Biography
The vocal harmonies of Lou Bennett, Sally Dastey, and Amy Saunders rested on a foundation of acoustic guitars interwoven with rock textures. The trio came together in 1991 after serving as backup singers for Amy Saunders’ brother Richard Franklin in his band Djaambi; Koori singer Ruby Hunter proposed their name, drawn from the Aboriginal term tiddas, signifying “sisters.”
Their first release, the EP Inside My Kitchen, appeared in October 1992 and earned two ARIA Award nominations that year for Best New Talent and Best Indigenous Talent. Subsequent support slots with Sweet Honey and Midnight Oil led to the addition of didgeridoo player Tim “Froggie” Holtze. The resulting acoustic-folk album Sing About Life emerged in late 1993, attained gold certification in Australia after selling 35,000 copies, and captured the ARIA Award for Best Indigenous Record. Extensive touring followed at home and abroad, encompassing multiple WOMAD appearances; the album reached the United States in September 1995 and prompted further performances across North America and Europe.
Joe Camilleri of the Black Sorrows oversaw production of the follow-up, Tiddas, which surfaced in Australia during August 1996. Broader in scope than its predecessor, the record climbed into the national Top 40. Its lead track, “Ignorance Is Bliss,” reportedly stemmed from a 1993 dispute with Sir Bob Geldof during an earlier tour. Session contributors included violinist Jen Anderson of the Black Sorrows, Camilleri himself on saxophone for “Waving Goodbye,” drummer Peter Luscombe, bassist Steven Hadley, and Mark “Squeezebox Wally” Wallace of Weddings, Parties, Anything on piano accordion. A further single, “Walk Alone,” arrived in 1997.
Their first release, the EP Inside My Kitchen, appeared in October 1992 and earned two ARIA Award nominations that year for Best New Talent and Best Indigenous Talent. Subsequent support slots with Sweet Honey and Midnight Oil led to the addition of didgeridoo player Tim “Froggie” Holtze. The resulting acoustic-folk album Sing About Life emerged in late 1993, attained gold certification in Australia after selling 35,000 copies, and captured the ARIA Award for Best Indigenous Record. Extensive touring followed at home and abroad, encompassing multiple WOMAD appearances; the album reached the United States in September 1995 and prompted further performances across North America and Europe.
Joe Camilleri of the Black Sorrows oversaw production of the follow-up, Tiddas, which surfaced in Australia during August 1996. Broader in scope than its predecessor, the record climbed into the national Top 40. Its lead track, “Ignorance Is Bliss,” reportedly stemmed from a 1993 dispute with Sir Bob Geldof during an earlier tour. Session contributors included violinist Jen Anderson of the Black Sorrows, Camilleri himself on saxophone for “Waving Goodbye,” drummer Peter Luscombe, bassist Steven Hadley, and Mark “Squeezebox Wally” Wallace of Weddings, Parties, Anything on piano accordion. A further single, “Walk Alone,” arrived in 1997.
Albums
