Aussie swing singer Greg Poppleton is lauded by critics for his “authentic” vocal stylings. But the radio DJ and actor—whose screen credits include Moulin Rouge and Chronicles of Narnia—isn’t putting on a voice or acting a part, when he steps out with his band.
“It’s the only way I’ve ever sung,” said Greg. “I’ve been singing ever since I was a kid, but never in public. I remember being aged three and seeing a Louis Armstrong soundie on TV. Whenever a programme broke down they would show a test card, or a musical short. The sound of the cornet just grabbed me.”
Growing up in the Five Dock suburb of Sydney, Greg immersed himself in all the jazz he could find. His dad’s old platters offered some listening material, as did community radio, which would become Greg’s other great love. “My dad had about three dozen 78s of people like Artie Shaw and Red Nichols,” he said.
“I would stumble across music on the radio or on TV, particularly when they played the Merrie Melodies cartoons, and I would tape them to listen again later. There was one station which was a great source of this music, playing one hour on a Saturday and one on a Sunday,” he added. “That was a real education.”
Greg now has fans all over Australia, but his childhood infatuation cost him a few friendships. “None of my friends were into jazz, so it made me a bit of an outsider,”
