Country Music Roll of Renown 2003

Tamworth, Australia – Saturday night, January 18th 2003.

The Roll of Renown Concert in the Tamworth Town Hall tonight held a big surprise for one of the attendees. The announcement of this year’s inductee to the Country Music Roll of Renown, Australian Country Music’s highest honour… ladies and gentlemen…
Mr Frank Ifield !

Frank was honoured in front of a near capacity audience and he was acknowledged as “…one of our earliest successful country artists…among the first from Australia to gain widespread international fame.” Frank joined John Nutting and Jon Farkas in the Tamworth ABC studios for a chat after the announcement. Photo here…

Special thanks to John Nutting and ‘Saturday Night Country‘ for permission to replay the Frank Ifield interview.

Frank unveiling his plaque on Thursday 23rd. For more on The Country Music Roll of Renown, visit the Australian Country Music Foundation Web site.

Celebrating with Rita Schneider…

…and Donna Boyd

…with Vikki Page
(of the Galston CM Festival)…

… host Kedron Taylor…

…and with fellow pioneers Kevin King…

…and Arthur Blanch.

The inscription reads:
Frank began recording at age 15 and by the end of the 1950s had recorded more than 40 tracks in Australia. While still in his teens, he appeared on Australia’s Amateur Hour and with Tim McNamara before touring for many years, becoming a regular on radio and the first country singer to appear on Australian television…ultimately hosting his own weekly television show. After moving to London in 1959, Frank had a string of hits including the chart topper I Remember You, his success extending to the United States, Canada, South Africa and many other countries as well as Australia. One of our earliest successful country artists, Frank Ifield was among the first from Australia to gain widespread international fame.