founding mainstay member of Ayers Rock (1973–81), taken in 1990.

Jimmy Doyle was diagnosed with liver cancer;[4] on 5 May 2006 he died at the Prince of Wales Hospital in Sydney.[2][4] A tribute concert in his honour, on 26 May, raised money for his family.[13] Musicians performing included Billy Field, Col Loughnan (ex-Ayers Rock) and Mother Earth featuring lead vocals by Renée Geyer.[13]

References

  1. Forester (1 April 1976). "Ayers Rock shows its solid face". The Age David Syme & Co. (Melbourne) Retrieved 28 December 2014.
  2. 1 2 Kimball, Duncan (17 May 2006). "Farewells". Milesago: Australasian Music and Popular Culture 1964–1975. Ice Productions. Archived from the original on 7 March 2007. Retrieved 1 May 2015.
  3. Shipway, Gary "Ayers Rock off to U.S. again". The News (Adelaide) News Ltd.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Kimball, Duncan; Burton, Ray; Loughnan, Col (2006). "Ayers Rock". Milesago: Australasian Music and Popular Culture 1964–1975. Ice Productions. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
  5. Kelton, Greg. "Chip of the Old Rock". The Advertiser (Adelaide).
  6. 1 2 Hayton, Jon and Isackson, Leon (2010). Behind the Rock and Beyond Glen Waverley, Vic.: Sid Harta Publications. p. 62. ISBN 1 921642 28 9.
  7. Whatever it's worth (media notes). Col Nolan and The Soul Syndicate. CBS Records Intl. SBP 233621.
  8. McFarlane, 'Aesop's Fables' entry. Archived from the original on 3 August 2004. Retrieved 1 May 2015.
  9. McFarlane, 'Ayers Rock' entry. Archived from the original on 3 August 2004. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
  10. McFarlane, 'King Harvest' entry. Archived from the original on 18 May 2003. Retrieved 1 May 2015.
  11. Speelman, Paul (19 January 1988). "Spirited Fame fans the musical flames" The Age John Fairfax and Co. (Melbourne). Retrieved 5 April 2015.
  12. Rattray, James (12 September 1986)."Fooled Around man is sitting pretty" The Sydney Morning Herald John Fairfax & Co. Retrieved 4 April 2015.
  13. 1 2 "Jim Doyle Tribute Concert". Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Digital. 26 May 2006. Retrieved 1 May 2015.
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