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Wendy Anne-Marie Stapleton (born 8 July 1954) is an Australian pop music/rock music singer-songwriter, musical theatre performer and television actress and presenter Stapleton has performed as a backing singer, session musician and a solo artist; she fronted various Melbourne-based groups including Wendy Stapleton Band (1976–1978)Spencer et al, (2007) STAPLETON, Wendy BAND entry. Retrieved 15 January 2010. and Wendy & the Rocketts (1980–1985)Spencer et al, (2007) WENDY AND THE ROCKETTS entry. Retrieved 15 January 2010. which had a top 30 hit single with "Play the Game" in June 1983. NOTE: Used for Australian Singles and Albums charting from 1974 until ARIA created their own ARIA Charts in mid-1988. In 1992, Kent back calculated chart positions for 1970–1974.
A new line-up appeared in March 1982 with Donald, and new members: Joey Amenta on lead guitar and backing vocals (Taste, Redhouse, Russell Morris, Darryl Cotton), Noel Beare on bass guitar (Misfits, Routinos) and Adrian Dessent on rhythm guitar and backing vocals (Scandal, Vixen, Marc Hunter). The third single, "Your Place or Mine?" released in March, reached the top 40. A live album, Live, appeared as a six-track Extended Play in September. The band travelled to UK in early 1983 to record their debut studio album, Dazed for Days it was issued in July and appeared into the top 30 on the Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart. Lead single, "Play the Game", was released in April and peaked in the top 30, "Have You Been Telling Me Lies" followed in August with "Security" in November. However, by September, the band had left for UK and Europe to tour as support for Bryan Adams and ZZ Top.
In November 1984, another version of Wendy & the Rocketts toured: John Dallimore replaced Amenta on lead guitar (Redhouse, Dallimore, Jon English), Brian Hamilton replaced Beare on bass guitar, and Paul McNaughton (aka Paul Norton) joined on guitar. No more recordings appeared—the group disbanded in March 1985—and Stapleton returned to session work. Stapleton joined as guest vocalist with The Incredible Penguins in 1985, for a cover version of "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)", a charity project for research on , which peaked at No. 10 on the singles chart in December.Spencer et al, (2007) INCREDIBLE PENGUINS entry. Retrieved 15 January 2010. Incredible Penguins also included Donald from an early Wendy & the Rocketts line-up.
By 1990, Stapleton and Norton were married, and Paul Norton Band was formed with Greig, Norton and Stapleton joined by Tim Millikan (Chantoozies) on bass guitar and Derek Pellicci (Little River Band) on drums to record, Under a Southern Sky and related singles. Yooralla, a disability support provider, recorded an advertising jingle, "Yooralla People Helping People Achieve" in use during 1993–2007, which featured lead vocals by Venetta Fields and John Paul Young with backing vocals by Stapleton and others. In 1994, Greig, Millikan, Norton and Stapleton formed Hillbilly Moon with Cletis Carr (Big Whiskey) on vocals, guitar and bass guitar; and Peter Wells (Rose Tattoo) on vocals, guitar and bass guitar.Spencer et al, (2007) HILLBILLY MOON entry. Retrieved 17 January 2010. They released an album, Volume One, on Pelican Records. Stapleton returned to musical theatre in May 1995 with the role of UK entertainer Dusty Springfield in I Only Want to Be With You - The Dusty Springfield Story. Li'l Elvis Jones and the Truckstoppers (1997) was a 26-episode children's television cartoon show on Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), with Stapleton supplying the singing voice for lead character, 'Li'l Elvis Jones' and voice for 'Mama Rig'. She released Li'l Elvis and the TruckStoppers soundtrack in 1998 on ABC Records with eleven tracks. She revived her role as Springfield with another season of I Only Want to Be With You from July 1997, and toured Australia, UK and Europe into early 1998. Stapleton and Norton sang the theme for long running TV series, Neighbours (1985–present) used during 1999–2001 seasons.
In 2001, Stapleton, Debra Byrne and Lisa Edwards toured with Girls, Girls, Girls a tribute show of hits by The Supremes, Cilla Black, Springfield, Patsy Cline and Lulu. Note: Overview on-line has limited preview available. After one month, Edwards returned to backing vocals for John Farnham on his The Last Time Tour; she was replaced by Nikki Nicholls, Girls, Girls, Girls continued touring into 2002. Stapleton's television roles include Trixie Tucker, the mother of Nina Tucker played by Delta Goodrem, on Neighbours during 2002 and 2003; other TV roles have been on Blue Heelers (1996, 1999) and Halifax f.p. (1996). Stapleton appeared on film in You Don't Have to Say You Love Me, a short movie by Terrence O'Connell. During June–August 2006, Norton and Stapleton performed in the Countdown Spectacular alongside other 1970s and 1980s acts. As from February 2008, Stapleton hosted Wrokdown, a weekly TV interview show, on Channel 31.
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