RICKY AND TAMMY

Jurij and Tamara Osypenko were born to Ukranian parents soon after WWII in Germany. Their parents migrated to South Australia in 1951 and settled in Kingston-On-Murray. At the age of 11, Rick (as he was later known) was eager to learn the guitar and soon took lessons from Dean ‘Rocky’ Page, and encouraged by Page, he would perform in the local area. It was about six months later his sister Tammy would join him. Those early days of their career they were known as The Kingston Kids, which the name was derived from the place where they came to settle. It was in 1961 they toured Tasmania with Slim Dusty during the holidays, and it’s believed that Slim suggested the stage name ‘Ricky & Tammy’. After finishing school, they were invited up to Sydney by Johnny Devlin. They appeared on Bandstand and The Go!! Show as pop singers which went over quite well, although later concentrating on country & western side of entertainment.

In 1963 saw the beginning of their first tour around Australia via the showground circuit working with various entertainers including: Tex Morton, Chad Morgan, Normie Rowe, Kevin Shegog and various other Aussie performers along the way. The showground circuit, promoted by the late Frankie Foster was a footing for many Australian country and pop/rock performers. The Wild One ‘Johnny O’Keefe also did the showgrounds. Their first release in 1965 through the Sunshine Label was, ''Won’t You Tell Me / Little Girl'' and they were backed by the Blue Jays, who were Tony Worsley’s backing band. They ended up recording a few more singles in the 60s but none of them charted. In the 70s they recorded a couple of albums.

For twenty years they had regular gigs around Australia supporting many top acts both local and international. In 1968, they travelled to play for the American and Australian troops in Vietnam on two occasions. It was after the appearance on Reg Lindsay’s Country & Western Hour in 1973, they were offered a regular spot on the Traveling Out West program hosted by John Williamson and screened on 50 TV stations Australia wide. The program aired for two years – which also saw the release of two albums via EMI. After 16 years of performing, they parted ways as duo, Ricky going out on his own. Tammy settled down to family life. During the early 1980’s, Tammy and her husband Rod created a very successful restaurant called Peats Bite on the Hawkesbury River.

SINGLES

''Won't You Tell Me Where / Little Girl'' [with The Blue Jays] 1965 Sunshine
''Inland Skipper / I Wish'' [with The Blue Jays] 1965 Sunshine
''The Summer's Long / All Around'' 1965 Sunshine

''Through My Fingers / Can I'' 1966 Sunshine
''We Don’t Do That Anymore / Paradise'' 1966 Sunshine
''Saying Hello, Saying I Love You, Saying Goodbye / When The Band Stopped'' 1977 EMI

EPs

'Starring Rickey And Tammy' 1965 Sunshine

ALBUMS

'Travlin' Out West In Concert' [with John Williamson and Emma Hannah] 1973 Reg Grundy
'From Travlin' Out West' [with John Williamson and Emma Hannah] 197 RG
'Songs Of Many Colours' 1976 Axis
'Saying Hello, Saying I Love You, Saying Goodbye' 1977 Columbia

References

http://www.countrymusichalloffame.com.au/Hands/Ricky_Tammy.htm