The recent Australian leg of the 'CLIFF AND THE SHADOWS - 50th Anniversary Tour' was also a chance for another reunion of long-time pals. Pictured above: (Sir) Cliff Richard and Frank Ifield (OAM). Photo by kind courtesy of Mike Featherstone.
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4 March 2010:
Congratulations to NICKI GILLIS, winner of the 2009 Frank Ifield International Spur Award, for hitting the No. 1 spot on the Hotdisc chart in the U.K. and staying at the top for a third week with her own compostion Be A Star from her album Lucy's Daughter! A great prelude to her second tour of the U.K. coming up in June and July 2010.
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Frank Ifield is set to wow Revesby Workers Club with his 'I REMEMBER YOU' show that tells the story of this legendary singing star, set against a backdrop of the times.
TUESDAY 23rd FEBRUARY 2010
- Doors Open at 1:00pm.
Approx. showtime - 1:30pm to 3pm
$20.00 Reserved seating,
$16 members, $20 guests
Tickets from www.rwc.org.au
(02) 9772 2100
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A standing ovation for FRANK IFIELD's
International Spur Award Show at the Tamworth Town Hall,
starring NICKI GILLIS, JOHANNA HEMARA, MIKE CARR and DONNA BOYD
with Bob Howe & the Hillbilly Heaven band
and a surprise appearance from Darren Carr.
(Photos by Peter Versace)
DONNA BOYD and DARREN CARR
DONNA BOYD
FRANK IFIELD
MIKE CARR
NICKI GILLIS
THE INTERNATIONAL SPUR AWARD SHOW COMES TO TAMWORTH
Wed 20th January 2010 - 9am, Tamworth Town Hall
This one-off show at the Tamworth Town Hall is an opportunity for our host
Frank Ifield to pay tribute to the International success of three worthy winners of his Spur Award - each one having proved a credit to Australian Country Music, both here and on the world stage.
Looking back to 1996, during the early concept of the 'Galston Country Music Festival', it was decided by the Rotary Club of Galston that their festival's patron, Frank Ifield OAM should present his own highly unique award and that they would sponsor it to promote and further the careers of Australian Independent Country Music talent for the world market. Only one award is presented each year at a special 'Frank Ifield Awards Night'.
1999 saw the Spur Award being presented from stage during Frank's own radio show on the 2KY Radio Network to Mike Carr who has since gone on to achieve great heights as a singer and prolific songwriter. Then the new century spawned new concepts and the award became known as 'The Frank Ifield International Spur Award' utilising Frank's expertise to further promote our Australian talent overseas.
Our 2003 winner Donna Boyd had a string of European top ten hits and toured the UK and Ireland during 2004.
Then last year saw the talented Nicki Gillis win the award and a very successful tour of the UK was undertaken last July with a follow-up tour already for 2010.
Along with these wonderful artists, Frank will be introducing you to the debut of a bright young talented performer Johanna Hemara who is also doing her Tamworth Record Launch.
All this plus the Bob Howe and the Hillbilly Heaven Band makes this 'once-only' show a must-see! It is guaranteed to bring to you great country music entertainment of world class standard.
Tickets available from 2 Nov 2009...click here
or phone Tourism Tamworth 02 6767 5300
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18 Nov 2009:
At The Debonairs (The Entertainment Industry Lunch Bunch) in Sydney,
Frank celebrates his forthcoming birthday and is serenaded by fellow Australian music legend, COL JOYE.
Photos from the book launch of
Handling Edna by Barry Humphries...
Frank Ifield and Barry Humphries......and with Susie Elelman
Marty Morton, Susie Elelman, Frank Ifield and Barry Crocker
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20 October 2009: Dr James O Little AO, better known as JIMMY LITTLE, was the special guest of The Debonairs (The Entertainment Industry Lunch Bunch) in Sydney. Jimmy was celebrating his new recording of his classic hit Royal Telephone, raising funds for The Jimmy Little Foundation, to help improve kidney health in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across regional and remote Australia. Jimmy was tracked by a film crew from ABC TV's Stateline program. CLICK HERE to watch a video replay of their story that includes current and vintage footage of Frank Ifield. Other friends watching Jimmy sing in the photos above include Buzz Bidstrup, Wayne Rowley, John Coker, Bob Howe, Donny Sutherland, Marienne Shepherd, Martin Erdman, Warren Barnett, Wayne Horsburgh, Nicki Gillis (Photos courtesy of Barry Crocker).
