LITTLE SAMMY AND THE IN PEOPLE

For an artist that only ever released a couple of records in Australia, Little Sammy had an incredible career. He started out performing in the clubs of Kings Cross in the late '50s and went on to sing with respected groups like The In People and The Soul Syndicate in the '60s, before he finally moved to Europe where he enjoyed eight hit singles in the 1970s. He toured the country with Lee Gordon’s Big Shows, was personal assistant to Keith Richards for two Rolling Stones tours, cut the Aussie rap long before hip hop was popular, and he even had a claim to being one of the first pop acts to play a concert at the Sydney Opera House.

The In People formed in 1966 in Sydney around drummer and musical director Tony Gaha. Tony and his brother, vocalist, Little Sammy Gaha were already veterans of the Sydney live scene. In the late 1950s and early 60s Tony had played with Lonnie Lee’s band The Leemen and wrote and performed with vocalist Grade Wicker as The Gradians. 

The group were more of a showband performing with the who's who of musicians that rotated through the ranks. The band had many lineup changes throughout its tenure. The band toured most of Australia, but they mainly held residencies in the top places of Sydney most notably Chequers, Romanos and The Whisky A Go Go. They played in Adelaide at Big Daddy’s in its heyday. They backed and worked with the likes of Shirley Bassey, Lou Rawls, The Three Degrees, Trini Lopez, The Hollies, Billy Preston, The Toys, The Four Tops, Ricky May, Phil Silvers, Gene Barry, Bobby Day, George Chakiris, Sarah Vaughan, Lesley Gore, and Sammy Davis Jnr. In fact, after performing with The In People Sammy Davis Jnr once said, “man, these guys would frighten most groups in the USA.”

They toured Vietnam to perform for the troops and they played at the Hilton Hotel in Hong Kong. The group was a multi-talented unit playing nearly 40 instruments between them. Sammy Gaha died in 2016. Les Young died in 2021. Teddy Toi died in 2022.

Members

Little Sammy Gaha (vocals), Peter Nelson (vocals), Lee Sanders (vocals), Janice Slater (vocals), Terry Kaff (vocals), Evie Pikler (vocals), Julie Lewis (vocals), Ron Barry (guitar, vocals), Peter Martin (guitar), Chris Brown (guitar), Noel Quinlan (guitar), Terry Walker (guitar), John Blake (bass), Les Brown (bass), Harry Brus (bass), John Hargreaves (bass), Teddy Toi (bass), Owen Booth (bass), Les Young (bass), Michael Carlos (organ), Tony Curby (keyboards), Tony Kinley (keyboards), Col Nolan (keyboards), Ron Fabri (keyboards), Jimmy Deverelle (organ, piano), Robin Workman (piano), Herb Cannon (trumpet), Rick Martin (saxophone, flute), Lee Hutchings (sax), Bruce Johnstone (reeds), Tony Gaha (drums), Bill Flemming (drums), Brian Payne (drums), Nevil Blanchet (trumpet), Steve Sullivan (bass), Rick Trinca (bass)