Aussie-born Divinyls singer dies in New York

Chrissy Amphlett loses battle with cancer

FORMER Divinyls singer Chrissy Amphlett has lost her battle with breast cancer. The singer, songwriter and actress died in hospital in New York City yesterday, aged 53.

Chrissy Amphlett

Because she also suffered from multiple sclerosis, Amphlett had been unable to have radiation treatment or chemotherapy for the cancer.

Cousin to Australia’s Stompy Wompy Surfer Girl hitmaker and Bandstand favourite `Little Patti'  Thompson, Amphlett - born Christine Joy Amphlett on October 25, 1959 in Geelong, Victoria - carved her own name into music history as a member of the highly successful Divinyls.

Divinyls had their first hits, Boys in Town and Only Lonely, after appearing in the 1982 film Monkey Grip.

The band released six albums between 1982 and 1996, peaking in 1991 with the success of the single `I Touch Myself’ which reached Number 1 in Australia, number 10 in the UK and made it to number 4 in the US.

In May 2001, Divinyls’ `Science Fiction’, written by Amphlett and lead guitarist Mark McEntee, was selected by Australasian Performing Rights Association (APRA) as one of the Top 30 Australian songs of all time.

After the Divinyls split in 2007, Amphlett lived in New York City with her husband drummer Charley Drayton and concentrated on a solo career and writing her autobiography `Pleasure and Pain: My Life’.
Amphlett and McEntee were inducted into the 2006 ARIA Hall of Fame.

Acting was another of Amphlett’s talents. In 1988, she starred alongside Russell Crowe in the first Australian production of Willy Russell's stage musical Blood Brothers.

In addition, Amphlett played the part of Judy Garland in the original touring production of The Boy From Oz with Todd McKenney playing the role of Allen. The highly successful show transferred to Broadway in the year 2000 with Hugh Jackman playing the lead role. On its return to Australia as an arena spectacular, Amphlett resumed her role.

Please follow and like us: