"Bandstand must win hands down" as Col Joye "has no life" and May's show "suffers from over effort on the part of all concerned." He issued no further recordings until 1973: a double album with the Julian Lee Orchestra, Fats Enough, on ABC records. In 1974, ABC decided to release a second double album, Just Foolin' Around – A Tribute to Louis Armstrong. In 1983, the first half of this album was re-released on CD as A Tribute to the Greats. 1981 saw the J&B release an album, Ricky May, while ABC Records issued a compilation, The Best of Ricky May, on CD. He issued a duet single with Jonathan Coleman, "Built for Comfort (I Ain't Built for Speed)"/"Off the Record", as the Big Boys in 1983. In 1986, RCA released a Christmas album, It's the Christmas Man. Beyond this point, he concentrated on live cabaret performances and television work. He later appeared regularly on Hey Hey It's Saturday. In November 1988 there was a golf tournament held in May's honor. Awards In 1988, May received the Benny Award from the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand, the highest honour available to a New Zealand variety entertainer. Death On 1 June 1988, Ricky May had a fatal heart attack at the Regent Hotel, Sydney, after getting a standing ovation on the opening night of a new cabaret show. He was pronounced dead on arrival at a hospital. He was 44 years of age. His wife, Colleen Ann May, died on 17 August 2017, aged 75. Discography Albums Awards Mo Awards The Australian Entertainment Mo Awards (commonly known informally as the Mo Awards), were annual Australian entertainment industry awards. They recognise achievements in live entertainment in Australia from 1975 to 2016. Ricky May won three awards in that time. (wins only) |- | 1979 | Ricky May | Entertainer of the Year | |- |rowspan="2"| 1988 | Ricky May | John Campbell Fellowship Award | |- | Ricky May | Entertainer of the Year | |- References External links Ricky May, recordings. Hey Hey Its Saturday Ricky May tribute package, 1988 1943 births 1988 deaths New Zealand jazz singers New Zealand Māori male singers New Zealand male stage actors New Zealand television personalities 20th-century New Zealand male actors People from Auckland New Zealand expatriates in Australia 20th-century New Zealand male singers Musicians who died on stage Daly-Wilson Big Band members