Aussie Biz Mourns Jimmy Little, Zoran Romic

Pioneering indigenous singer Jimmy Little died in his sleep in Sydney April 2.
Little, 75, had battled kidney disease for some time.

The country singer had a series of hits from 1959 including “Royal Telephone” and the Barry Gibb-penned “One Road.”
In the ’90s, under the guidance of younger players including Buzz Bidstrup of The Angels and Brendan Gallagher of Karma County, Little returned to the charts with The Messenger and Life’s What You Make albums, which used songs from such contemporary writers as Paul Kelly, The Church, Crowded House and Nick Cave.

Little was awarded the Order of Australia medal for setting up the Jimmy Little Foundation in 2006 to increase the life expectancy of indigenous Australians in regional and remote areas.

Little also appeared in the Wim Wenders film, “Until the End of the World.”

Zoran Romic, guitarist with hit rock band Chocolate Starfish, lost his year-long battle with non-Hodgkins lymphoma March 31 in Melbourne. He would have been 47 this year.

The band had a run of hits in the ’90s with the Chocolate Starfish and Box albums, and singles “You’re So Vain,” “Mountain,” and “Accidentally Cool.”

The band broke up for a few years but reunited last year. With Starfish drummer Darren Danielson, Croatian-born Romic also set up Fur Group, which included a record label, tour company and management company.