FREDDY HAMPTON

Freddy Hampton was born in 1945 in Brisbane and moved to Bundaberg when he was quite young. He worked cutting cane before getting his first big break soon after he began performing. He became the frontman for the popular local band The Dimensions, playing at the top nightspot, The Twilight Zone. Fabor Robison, a well-known American agent, took him to the USA with hopes of making him a big star. However, Robison was really looking for a country and western singer, and Freddy wasn’t the right fit, so he returned home a bit sadder but wiser. While he was there, he recorded two singles ''Kill My Loneliness / I'm Plannin' Keepin' You'' and ''Press Me A Rose / Read Them On A Rainy Day'' on the Fabor label. Both sides were written by Hampton. In 1966 the W&G label released both singles in Australia.

In 1967 Freddy signed with the Spin label and released ''Felena Malone / Guess I Know''. Both sides again written by Hampton. He also had a group called Freddy Hampton’s Big Roll Movement which had band member Fred Payne who worked with Levi Smith’s Clefs. Moving to Adelaide's Gamba label he recorded ''Let There Be Peace'' in 1971. The song went top ten in Adelaide and #74 nationally. Not long after this hit Freddy joined with Shirley Read (ex-The Same Day Twins) to form the duo Freddy Hampton and Trik. Their memorable single ''Hooch'' was #73 nationally in 1971. In 1975 he released his album 'Time To Play' on the CBS. All the tracks on the album were written by Hampton. Freddy died from pancreatic cancer in 2008 in Bundaberg.

SINGLES 
''Press My Rose / Read Them On A Rainy Day'' 1966 W & G 
''Kill My Loneliness / I'm Plannin' Keepin' You'' 1966 W & G 
''Felena Malone / Guess I Know'' 1967 Spin 
''Let There Be Peace (#74) / A Part Of Loving You'' 1970 Gamba 
''Hooch (#73) / Born Today'' [with Trik] 1971 Gamba
''Keep On Groovin' / (You're My) Once In A Lifetime'' [with Paint] 1972 Pussycat
''Summer Sun Song /Time To Play [With Sattva] 1974 Speak
''Song / Beads'' 1975 CBS
''Stand Up And Be Counted / Football A Way Of Life 1981 Pepper

ALBUMS 
'Time To Play' 1975 CBS

References

http://top100singles.blogspot.com.au/