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 nameJames Vivian Alfred Doyle
Born(1945-10-14)14 October 1945
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Died5 May 2006(2006-05-05) (aged 60)
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
GenresBlues, pop, rock, jazz rock fusion
Occupation(s)Musician, radio presenter, songwriter
Instrument(s)Guitar
Years active1960–2006
LabelsMushroom, A&M

James Vivian Alfred Doyle (14 October 1945 – 5 May 2006) was an Australian musician, radio presenter and songwriter. He was the founding mainstay 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]

Biography

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 two years,[5] and a member of the backing bands for the Delltones, and Dig Richards.[4] Doyle was a member of the Soulmates (1967),[6] Col Nolan and the Soul Syndicate,[7] Aesop's Fables (1968–69),[8][9] and Moonstone (1970).[4][10] Aesop's Fables had formed in 1968 in Sydney as a pop vocal group with Doyle on guitar (ex-Telstars), Sheryl Blake on lead vocals, Russell Dunlop on drums, Michael Lawler on bass guitar and Gary Moberly on organ (ex-Ramrods, later worked with Bee Gees).[8]

In September 1970 King Harvest were formed as a progressive rock group with Doyle on guitar, Leo de Castro, on vocals and guitar, Mark Kennedy on drums (ex-Spectrum), Duncan McGuire on bass guitar (ex-Phantoms, Epics, Questions, Doug Parkinson in Focus, Rush) and Steve Yates on keyboards (Rush, Expression).[4][10] Doyle was soon replaced by Billy Green (ex-Doug Parkinson in Focus).[4][10]

Doyle was the founding mainstay guitarist of Ayers Rock, a jazz fusion, progressive rock band, which formed in August 1973 in Melbourne.[4][9] Over the following years other members included Burton, Kennedy, McGuire, Col Loughnan (on trumpet) and Dunlop.[9] The group released three studio albums, Big Red Rock (November 1974), Beyond (February 1975) and Hotspell (May 1980) before disbanding in 1981.[9] For the group's final album Doyle wrote or co-wrote four tracks.[4]

Leon Isackson, in his book Behind the Rock and Beyond (2010), 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] Elvin Bishop, a United States blues musician, was backed by Doyle during Bishop's first tour of Australia in 1986, "Jimmy Doyle is a hell of a guitar player — I love him".[11] Later in that decade, touring English jazz singer and keyboardist, Georgie Fame, invited Doyle to join the Aussie Blue Flames, which were Fame's backing band on his Australian tours.[12] Doyle later presented a regular radio program, 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.

Death

Jimmy Doyle was diagnosed with liver cancer and died on 5 May 2006, at the Prince of Wales Hospital, 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

General
  • Kimball, Duncan. "MilesAgo – Australasian Music and Popular Culture 1964–1975". ICE Productions. Archived from the original on 6 March 2008. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
  • McFarlane, Ian (1999). "Whammo Homepage". Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop. St Leonards, New South Wales: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-86508-072-1. Archived from the original on 5 April 2004. Retrieved 31 July 2012. Note: Archived [on-line] copy has limited functionality.
Specific
  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 6 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 6 7 8 Kimball, Duncan (2006). "Ayers Rock". MilesAgo: Australasian Music & Popular Culture 1964–1975. Ray Burton (contributor), Col Loughnan (contributor). ICE productions. Archived from the original on 4 October 2014. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
  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. 1 2 McFarlane, 'Aesop's Fables' entry. Archived from the original on 3 August 2004. Retrieved 1 May 2015.
  9. 1 2 3 4 McFarlane, 'Ayers Rock' entry. Archived from the original on 3 August 2004. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
  10. 1 2 3 McFarlane, 'King Harvest' entry. Archived from the original on 18 May 2003. Retrieved 1 May 2015.
  11. ↑ Rattray, James (12 September 1986)."Fooled Around man is sitting pretty" The Sydney Morning Herald John Fairfax & Co. Retrieved 4 April 2015.
  12. ↑ Speelman, Paul (19 January 1988). "Spirited Fame fans the musical flames" The Age John Fairfax and Co. (Melbourne). Retrieved 5 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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