14th December 2003: 3 Good Ol’ Boys! ENGELBERT HUMPERDINCK was appearing at the Star City showroom in Sydney. Frank reports, ” … a great entertaining show. John Rowles was also there so I grabbed him for this picture. I spent over an hour chewing the fat and reminiscing with Enge after the show.”
Dec 2003: Frank says
“…thank you to all my fans for my many Birthday wishes….
…Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year to all.”
Read more about Colin’s musical career HERE
or visit the Web site of the
Sydney Wellbeing Centre.
In Frank’s own words he recalls:
One Year On
“This has been a year of a great variety of surprises both good and bad. It was an honour to be chosen to be included in Tamworth’s prestigious Roll Of Renown and while still on a high over that accolade, I was bowled over by the news that my wife Carole and I had become Grandparents to a bouncing
baby boy named Jack.
Carole’s son Adam and his Megan have every right to be proud as indeed we are over this bright and bubbly child who has brought untold happiness into our hearts.
I was further honoured when the 1964 MGM film Up Jumped A Swagman in which I played the starring role, was chosen to screen on ‘Australia Day’ over the channel 9 TV network.
Meanwhile, in the UK, EMI Gold took up the challenge of releasing a collection of my 1950’s songs on a special CD called FRANK IFIELD SINGS COUNTRY & CLASSICS which has now been released in Australia.
Before last year’s Tamworth Festival I was impressed by the talent of newcomer DONNA BOYD who gave a magnificent performance at our Galston Country Music Festival and was in Tamworth when she won the TIARA AWARD for Best Female Independent Vocalist. In March this year, Donna became the winner of my International Spur Award and by April had made the EMS European charts where she reached #5 with the title track of her album All Roads. She followed this with another single from the album called Loose Change which consolidated her European acceptance by reaching #4 for three weeks and remaining in the chart for a 10 week run. Before she heads off to the UK for a tour starring in 40 shows, Donna will be my special guest on the Roll Of Renown Concert.
This year however, has brought with it its share of sadness for our CM industry. America lost her favourite ‘Pioneer’ in Johnny Cash while here in Australia we lost our beloved ‘Trail Blazer’ Slim Dusty, who we will all be paying a fitting tribute to in the concert.
They say that things come in threes – and as if to give proof to this, the legendary Don Gibson passed away. My personal memories of Don are many. He was perhaps one of the biggest influences on me and as proof of this I have recorded no less than 14 songs of his over my career. Like the late Mickey Newbury and Roy Orbison before him he was part of the same stable that The Everly Brothers and I belonged to in Nashville with Acuff Rose and Hickory Records. Don will be remembered by us all for Oh Lonesome Me, Blue Blue Day, Sea Of Heartbreak, I Can’t Stop Loving You, Touch The Morning and so many other of his great Country hits, but to me, he will remain the quiet gentleman, who attended three of my recording sessions and who’s friendly smiling face was a great comfort to me and whose encouragement brought the best out of my performances.
I am looking forward to the honour of introducing this years achiever for the Roll Of Renown and invite you to come and see who it is on the night of the 17th January, 2004. Also we look forward to meeting up with as many fans as possible at the Donna Boyd show nearest to you in the U.K.”
CLICK HERE for Donna’s latest Gig Guide.
25 SEPTEMBER 2003: Frank is delighted to report that DONNA BOYD‘s single LOOSE CHANGE has shot up the E.M.S. EUROPEAN MOST POPULAR INDEPENDENT TOP 30 CHART, reaching #4 in only 4 weeks! It has also entered the Australian Country Tracks Top 30 Chart with a bullet. Donna was the winner of the FRANK IFIELD INTERNATIONAL SPUR AWARD 2003.
- THIS IS MY LIFE (the live show formerly known as Morning Memoirs – hosted by Mark Kristian and starring FRANK IFIELD – has been a huge success wherever it plays. Happy crowds joined Frank and Mark for a fun-filled show of amusing anecdotes and marvellous memories on:
- Sunday 12 October, 2pm at Rooty Hill RSL Club.
- Sunday 19th October, 2pm at Canterbury Hurlstone Park RSL Club.Check the MEMORIES page for photos and audio highlights from previous shows.
The 2003 Galston Country Music Festival was an enormous success. Patron Frank Ifield is pictured left at Fagan Park, catching up with an old mate, John Rowles.
The Special Galston Rotary Benefit Night, to assist the Waddell Familyon August 2nd at the Burning Log Function Room was a huge success! That night’s show, Frank Ifield Presents: was a big ovation-winner!
Frank Ifield, Donna Boyd, John Stephan
Steve Passfield
Pictured Left: Frank with Reuben and Patricia Bates-Brownsword, proud owners of a guitar, specially autographed to commemorate the evening.
Donna and Frank with the Doug Charles Band. (L to R:) Donna, Doug, Rob, Bob, Kevin, Dorothy, Frank.
Enjoying the show, proud mother Mrs. Ifield with sons David, Frank, Bob and Colin.
