Vic Simms
Encyclopedia
William Victor Simms, known as Vic Simms and Vicki Simms, is an Australia
n singer and song writer. He is from La Perouse, New South Wales
and is a Bidjigal
man.
His singing career began at age 12 at the Manly Jazzorama Music Festival in 1957, soon after Col Joye
heard him as an 11 year old singing at a football social. He released his first single (as "Vicki Simms"), "Yo-Yo Heart" (Festival Records) at age 15.
After getting into alcohol and committing a robbery he was sent to prison. Whilst incarcerated in the notorious Bathurst Gaol he learnt how to play guitar and started writing songs. In 1973 his music was heard by a Robin Hood Foundation and they sent a tape to RCA
who organised to have him record an album. This album was recorded in one hour with a mobile studio in the prison dining room and was released as The Loner. It has been described as "Australia's great lost classic album of black protest music". After the release of the album he was sent on tours of other prisons, shopping malls and the Sydney Opera House as an example of a model prisoner. After he was convinced he was being used he refused to continue the shows.
After his release from prison he has reentered the entertainment industry. He has toured Australian prisons and in 1990 he toured Canada with Roger Knox
and Bobby McLeod
where they played in prisons and on reservations. In 1996 he released a covers album "From The Heart".
Simms was given a Deadly
in 2001
for Outstanding Contribution to Aboriginal Music.
In 2009 his album, The Loner, was added to the National Film and Sound Archive
's Sounds of Australia registry.
Simms sang "Stranger in My Country", in both the SBS
documentary and accompanying cd, Buried Country: The Story of Aboriginal Country Music.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n singer and song writer. He is from La Perouse, New South Wales
La Perouse, New South Wales
Lapérouse is a suburb in south-eastern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The suburb of Lapérouse is located about 14 kilometres south-east of the Sydney central business district, in the City of Randwick....
and is a Bidjigal
Bidjigal
The Bidjigal people are a group of Indigenous Australians living to the West of Sydney. Their geographical location is confusing, as they seem to have been based in southern Sydney, in the region between the Cooks River and the Georges River and yet also seem to have inhabited land in...
man.
His singing career began at age 12 at the Manly Jazzorama Music Festival in 1957, soon after Col Joye
Col Joye
Colin Frederick Jacobsen AM , better known by his stage name Col Joye, is an Australian popular entertainer and entrepreneur...
heard him as an 11 year old singing at a football social. He released his first single (as "Vicki Simms"), "Yo-Yo Heart" (Festival Records) at age 15.
After getting into alcohol and committing a robbery he was sent to prison. Whilst incarcerated in the notorious Bathurst Gaol he learnt how to play guitar and started writing songs. In 1973 his music was heard by a Robin Hood Foundation and they sent a tape to RCA
RCA
RCA Corporation, founded as the Radio Corporation of America, was an American electronics company in existence from 1919 to 1986. The RCA trademark is currently owned by the French conglomerate Technicolor SA through RCA Trademark Management S.A., a company owned by Technicolor...
who organised to have him record an album. This album was recorded in one hour with a mobile studio in the prison dining room and was released as The Loner. It has been described as "Australia's great lost classic album of black protest music". After the release of the album he was sent on tours of other prisons, shopping malls and the Sydney Opera House as an example of a model prisoner. After he was convinced he was being used he refused to continue the shows.
After his release from prison he has reentered the entertainment industry. He has toured Australian prisons and in 1990 he toured Canada with Roger Knox
Roger Knox
Roger Knox is an Australian country singer known as the Black Elvis and the Koori King of Country. He is an Gamilaroi man , was born in Moree and grew up in the Toomelah Aboriginal Mission near Boggabilla near the border between New South Wales and Queensland.In 1980s Knox was in a plane crash that...
and Bobby McLeod
Bobby McLeod
Bobby McLeod was an Aboriginal activist, poet, healer, musician and Yuin elder. He was from Wreck Bay Village, Jervis Bay Territory. He was involved in the fight for Aboriginal rights in Australia and travelled the world speaking about cultural lore, health and healing.- Life :Bobby was born in...
where they played in prisons and on reservations. In 1996 he released a covers album "From The Heart".
Simms was given a Deadly
The Deadlys
The Deadlys are an annual celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander achievement in music, sport, entertainment and community. Vibe Australia hosts the awards, which for have been held at the Sydney Opera House since 2001. The first Deadly awards were held in 1995...
in 2001
The Deadlys Award winners 2001
-Music:*Outstanding Contribution to Aboriginal Music: Gus Williams*Outstanding Contribution to Aboriginal Music: Vic Simms*Band of the Year: Letterstick Band*Most Promising New Talent: J Boy*Country Artist of the Year: Troy Cassar-Daley...
for Outstanding Contribution to Aboriginal Music.
In 2009 his album, The Loner, was added to the National Film and Sound Archive
National Film and Sound Archive
The National Film and Sound Archive is Australia’s audiovisual archive, responsible for developing, preserving, maintaining, promoting and providing access to a national collection of audiovisual materials and related items...
's Sounds of Australia registry.
Simms sang "Stranger in My Country", in both the SBS
SBS
-Banking:* Swiss Bank Corporation, previously one of the major Swiss banks, now merged into UBS* SBS Bank, a building society in the Southland region of New Zealand that is now registered as a bank* Skipton Building Society* Scarborough Building Society...
documentary and accompanying cd, Buried Country: The Story of Aboriginal Country Music.
Discography
- "Yo-Yo Heart" (1961) - Festival
- "I'm Counting Up My Love" (1961) - Festival
- Yo-Yo Heart ep (1962) - Festival
- The Loner (1973) - RCARCARCA Corporation, founded as the Radio Corporation of America, was an American electronics company in existence from 1919 to 1986. The RCA trademark is currently owned by the French conglomerate Technicolor SA through RCA Trademark Management S.A., a company owned by Technicolor...
- "Back Into The Shadows" (1973) - RCARCARCA Corporation, founded as the Radio Corporation of America, was an American electronics company in existence from 1919 to 1986. The RCA trademark is currently owned by the French conglomerate Technicolor SA through RCA Trademark Management S.A., a company owned by Technicolor...
- "Koala Bear" (1988) - Enrec
- From The Heart (1996) - Bunyip
External links
- Listen to an excerpt of 'The Loner' on australianscreen online
- "Once in a Lifetime" the story of Vic Simms", Message Stick, Friday 21 October 2005, 6 pm ABC1.