August 2006

The Jimmy Little Foundation is launched on ABC TV 7.30 report.

To visit the Foundation website click below

www.jlf.org.au

The Jimmy Little Foundation is meeting with key health providers, community groups and government agencies to determine best practice and ways it can help indigenous communities.

The first fund raising events for the Foundation will be at the Tivoli in Brisbane in partnership with Diabetes Qld. Nov 14th and nov 15th 2006.

Jan 2006

Jimmy performed at the Tamworth Festival

December 2005

Jimmy, his manager Buzz Bidstrup and Foundation associate Don Palmer visited Uluru, Alice Springs and Kintore in the Western Desert to meet with community leaders and residents to look at ways for the Jimmy Little Foundation to help in the fight against chronic kidney disease in Australia.

In Kintore Jimmy visited the new dialysis room at the medical centre and entertained parents and students at the local school.

Jimmy will be visiting other areas affected by kidney disease in 2006 and will announce a major fund raising venture very soon.

His return to live work is noted in the tours page.

November 2005

Jimmys health continues to strengthen and although he is not performing live as much as he used to, Jimmy is spending his time setting up the Jimmy Little Foundation. The aim of the Foundation is to make a real difference to Indigenous Australians suffering with kidney disease. Jimmy will be raising money from concerts, DVD releases and other entertainment related ventures.

Jimmy will be at the Tamworth Music Festival in 2006 for an exclusive performance with his Indigenous trio at the Tamworth Diggers Club Sun 22nd Jan.

June 2005

Jimmy received another honorary doctorate last week, this time in music from the sydney University.

OCTOBER 2004

Last weekend Jimmy and the band played a benefit concert for the Royal Flying Doctors Association. The concert was held in Mt Barker WA and Jimmy would like to thank all the people who organised the concert and especially Warren and Michelle from Albany Bus Charter for looking after him and the band over the entire weekend.

Jimmy will be taking a bit of time off in Nov so the two shows this weekendin Sydney will be the last for the forseeable future.

March / April 2005 will see a concert series across Australia to include the documentary "Jimmy Littles Gentle Journey" and a live performance form Jimmy. More about that later.

APRIL 2004

Jimmy is progressing very well after his transplant and is being monitored very closely with regular visits to the hospital and consultation with his doctors.

Although he had hoped to return to live work in June it may not be until July or August before audiences get to see Jimmy on stage again.

Watch out for a new ABC documentary "Jimmy Littles Gentle Journey" 9.30pm May 12th ABC TV . This was filmed over the last five years with full co operation from Jimmy and his Family.

Also being released on May 31st through Festival Mushroom records is Jimmys new Brendan Gallagher produced album

" Lifes' what you make it"

MARCH 2004

Jimmy was voted one of Australias Living Legends today but unfortunately he is unable to attend a reception at Sydney Town Hall to publicly recieve the honour.

He is back at home resting and recouperating after his kidney transplant..

The doctors are very happy with his progress and Jimmy should be back on track in a couple of months.

All live work and interviews have been put on hold until   he is fully recovered.

FEB 2004

On the weekend of Feb 14th 2004, Jimmy and band were in Denmark Western Australia. We had played at a wonderful concert that night and Jimmy was back at the hotel sleeping, while the band continued to enjoy the hospitality of the “Madfish” winery where the concert had been held. As we arrived back at the hotel at midnight , a police car followed us into the carpark. The band looked a bit nervous but the constable very friendly and was looking for Jimmy.

They told me there was a kidney ready for transplanting in Sydney . How quickly could I get him there ? At the same time my mobile ( that had just come back into range) rang and there was a call from the doctor in Sydney, my wife and Jimmys wife Marj.

I rang the airline and could get a 6am flight out of Perth , but that was 5 1 /2 hours drive away !!!!

I had the pleasure of waking Jimmy and handing him the phone for his wife to tell him the great news. He was totally blown away and quietly packed his overnight bag. The band all came to congratulate him and wish him the best. It was a very emotional moment for everyone.

Initially I thought I would be driving him to Perth but called the Royal Flying Doctor and by chance they had a plane going to Esperance, only a couple of hours away. They diverted the airplane to Albany ( 1 hour away) and at 3am we dropped Jimmy there. The plane took him to Perth airport to meet the Qantas plane and he arrived back in Sydney at 1 pm Sunday.

He was taken by ambulance straight to the hospital and had the transplant operation immediately.

Happy to report all is going well and the doctors are very happy with his progress.

Jimmy will stay in Sydney for the next few months while he is monitored for rejection and any signs of infection, but after that he will lead a relatively normal life again after two and a half years of 4 dialysis sessions a day !!!

Jan 2004

See the opening page for all the details of Jimmys amazing kidney transplant call in Western Australia.

Jimmy was awarded an Order of Australia (AO ) in the Australia Day honours list in recognition of his work in the entertainment world and for his positive contribution to the reconciliation process.

A new Album with the working title "Life is what you make it" produced by Brendan Gallagher ( Messenger) is to be released by Festival Mushroom Records mid year.

Dec 2003

Jimmy Little was presented with the Red Ochre award at a ceremony at The Australia Council.

The Red Ochre award is presented annually to an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander artist who has made an outstanding contribution to the arts.

Jimmy was honoured by many in attendance and also by politicians Amanda Vanstone and Senator Aden Ridgeway, who tabled his message of recognition to Jimmy in the Senate.

Yesterday was also the announcement of the Tamworth Golden guitar nominations, where Jimmy made three final lists, Best Album, Vocal collaboration and video ( with Troy Casser – Daly )

Dec 2003

Jimmy will be part of a very speciall show on Dec 5th and 6th at the Olympic Park in Sydney.

Called Sydney Dreaming,

The running order for the show is as follows:
7.30pm Welcome to Country (representatives of the 29 Sydney Language Groups)
7.50pm Jimmy Little, The Stiff Gins and Jack Thompson
8.30pm The Rainmaker Creation story featuring Deb Mailman as the storyteller, remote community is the Mowanjum Community, Garrabarra, Doonooch and Descendance Dance Companies, Emma and Casey Donovan and approximately 80 high school students.

Nov 2003.

Jimmy has been busy promoting his new album "Down the Road" and continues his work as an Ambassador for Literacy and Numeracy with the Dept of Education Science and Training.

Last wek he visited St Patricks Primary School in Bega.

Coming up on Dec 9th is a visit to Dubbo and on

Dec 10 Bonnells Bay school Lake Maquarie.

A film clip featuring Jimmy and Melinda Scneider is being shot next week and should be shown on CMC very soon.

As you can see on the tours page, there are a few more gigs coming up, including a special appearance at the National Gospel Festival Canberra on Sat 22 Nov, where Jimmy will present the Golden Gospel award, the award he took out last year.

The following week Jimmy and his band will head down to Victoria to appear at the Queenscliff Music Festival on Fri 28th and Sun 30th. Jimmy will perform in the Big Top.

While in Melbourne, Jimmy will also appear with Jig Zag at the Cornnish Arms hotel in Brunswick Sat 29th Nov.