Pat Aulton
Encyclopedia
Pat Aulton was a noted Australian record producer, musician, arranger and songwriter.
He is best known for the successful pop and rock singles and albums he produced for Australian and New Zealand artists in the 1960s and early 1970s on the Sunshine
and Spin Records
labels. He also became a successful composer of successful commercial jingle
s and TV themes.
Aulton began his career as a vocalist with the Adelaide-based group The Clefs
. Ca. 1963 Aulton began working for rising Adelaide entrepreneur Ivan Dayman
and his Sunshine group, which grew to include a management and booking agency, record labels and a string of pop music venues from Adelaide
to the north coast of Queensalnd. Aulton established the Sunshine Records
label for Dayman and produced records for most of the performers on its roster, most notably the string of Australian hit singles, EPs and albums by vocalist Normie Rowe
who was Australia's most popular solo artist in the mid-1960s.
Following the collapse of Sunshine and its short-lived sister label Kommotion Records in early 1967, Aulton was hired as a house producer and A&R manager by Festival Records. He oversaw the installation of the new 4-track recording equipment at Festival's new Pyrmont studio and from 1967 to 1973 he produced and engineered most of Festival's pop output between (as well as performing uncredited backing vocals and instrumental contributions on many of these recordings. One example being his distinctive falseto on the 1968 Christopher James (real name-Francis Edwards) recordings 'Goodbye Mama' and 'Going Home for the last time')
He produced many hit singles for local acts, released on the Festival and Spin Records
labels between 1967 and 1973. He produced all the Spin singles recorded by Sydney band The Dave Miller Set including their 1969 hit "Mr Guy Fawkes", which made the Top 10 in Sydney and was named "Single of the Year" by Ed Nimmervol in Go-Set
magazine. Other productions in this period include the acclaimed progressive rock albums Joint Effort by Jeff St John & Copperwine, and Wide Open by Kahvas Jute. He also produced the first two singles by Sherbet
, who became one of the most popular and successful bands in Australia in the 1970s. Aulton also produced Neil Sedaka's
1969 'comeback' album Workin' on a Groovy Thing and the Australian hit single lifted from it, "Wheeling West Virginia", which were recorded at Festival Studios with Australian backing musicians; Aulton regarded his work with Sedaka as one of his career highlights.
After leaving Festival in 1973 he established a successful career as a writer-producer of advertising jingles; his well-known creations (some of which are still in use today) include jingles for Coca-Cola
, Weetbix, Singapore Airlines
and Trans Australia Airlines
. His best-known and most influential composition is the probably "It's Time", the Australian Labor Party
campaign song for the 1972 federal election. Aulton spent several years in the New York as a jingle
writer in the late 1970s. After retiring to the Queensland coastal town of Noosa, Aulton worked as a vocal coach. In a short biography published on the website of former Clefs lead singer Barrie McAskill's Aulton reported in the mid-2000s that he was working on a novel.
Aulton died in mid-February 2009, aged in his early seventies; he died peacefully at his home with his family. An article commemorating his life was published in the Sunshine Coast Daily on St. Patricks Day 2009.
He is best known for the successful pop and rock singles and albums he produced for Australian and New Zealand artists in the 1960s and early 1970s on the Sunshine
Sunshine Records (Australia)
Sunshine Records was an Australian independent pop music record label of the mid-1960s. It was established in late 1964 by promoter Ivan Dayman in collaboration with musician-producer-arranger-songwriter Pat Aulton and entrepreneur, producer and songwriter Nat Kipner .Most of its releases were in...
and Spin Records
Spin Records
Spin Records was an Australian popular music label of the late 1960s and early 1970s. It was established in late 1966 by Clyde Packer and a group of partners including entrepreneur Harry M. Miller. The label's first A&R manager was Nat Kipner who produced several early Spin releases...
labels. He also became a successful composer of successful commercial jingle
Jingle
A jingle is a short tune used in advertising and for other commercial uses. The jingle contains one or more hooks and lyrics that explicitly promote the product being advertised, usually through the use of one or more advertising slogans. Ad buyers use jingles in radio and television...
s and TV themes.
Aulton began his career as a vocalist with the Adelaide-based group The Clefs
The Clefs
The Clefs was an Australian pop-rock group that formed in Adelaide in the early 1960s. Under the leadership of keyboardist Tweed Harris the band performed as The Clefs from 1963 to 1967. Vocalist Barrie "The Bear" McAskill took over the group from Harris in 1967 and renamed it Levi Smith's Clefs...