It was all 'thumbs up' when Frank caught up with HERMAN'S HERMITS, July 2003, backstage at Blacktown RSL Club in Sydney.
- 16 June 2003: Frank is delighted to report that Donna Boyd’s single ALL ROADS LEAD BACK TO YOU made a staggering leap up the E.M.S. EUROPEAN MOST POPULAR INDEPENDENT TOP 30 CHART last month reaching #5, and also rode high in the Australian Country Tracks Top 30 Chart where previous Spur Award winners Karen O’Shea, Wayne Law and Michael Carr also dominate.
Pictured above, L to R, celebrating Donna's single reaching #5 on the European chart: Lady Vikki Page, Karen Versace, Bob Howe, Frank, Doug & Donna Boyd, Tony Page.
- BBC Essex: 18th May 2003 – Frank Ifield was the guest on Eric Hall’s Monster Memories Show…
- Frank recently appeared on the popular ABC Radio show ‘Saturday Night Country‘ with John Nutting. Also performing live on the show was 2003 International Frank Ifield Spur Award Winner DONNA BOYD.
Pictured below, L to R: Frank, Doug & Donna Boyd and Steve Passfield at the Sydney ABC Radio studios. Photo courtesy of John Nutting.
- The Frank Ifield story on New Dimensions was repeated on 30th June. Frank was featured in a wonderful segment on ABC-TV’s New Dimensions with George Negus which was produced by Mark Stanforth. Originally broadcast on 17 March,
- CHINA CONNECTION: Frank reports, “… I was so surprised to learn that someone in China was trying to track me down. The mystery deepened until it was finally revealed that radio presenterKeith Perronwanted to do a radio interview. Keith, has been based in China for around six years and had played various tracks from a Canadian released CD of mine purchased while on holiday to his home in Canada. The response he got from his millions of listeners across China inspired him to contact me for an interview. The interview was so much fun to do and he had lined up a big surprise for me. He introduced a lady by the name of Yvonne who said she and her family were neighbours of mine in Dural when I first arrived in Australia in 1948. She spoke to me of my early years and related how they saw my first stage appearance at the age of 9 in a school concert from the Dural Memorial Hall. It was such a joy to talk to them both and the interview seemed more like a cosy fireside chat.” Keith edited it into a hour long spot which was broadcast on 21st March at www.crimusic.com.cn.
It was a packed house at Canterbury-Hurlstone Park RSL Club in Sydney on March 13th when the winner of the FRANK IFIELD INTERNATIONAL SPUR AWARD was announced. A surprised and delighted DONNA BOYD had just finished performing as a special guest on the monthly Canterbury Country show, when FRANK IFIELD himself came on stage (with Tony and Vikki Page of the Galston Festival) and presented Donna with the trophy. The award, which is given in conjunction with The Galston Country Music Festival, is an encouragement award with a focus on aspiring new talent. As part of the prize, Donna’s track All Roads Lead Back To You, from her T.I.A.R.A. winning album All Roads, will now receive significant airplay and promotion in Europe.
Later that night, the show’s host Bob Howe also introduced KAREN O’SHEA who won the 2001 International Spur award and went on to reach No 7 on the European Country Music Top 40, and WAYNE HORSBURGH, winner of the 2000 Millennium Achievement Spur Award. Wayne continues his work as an ambassador for Australian Country Music as he returns this month to Branson in the USA. He will be headlining the main show each night at Silver Dollar City for the next seven months.
TRIBUTE TO ADAM FAITH
The first I heard of Adam’s sudden passing away of a heart attack was when the BBC rang me for comment in the early hours of the morning. Being still half-asleep it came as double the shock to me. Adam had his first hit What Do You Want in November 1959, the very month and year that I arrived in Britain to try my luck. I recall doing one of my first TV appearances on his show in 1960 when he had his second number one Poor Me. My first impression was of a shy unassuming man with loads of talent. Later, I got to know him on a more personal level because my former wife Gillian and his wife Jackie were close friends having both been London Palladium TV dancers for Pam Devis and also part of Lionel Blair’s dancing troupe. I gained great comfort in learning that Jackie and Gillian were holidaying together in Spain when the sad news broke and I am thankful that these close friends were together to console one another during this tragic time.
One of Adam’s foibles was that when touring overseas he would pack all the English food he would need, as he was not adventurous enough to eat ‘foreign muck’ as he called it. I admired Adam greatly as an artist, for despite the fact that he had achieved no less than 2 # ones plus a further 9 top ten hits from 1959 throught to 1966, he was able to turn his hand to becoming a fine actor. Not only on stage but also in TV productions where most people will remember him in the role of Budgie.
My admiration of Adam went beyond the footlights for he was also a very clever bussinessman and courageous when it came to investments. But it will always be as a showbiz talent that I, like his multitude of admirers will always remember him.
Thank you mate, for all the pleasurable memories you have left behind to cheer us in these uncertain times.
- 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 in the Tamworth ABC studios for a chat after the announcement. Full story here…Right: Frank unveiling his plaque on Thursday 23rd.
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