Bruce Harris, Jimmy Little, Barry Crocker, Frank Ifield
Frank Ifield, Little Pattie, Barry Crocker
Helen Zerefos, Jimmy Little, Nicki Gillis, Frank Ifield
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A blast from the past. Frank presents BARRY CROCKER with his first 'Gold Record' on the Channel 9 television show 'The Sound Of Music' in 1969...
(Photo from the collection of Barry Crocker)
Pictured above:
NICKI GILLIS, winner of the 2009 Frank Ifield International 'Spur' Award, during her successful tour of the U.K. in July. On her left is bassist Dave Clemo, on her right is drummer Cozy Dixon and above him, guitarist Bob Howe. Bob was Frank's musical director and along with Cozy, a member of the band Barbary Coast who backed Frank for many years. Bob enjoyed a reunion with Cozy and other members of Barbary Coast when they played the Great North Country Music Festival in County Durham, where Nicki was also appearing during her sell-out tour. U.K. audiences were charmed by Nicki's personality and cheered for more. Their wish will be granted when she returns to their shores in 2010...
In September, the duet version of Chasing Cars from the album 'COLLABORATION' by BOB HOWE and NICKI GILLIS, was released to Country Music radio in the U.K. and Europe. It reached # 3 and spent five weeks in the Top Ten.
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|
SAT 12th SEPTEMBER 20096:30pm -
Until Late
GALA CHARITY
DINNER SHOW
Dural Country Club
FRANK IFIELD OAM
welcomes you as the host of a wonderful GALA CHARITY DINNER SHOW
In aid of THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS
Starring:
The incredibly popular ROBERTSON BROTHERS
THE ROCK CHICKS who represent Australia in China this October
RHIANN SAUNDERS current winner of the Music & Art Talent Search
and star MC
DONNIE SUTHERLAND OAM
Raffles & Auction by
PAT NATI OAM
Tickets $75 PP (Bookings Essential)
(02) 9651 1600
|
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Monday June 8, 2009:
Australian singer Frank Ifield has been recognised in the Queen's Birthday Honours, receiving a Medal of the Order of Australia for services to entertainment.
NEWS REPORTS:
NineMSN
Hills Shire Times
Country Music Bulletin
(Photo left by
Terry Phillpot - Eyegraphics)
Frank Ifield recommends...
'COLLABORATION'
The act of working jointly
"This is an album that deserves listening attention. It is a collaboration of two fine talented artistes in BOB HOWE and NICKI GILLIS.
Nicki is credited with vocals and mandolin while Bob provides vocals, instruments, loops and the CD's design.
Each of the ten tracks on the album offer unique tonal colours. while the diversity of songs, like the haunting Chasing Cars and the Everly Brothers' Price of Love or the bluesy Gonna Lay Down My Old Guitar to the popular Everybody Hurts, should guarantee the listeners attention from start to finish.
PS: Paul Anka's Classic It Doesn't Matter Anymore suits Nicki's voice to a 'T'
PPS: I wish you a successful tour of the UK this July - You'll WOW 'em."
More on the album... click here
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16 June 2009: At the 33rd Australian Entertainment
'MO' Awards...
Carole and Frank Ifield
Carole Ifield, Frank Ifield OAM, Barry Crocker OAM
Pat Nati OAM (who was awarded an Order of Australia Medal in the same Queen's Birthday Honours for his service to the community and his support of various charities), enjoying the MO's and celebrating with Frank Ifield OAM
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Catching up with friends...
Frank with Rolf Harris
(photo by Glenn Ware)
Frank with Roger Moore (photo by Glenn Ware)
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March 2009:
On the promotional trail...pictured left,
Frank Ifield and young vocalist James Cassar with leading radio personality BOB ROGERS at the studios of 2CH.
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Photos from 'I REMEMBER YOU' at
St Marys Rugby Leagues Club, March 2009
The first performances of 'I REMEMBER YOU' revealed a nostalgic show that told the story of the legendary singing star FRANK IFIELD, set against a backdrop of the times. Frank related stories from his childhood and career highlighted by original film footage and, along with the cast, recreated his biggest hits and songs of the era...
Frank introduces the show and the glamour of the vibrant Planet Dancers...
Kathy Watson and the cast remember the music and the spirit of the war-time era when Frank was born...
Frank's return to England and path to stardom...1st chart success...Lucky Devil !
James Cassar and Angeleah Heap bring the songs of the fifties and sixties to life...
Frank relives the emotions of his life...the highs and the lows...
The rousing finale by Frank, Kathy and the cast of M.A.T.S. singers and dancers, followed by a standing ovation and later a 'meet and greet' session with Frank himself.
