Sharon O’Neill

Rip It Up, Issue 16, 1 October 1978, Page 8

Sharon O’Neill

Murray Cammick

In the last 18 months, a self managed, Sharon O’Neill has directed her energy successfully towards writing performing and recording her own songs. Prior to 1977, Sharon was singing other people’s material in touring bands. On her own in 1977, with guitarist Brent Thomas, Sharon

joined Mark Williams and Rocking Horse on Mark’s last tour and recorded the track "If There's Still A Little Love" with him. Though having recorded three of her own songs (including her current CBS single "Luck's On Your Table”) as demos for EMI in 1977, it was not until the Leo Sayer tour in May 1978 that Sharon first performed her own compositions on stage. Reflecting on 1977, Sharon speaks of the frustration of being "so close to being able to record and yet nothing happening.” Before Williams or his manager/producer Alan Galbraith left EMI and moved to Australia, Sharon O’Neill was already there. "I went to Melbourne on my own, with just my little bag and my songs (laughter), to try and get something happening." explains Sharon O’Neill. But record companies were interested only if she had the resources to work live in Australia. Sharon is completing work on her album for CBS Records. On the album she has written all the songs, arranged and performed all the vocals, arranged the music and played keyboards. What next? Sharon is now looking forward to returning to live work and playing with some really good musicians.