. Ca. 1963 Aulton began working for rising Adelaide entrepreneur Ivan Dayman
Ivan Dayman
Ivan Dayman was an Australian record producer and band manager of the 1960s and 1970s, based first in Adelaide, and then in Brisbane.In 1963, musician-producer-arranger-songwriter Pat Aulton began working for rising Adelaide entrepreneur Ivan Dayman and his Sunshine group...
and his Sunshine group, which grew to include a management and booking agency, record labels and a string of pop music venues from Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
to the north coast of Queensalnd. Aulton established the Sunshine Records
Sunshine Records
Sunshine Records was a small California based record label of the early 1920s, producing 6 double-sided gramophone records of early jazz and blues....
label for Dayman and produced records for most of the performers on its roster, most notably the string of Australian hit singles, EPs and albums by vocalist Normie Rowe
Normie Rowe
Norman John "Normie" Rowe AM was a major male solo performer of Australian pop music in the 1960s. Known for his bright and edgy tenor voice and dynamic stage presence, many of Rowe's most successful recordings were produced by Pat Aulton, house producer for the Sunshine Records, Spin Records and...
who was Australia's most popular solo artist in the mid-1960s.
Following the collapse of Sunshine and its short-lived sister label Kommotion Records in early 1967, Aulton was hired as a house producer and A&R manager by Festival Records. He oversaw the installation of the new 4-track recording equipment at Festival's new Pyrmont studio and from 1967 to 1973 he produced and engineered most of Festival's pop output between (as well as performing uncredited backing vocals and instrumental contributions on many of these recordings. One example being his distinctive falseto on the 1968 Christopher James (real name-Francis Edwards) recordings 'Goodbye Mama' and 'Going Home for the last time')
He produced many hit singles for local acts, released on the Festival and Spin Records
Spin Records
Spin Records was an Australian popular music label of the late 1960s and early 1970s. It was established in late 1966 by Clyde Packer and a group of partners including entrepreneur Harry M. Miller. The label's first A&R manager was Nat Kipner who produced several early Spin releases...
labels between 1967 and 1973. He produced all the Spin singles recorded by Sydney band The Dave Miller Set including their 1969 hit "Mr Guy Fawkes", which made the Top 10 in Sydney and was named "Single of the Year" by Ed Nimmervol in Go-Set
Go-Set
Go-Set was the first Australian pop music newspaper, published weekly from 2 February 1966 to 24 August 1974, and was founded in Melbourne by Phillip Frazer, Peter Raphael and Tony Schauble...
magazine. Other productions in this period include the acclaimed progressive rock albums Joint Effort by Jeff St John & Copperwine, and Wide Open by Kahvas Jute. He also produced the first two singles by Sherbet
Sherbet (band)
Sherbet was one of the most prominent and successful Australian rock bands of the 1970s. Their biggest singles were "Summer Love" and "Howzat" , both reaching number one in Australia. "Howzat" was also a top 5 hit in the UK. Though the band's success in the U.S...
, who became one of the most popular and successful bands in Australia in the 1970s. Aulton also produced Neil Sedaka's
Neil Sedaka
Neil Sedaka is an American pop/rock singer, pianist, and composer. His career has spanned nearly 55 years, during which time he has sold millions of records as an artist and has written or co-written over 500 songs for himself and other artists, collaborating mostly with lyricists Howard...
1969 'comeback' album Workin' on a Groovy Thing and the Australian hit single lifted from it, "Wheeling West Virginia", which were recorded at Festival Studios with Australian backing musicians; Aulton regarded his work with Sedaka as one of his career highlights.
After leaving Festival in 1973 he established a successful career as a writer-producer of advertising jingles; his well-known creations (some of which are still in use today) include jingles for Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
, Weetbix, Singapore Airlines
Singapore Airlines
Singapore Airlines Limited is the flag carrier airline of Singapore. Singapore Airlines operates a hub at Changi Airport and has a strong presence in the Southeast Asia, East Asia, South Asia, and "Kangaroo Route" markets...
and Trans Australia Airlines
Trans Australia Airlines
Trans Australia Airlines or TAA, was one of the two major Australian domestic airlines between its inception in 1946 and its sale to Qantas in May 1996. During that period TAA played a major part in the development of the Australian air transport industry...
. His best-known and most influential composition is the probably "It's Time", the Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
campaign song for the 1972 federal election. Aulton spent several years in the New York as a jingle
Jingle
A jingle is a short tune used in advertising and for other commercial uses. The jingle contains one or more hooks and lyrics that explicitly promote the product being advertised, usually through the use of one or more advertising slogans. Ad buyers use jingles in radio and television...
writer in the late 1970s. After retiring to the Queensland coastal town of Noosa, Aulton worked as a vocal coach. In a short biography published on the website of former Clefs lead singer Barrie McAskill's Aulton reported in the mid-2000s that he was working on a novel.
Aulton died in mid-February 2009, aged in his early seventies; he died peacefully at his home with his family. An article commemorating his life was published in the Sunshine Coast Daily on St. Patricks Day 2009.