Yvonne Barrett
Encyclopedia
Yvonne Frances Barrett was an Australian pop singer who made the Top 40 charts in Melbourne
& Sydney
and was nationally known for her TV appearances.
. She took singing lessons in her mid-teens and was able to pass an audition for Australia's national pop music TV program. The Go! Show. She soon became a regular on this show doing songs like "Off & Running", "I Walk Alone" and The Toys "A Lovers Concerto". Signed to Go records, a record label spin-off from the show, Yvonne achieved her most chart success in 1965-66 with her version of the Tony Hatch
song, "You're The One" b/w " Little People". In December 1965, Barrett along with Australian television personalities Ian Turpie
, Tommy Hanlon, Jr. and Pat Caroll
performed during Christmas in a tour for Australian troops in Vietnam.
1970 saw her voted a runner-up in the Go-Set
magazine national Pop Poll. Although not achieving further chart success she retained considerable popularity through her live appearances, and on national TV shows, such as Uptight and Happening 70-72 doing songs such as, "Always Something There To Remind Me" and Rare Earth
's, "Get Ready". In 1970 she released the single Lu (a Laura Nyro song) which featured her big voice with a brassy jazz-rock, Blood Sweat & Tears style arrangement. During the 1970s she moved into session work and club appearances. In the 1980's Yvonne Barrett moved from Perth to Sydney and began working as a waitress.
Yvonne Barrett's funeral service was held at Christ The King, Catholic Church in Churchill Avenue, Braybrook
, Victoria. It was well attended including Australian show business celebrities Bert & Pattie Newton (who was a close friend of Yvonne's) Pattie Newton posted a condolence notice in the Melbourne Age newspaper stating that "What wonderful times to remember of growing up together".
Yvonne Barrett was buried at the Altona Memorial Park, Victoria.
(Australia #58 - 10 Weeks) (Melbourne* #28) (Sydney* #3)
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
& Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
and was nationally known for her TV appearances.
Career
She began her performing career early, commencing ballet lessons at the age of two and a half. This led to appearances in stage shows such as Sound of Music and CarnivalCarnival
Carnaval is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February. Carnaval typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, mask and public street party...
. She took singing lessons in her mid-teens and was able to pass an audition for Australia's national pop music TV program. The Go! Show. She soon became a regular on this show doing songs like "Off & Running", "I Walk Alone" and The Toys "A Lovers Concerto". Signed to Go records, a record label spin-off from the show, Yvonne achieved her most chart success in 1965-66 with her version of the Tony Hatch
Tony Hatch
Anthony Peter "Tony" Hatch is an English composer, songwriter, pianist, music arranger and producer.-Early life and early career:...
song, "You're The One" b/w " Little People". In December 1965, Barrett along with Australian television personalities Ian Turpie
Ian Turpie
Ian "Turps" Turpie is an Australian television celebrity, best known for hosting the long-running game show The Price Is Right before being replaced by Larry Emdur.-Early life:...
, Tommy Hanlon, Jr. and Pat Caroll
Pat Carroll (singer)
Pat Carroll is an Australian singer from the 1960s.Carroll began her entertainment career at age eight when she started taking singing and dancing lessons. Appearances on children's TV shows followed by the time she was eleven years old...
performed during Christmas in a tour for Australian troops in Vietnam.
1970 saw her voted a runner-up in the 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 national Pop Poll. Although not achieving further chart success she retained considerable popularity through her live appearances, and on national TV shows, such as Uptight and Happening 70-72 doing songs such as, "Always Something There To Remind Me" and Rare Earth
Rare Earth (band)
Rare Earth is an American rock band affiliated with Motown's Rare Earth record label , who prospered in 1970-1972. Although not the first white band signed to Motown, Rare Earth was the first big hit-making act signed by Motown that consisted only of white members...
's, "Get Ready". In 1970 she released the single Lu (a Laura Nyro song) which featured her big voice with a brassy jazz-rock, Blood Sweat & Tears style arrangement. During the 1970s she moved into session work and club appearances. In the 1980's Yvonne Barrett moved from Perth to Sydney and began working as a waitress.
Death
On 3 September 1985, Yvonne Barrett was found murdered at her unit in the inner western Sydney suburb of Birchgrove. During police investigations and evidence submitted at Barrett's murder trial in the New South Wales Supreme Court, it was determined that Yvonne Barrett had been strangled by her estranged husband, Hoang Van Truong. Truong had recently returned from New Zealand and had spent the night with Barrett. He was asked to leave the following morning. He failed to comply with her request and proceeded to assault Barrett over the head with a bottle before strangling her with his belt. He then proceeded to take a number of Serapax tablets and cut his wrists. Truong, a Vietnam War veteran, was found guilty of murder in 1986. He was sentenced to life imprisonment without a non-parole period by Justice Finlay of the New South Wales Supreme Court. In handing down his sentence on 5 August 1986 Justice Findlay rejected a submission by the Senior Public Defendant Mr Bill Hosking QC, that Truong was "suffering from a disease of the mind that impaired his responsibility for the crime". Mr Hosking had claimed that Truong's war service, tragic life and "ingestion of marijuana at the time of this offence had occurred" had diminished his responsibilities. Truong had met Barrett at a nightclub in Perth and subsequently married in December 1983. The couple separated in 1984.Yvonne Barrett's funeral service was held at Christ The King, Catholic Church in Churchill Avenue, Braybrook
Braybrook, Victoria
Braybrook is a suburb 9 km west of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Its Local Government Area is the City of Maribyrnong. At the 2006 Census, Braybrook had a population of 6940....
, Victoria. It was well attended including Australian show business celebrities Bert & Pattie Newton (who was a close friend of Yvonne's) Pattie Newton posted a condolence notice in the Melbourne Age newspaper stating that "What wonderful times to remember of growing up together".
Yvonne Barrett was buried at the Altona Memorial Park, Victoria.
45 rpm Singles
- Oct 1965 Little People* / You're The One** (Go!! Records)
(Australia #58 - 10 Weeks) (Melbourne* #28) (Sydney* #3)
- July 1966 Send Her Away / Won't Someone Say (Go!! Records)
- Oct 1966 Don't Bother Callin' / I'm Taking Him Back (Go!! Records)(
- March 1970 Lu / Picture Me Gone (ColumbiaColumbia Graphophone CompanyThe Columbia Graphophone Company was one of the earliest gramophone companies in the United Kingdom. Under EMI, as Columbia Records, it became a very successful label in the 1950s and 1960s...
/ EMIEMIThe EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
)
- 1972 No Longer Part Of Your Life / Mr 7654312 (Albert ProductionsAlbert ProductionsAlbert Productions, a division of music publishing and recording company Albert Music, is one of Australia's longest established independent Australian record label to specialise in rock and roll music. The label was founded in 1964 by Ted Albert, whose family owned and operated the Australian...
)
Compilation Albums - 33 rpm LP's & CD
- Go ! Hitmakers Vol 1 (Various artists LP) - Little People (one track only)
- Go ! Hitmakers Vol 2 (Various artists LP) - You're The One (one track only)
- Go ! Hitmakers Vol 3 (Various artists LP Various artists) - Send Her Away (one track only)
- Go-Set Pop Poll Awards 1970 (Various artists LP) - Picture Me Gone & Lu (two tracks)
- Girls,Girls,Girls Vol 1 (Various artists LP & CD) - Send Her Away (one track only)