Ross Kettle born 24 April 1943

Ross Kettle (24 April 1943- 12 October 2007) was co-founder of the The Singing Kettles, who were a country music trio from Tasmania consisting of three brothers. 

In their early days, Bill (William), Ross and Max (Maxwell) Kettle were typical Australian country boys. They were all born in Launceston Hospital. The family lived at Retreat then moved to the small town of Lilydale, Tasmania. Their singing career began at church socials and school functions. It was their local minister who christened them. One night in his introduction he said “You have all heard whistling kettles, but here now are the Singing Kettles”, and the name stuck. The Singing Kettles became one of the most well loved country and western groups that Australia has known. 

In their first few years after leaving school, the Kettles worked as timber cutters on Tasmania’s north east coast. Every day, their guitars would go with them, and during their lunch break the sounds of country harmonies would soar through the Tasmanian bush land. 1952: Bill and Ross won a talent quest on Radio 7LA Launceston. The station’s Clive Windmill made a tape of the Singing Kettles and played it on his western show every afternoon. 

                                   

By 1955 the boys became well known and made acetate recordings for Radio 7LA. Their first commercial recording was released in 1961. Bill and Ross were working as a duo at that time, because Max was only about 11 years old. That first record was “Judy” and it was not only the first recording by the Singing Kettles, but it was also the first release for the brand new Hadley record label, which was then based in Launceston, Tasmania. 

A string of singles, extended play and album releases followed with Max joining his brothers in 1963. The Kettles were the support act for Lorne Greene (of Bonanza fame) in 1965, and also supported prominent mainland acts visiting Tasmania. They recorded the album Country Harmony. More singles followed including the successful Toy Telephone, single and album. 

During June 1969, the trio went to Vietnam as part of an all-Tasmanian concert party. These entertainers were sent to remote locations in the Mekong Delta to entertain American troops – 9th Infantry Division and also Army of the Republic of Vietnam troops. During one of these performances the Viet Cong attacked and troops watching the show were killed. The entertainers had to jump off an area that was two storeys high, resulting in Max breaking his ankle. It was reported back to family in Tasmania that the three boys were missing in action. It took three days for the news they were found safe and well filtered through. 

After returning home, they heard of a place called Tamworth, NSW where they wanted to start up a Country Music Capital for Australia, similar to Nashville, TN. The three brothers said goodbye to their parents, packed up their families and moved to Tamworth. The Singing Kettles and Slim Dusty performed outdoors on their first show in Tamworth. After this they were offered a great deal of work to move to Sydney and perform out of Col Joye’s office at ATA. In 1969, the Singing Kettles made their big step moving to Sydney to enter the hurly burley of the club scene and by 1970 were voted #1 of the Top 10 Australian acts. 

On the 22nd January, 1971, tragedy struck the trio with the sudden death after a show in Sydney of young Max Kettle. He suffered a massive attack of asthma, an affliction which had plgued him since birth. He had celebrated his 21st birthday only a fortnight before. To a lesser act, this would have meant the end of the road, but knowing their brother’s wishes, Bill and Ross continued, and made the drastic changes necessary to turn their act into the professional duo that toured Australia for the next 17 years as well as being support acts for American and English artists which include Slim Whitman, Dave Allen and others.

The end of the Singing Kettles came in 1988. The act broke up, Ross became a solo singer, and Bill and his later wife, Kathy Thompson, worked as a duo. In 2005 The Singing Kettles were elevated to the Roll of Renown. They performed at the Roll of Renown Concert for the first time in 20 years, and were joined by Max’s son, Grady. 

Ross had a long struggle with health problems. He had bravely battled several different forms of cancer for many years and recently had a double hip replacement. He managed to record his final album, Waltz of Life before his death in Sydney on 12 September 2007. He was 64.

 

In 2017, The Singing Kettles were inducted into the Tasmanian Independent Music Awards Hall of Fame. Bill, Kathy and Will (their son) were able to attend. 

(Edited from liner notes by Eric Scott  & eHive.com)