MAGGIE HAMMOND

In the mid-60s, Perth’s music scene saw the rise of an exceptional singer, Margaret Hammond, whose career sadly never reached its full promise. She split her time between working with Peter Harries on a Channel 9 kids’ TV show and singing regularly at the Shiralee, sometimes alongside Harries. Early on, she gained a loyal following with Baez-style renditions of children’s songs and traditional ballads, her voice described as having an undefinable purity. Over time, her repertoire expanded into more eclectic territory, ranging from ''East Virginia'' and Dylan’s 'Blonde on Blonde' tracks to ''You’ve Got Your Troubles, I’ve Got Mine'', ''Go Laddie Go'' and ''Backwater Blues''. 

Her debut single on the Action label paired Malvina Reynolds’ punchy civil rights anthem ''It Isn’t Nice'' with ''Edelweiss'' from The Sound of Music. Subsequent releases—''Go Laddie / This Little Bird'' and ''High Flying Bird / You Won’t Be Leaving''—came out on the Clarion label. Hammond also fronted local bands Tagg and Inner Circle, the latter releasing one Clarion single in 1970, ''Alladin / Moments of Soft Persuasion''. While in Melbourne, she fronted the Westport Jazz Band. As Murray Jennings once said, ''You can catch her work and you’ll never see wild dance scenes. They stop for her''. Margaret “Maggie” Hammond died in 1992.

SINGLES

''It Isn't Nice (#77) / Edelweiss'' 1966 Action
''This Little Bird (#77) / Go Laddie'' 1966 Clarion
''High Flying Bird (#84) / You Won't Be Leaving'' 1967 Clarion

References

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