Billy Thorpe

Billy Thorpe (1946–2017) was an Australian rock singer, songwriter, and guitarist best known for fronting the ’60s hitmakers Billy Thorpe & the Aztecs and later reinventing himself with a heavier, hard-rock sound in the early ’70s. He became a major figure in Australian live music, with the Aztecs earning a reputation for loud, extended shows that helped shape the country’s pub-rock culture.

In the mid-to-late ’70s he relocated to the United States, where he continued recording and performing, including work that leaned into guitar-driven rock and more experimental ideas. Thorpe is also remembered for the enduring popularity of “Children of the Sun,” which became one of his signature tracks and has been revisited in later releases and compilations.