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VALE - PAULINE HALFORD
BRITISH AUTHOR & CO-WRITER OF MY AUTOBIOGRAPHY.
Pauline passed away peacefully in her sleep on January 19th, with her husband Mike and daughter Heather at her bedside. Mike had only just retired, but instead of both being able to enjoy retirement, they were forced to face the harrowing business of daily radiation treatment.
Her close friend Mary Payne only a few days ago, informed me of Pauline's demise and it hit me like a thunderbolt - I stood in stunned silence for several minutes before I was able to regain my composure.
My mind recalled the times when she and her friends would come to my shows in the UK over the years. Then, many years later when she contacted me excited about the idea of writing my biography. She learned that I had already started to write one, and readily agreed to take on the daunting task of co-writing with me in Australia and her in England. Not and easy task, and to tackle my life story together meant sharing many intimate events that would require an enormous trust in one another - Yet, Pauline made this easy for me by her obvious honesty and impeccable integrity.
She told me she had written a short story of convict life in early Australia and another book about the weather man; and I knew she could make anything she turned her mind to, into riveting reading.
Evidently Pauline started feeling ill last summer, with bad indigestion. After months of tests and interminable waiting for results the specialists concluded at the end of September that she had pancreatic cancer. Somehow, she bravely kept writing through all this and still attended Writers meetings, so determined was she to beat it, but it proved impossible. Fortunately, Pauline did get to spend a few happy days with Mike in the New Forest after she had recovered a little from the radiation therapy, but after returning home she collapsed and lapsed into a coma. The hospital did not think she would come out of it, but she did. In fact, Pauline was able to go home to spend a last Christmas with her family.
The funeral was at Amersham crematorium and was very well attended by members of the many groups to which Pauline had given so much. She was a very good friend to so many people and we shall all miss her terribly.
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"My friend George Payne unearthed this historic photo from 1953 of the 2SM radio show On The Trail. Alongside myself at the microphone is Nola Hurst and you can also see announcer Tommy Jay, singers Jimmy Little, Kevin King, Alan Hurst, George Payne, musician Kenny Kitching and agent Ted Quigg. Do you recognise any other faces? If so, by not
to my Webmaster..."
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Tom McDonald & Unique Entertainment
present
The Story & Music Of A Legend
FRANK IFIELD
In Person
I REMEMBER YOU
Hear Frank relate his incredible journey to stardom
See original nostalgic film footage of Frank's career
Relive the magic of the greatest decades in music as Kathy Watson and the cast of M.A.T.S. singers and dancers help hi-lite the hit recordings of Frank and the era
Meet and greet Frank after the show
SENIORS' WEEK SHOWS
12.30pm for 1pm start
ST MARYS RUGBY LEAGUES CLUB
MARCH 17th & 18th 2009
$16.50 per head
RING CLUB RECEPTION TO BOOK
(02) 9677 7777
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Thursday 12 March 2009:
NICKI GILLIS wins the 2009 Frank Ifield International 'Spur' Award. Sponsored by The Rotary Club of Galston in conjunction with the Galston Country Music Festival, this award is designed to give exposure to our most promising Australian talent overseas.
From Frank: "My announcement of this years winner of the 'International Spur Award' proved to be a very popular choice indeed. Such is the public acceptance and wide appreciation for the talent of Nicki Gillis. Nicki is a towering talent who has an abundance of charisma both on and off the stage.
Her song Watch The Wildflowers Grow has already impacted the overseas market having reached #8 in the UK and European Country Chart and this will be followed up by a UK tour this coming July. I know that Nicki will be a credit to Australian Country Music and will once more prove how worthy we are to strut the world stage."
The presentation of the 2009 FRANK IFIELD INTERNATIONAL SPUR AWARD was made at Canterbury-Hurlstone Park RSL Club during the
Canterbury Country show that also featured performances 2003 Spur winner DONNA BOYD,
2009 Country Duo TIARA Winners THE HARMONATORS,
2008 Cooper's Golden Saddle People's Choice Award winner MATT FROST
plus BOB HOWE and the Hillbilly Heaven band.
Rae & Liz (The Harmonators), Frank, Nicki, Matt, Donna
(Photos above by Bob Howe)
FRANK IFIELD and RICHARD YOUNG (Galston Rotary) present the 2009 FRANK IFIELD INTERNATIONAL SPUR AWARD to NICKI GILLIS
(Photo by Terry Phillpot - Eyegraphics)
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