Tommy Oliver - You're The Sun In My Day

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Dedicated to the passing of South African music legend, Tommy Oliver.
This track is the solo release by Tommy, and appears on his album, “I Wanna Live” (CBS – ASF 1786, 1973). The track was re-released as the B side as a duet with Carol Born too, “(Say So Long) Don’t Say Goodbye” (CBS – SSC.1336, 1974), and features on Tommy’s album, “Just An Everlovin’ Woman” (CBS – ASF 1820, 1974).
(“(Say So Long) Don’t Say Goodbye” was also recorded with Caroline Du Preez’s “SA Country Gold - The Very Best of Caroline Du Preez” (CD release, Stetson Music, 2014).

Born Tommy Hollamby, on 20 December 1950 on the family farm just outside Rustenburg. He completed his schooling at Rustenburg North Primary, Randgate Primary and Rustenburg High schools.
At the age of 8 he started taking singing lessons and made his debut as singer in the Randfontein Town Hall. On turning 14, his mother gave him an acoustic guitar, and by 16 he was an accomplished guitarist and singer.
His first band was called “Teen 4”, although they later changed their name to “The Pipe Pipers”. They regularly appeared at the Tambuti Inn Hotel in Rustenburg.
After school he started working as an inspector on the mines in Rustenburg and then formed the band “Sounds Gravitation” in 1971. They were very popular at The Crazy Horse in Rustenburg. Tommy then started appearing at the Bapsfontein Hotel and at Robinson Lake Resort near Randfontein, and one of the songs he wrote and performed, “I Wanna Live”, was especially popular with the crowds.
In April 1973 Tommy Dell convinced him to record the song, and it turned out to be an immediate hit, reaching #3 on the South African Top 20 and charting for 17 weeks.
In 1974 he had another hit with “Just An Everlovin’ Woman” which reached #7 and charted for 10 weeks. The songwriter, Norman Cousins, also received a Sarie Award for “Song Of The Year” in that year.
Tommy and his band then regularly appeared at Fiestaland close to the Hartebeespoort dam, and the song “Daddy Daddy”, which he performed with Tony Steyn, was especially popular.
In 1974 he appeared on television in Rhodesia, and also performed “I Wanna Live” in the movie “Die Afspraak”. In 1975 he again appeared in a movie, “Wat Maak Oom Kallie Daar?”, in which he sang 2 songs.
During the 1970’s he toured South Africa and South West Africa extensively, releasing his first Afrikaans album, “10 Goue Jare”, in 1981.
Tommy Oliver had more than his share of setbacks during his life, but always held his head high. In 1986 a leg was amputated after he broke it a few years before and it never healed. In 2010 he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Notwithstanding the fact that he was bound to a wheelchair for a very long time, he continued performing until he passed away on 16 January 2023, aged 72.

Tommy Oliver - “You’re The Sun In My Day”. Composed by Tommy Oliver.
Flip side, “Daddy, Daddyl”. Composed by Tommy Oliver. Released on the CBS label, SSC.1304, 1973.

Produced by Corrie Myburgh (Jnr.)
Arranged by Fransua Roos

Publisher: April Music