THE TIME HAS COME AGAIN
TO WISH YOU ALL
A VERY JOYFUL CHRISTMAS
and a Bright New Year
ahead for 2006.
Farewell, Faithful Friend:
“Gloom surrounded us on the morning of Monday the 10th October, when my dear old cherished canine companion passed away, just five days before his 13th birthday.
We got him from the Pound when he was a lolloping puppy of just ten months old. A large black Labrador/Great Dane cross, answering to the name of Caesar; but he very quickly adopted the new name we had chosen for him; Bracken.
So readily, did he accept affection and adapt to his new surroundings that one could believe that he was somehow aware of being granted another chance in life.
Although, Bracken grew up to be an even larger and more hairy dog, he still tried to hop up onto my lap like a puppy for a cuddle. He was certainly a gentleman in a dog’s world, always willing to do whatever it took to please and would gladly learn new tricks even into his later years.
He has left us with so many happy memories that it is difficult to accept that his tail has finally stopped wagging.
Bracken was a great guard dog; my confidant and sympathiser and if there is one main lesson I have learned it would be – I wish I could be the fellow, that faithful old dog thought that I was.”
Following the publication of Volume One of the Frank Ifield Autobiography
I Remember Me -The First 25 Years, Australian fans will have a unique opportunity to meet Frank and hear him talk about the book at personal limited edition book signings.
Hear Frank outline the stories from the book of his early years in war-torn Britain; His colourful life and career in Australia during the 50’s; followed by his International success in Europe and the United States; How he introduced ‘The Beatles’ before they became a major success, and his many Royal Command Performances at the famous London Palladium.
Frank appeared on R.E.M. fm – Radio Europe Mediterraneo – 104.8 fm Costa del Sol, on Wednesday 14th September
on The Boland Show with Maurice Boland.
My sincere congratulations to
John Stephan, Donna Boyd and Carter & Carter for their magnificent performances on Saturday 17th September, in front of a most appreciative capacity crowd at Canterbury Hurlstone Park RSL in the show ‘Classic Country’.
Following on the heels of the Galston Country Music Festival, it proved yet again that with the right format and quality performers, country music has a wide acceptance within the metropolis. Also included in the show were the sensational award winning line dance group ‘Hotfoot’ who showed us that line dancing can be an art form.
It was a nice surprise to be able to bring to the stage the TV personality newsreader for Channel 10, Ron Wilson who joined me to introduce John Stephan. John’s performance won the hearts of the entire audience and Ron and I both predict a huge future for this stand out performer whose good looks are matched by his unique and stunning voice.
The 2005 Galston Country Music Festival at Fagan Park, Galston on Sunday Sept. 11th was another huge success. Pictured above is Festival Patron FRANK IFIELD with special guests CARTER & CARTER (Photo by Terry Phillpot – Eyeball Photographic Services).
Frank appeared on BBC RADIO HUMBERSIDE, Saturday 3rd September on Tim Jibson’s Good Times and Great Oldies show. Listen to a replay in Real Audio™.
A great interview that focuses on Frank’s U.K. Number One hits!
5 MAY: I REMEMBER YOU from the new 3-CD compilation
FRANK IFIELD – “The Complete A-Sides & B-Sides” has entered the CHi UK/European chart at No. 3. The classic 1962 track was produced by Norrie Paramor and has been enhanced and remixed into stereo by Frank’s former musical director, BOB HOWE. More details below…
LISTEN to Frank and Bob talk about the project plus hear a sample of the song in Windows Media™ or Real Audio™
I Remember Me
The First 25 YearsFrank Ifield Autobiography
Volume OneWritten by Frank Ifield
with co-writer Pauline HalfordPublished by Kempton Marks (AuthorsOnline)ISBN 0 7552 0501 4You can buy it:
From bookshops in the UK and USA , price £10.99 (UK) or $15.95 (USA)
Online via the publisher’s website at www.authorsonline.co.uk or through
Amazon (UK) – Amazon (USA),
and other Internet bookstores.Mail order to anywhere in the world – contact Authors Online at
+44 (0)1633 676629
Released now in the U.K.
A new 3-CD compilation –
Frank Ifield
“The Complete A-Sides & B-Sides”This is the first time that all Frank’s UK Columbia “A” and “B” sides have been presented together in one collection. Added for your additional pleasure, four bonus tracks: Firstly, three recordings in German of his big hits from the early days, then finally, a new update of Frank’s original hit version of I Remember You, backed as Frank would have liked to have heard it back then – with some subtle but delightful country steel guitar.For the full track listing (64 tracks on 3 CDs) plus an extended version of the liner notes by noted writer and broadcaster PAUL HAZELL,
click here…You can buy it:
From all good music stores in the U.K.
and now Australia too
(Catalog No.) EMI 474 5442or internationally throughAmazon (UK)Amazon (USA).
April-May 2005:
WAYNE HORSBURGH was currently on tour in the U.K. – an expedition promoted by Frank. Wayne has a new album, Can You Hear Those Pioneers? available in the U.K. from April 15 on Jasmine Records.
CLICK HERE for Wayne’s U.K. Tour dates…
(Photo of Frank and Wayne by Terry Phillpot)
STACEY MORRIS wins the 2005 FRANK IFIELD INTERNATIONAL SPUR AWARD!
The 2005
FRANK IFIELD
INTERNATIONAL SPUR AWARD was presented to a stunned and delighted
STACEY MORRIS during the monthly Canterbury Country show on Thursday 10th March at Canterbury-Hurlstone Park RSL Club in Sydney.
Frank handed over the trophy (along with last year’s winner
GRAHAM G. TOOLE, pictured with Stacey and Frank), which is given in conjunction with The Galston Country Music Festival, saying “…the first time I heard Stacey sing, it was listening to the album Borders and Boundaries. I was bowled sideways by the emotional quality of her voice.” The award will see Stacey gain increased recognition overseas, as did former winners DONNA BOYD and WAYNE LAW, who have recently achieved chart and touring success in the UK and Europe.
UPDATE: Stacey’s single So Far Away entered a European chart at No. 7 and has already appeared at No. 2 on a Scottish chart!
Also during the night, two other awards were presented: Frank is also Patron of MATS (MUSIC & ARTS TALENT SEARCH) which encourages younger talent. The Inaugural MATS Patron’s Awards went to vocalist
KIRSTY LEE AKERS and
guitarist LUKE KOTERAS.
The concert also featured 2004 Golden Saddle winner ROB WILSON.
Pictured left: Presenter WAYNE HORSBURGH, KIRSTY LEE AKERS, FRANK IFIELD
Pictured below:FRANK IFIELD, Presenter DONNA BOYD, LUKE KOTERAS
Above: FRANK IFIELD, STACEY MORRIS and
TONY PAGE of The Galston Country Music Festival
Jan 29th, 2005:
Frank Ifield was one of the many guests appearing at The Hills For Hope Concert at the Hills Centre for The Performing Arts, which raised $60,000 for the Tsunami Disaster Relief.
“I was most impressed by the entire production and it was great to rub shoulders with so many of my contemporaries and see such fine professionals strut their stuff on stage including Glen Shorrock, Mental As Anything, Hush, Human Nature, Mike McClellan, Kevin Johnson, Cosima Da Vito, Greg Page, John Paul Young, John Waters, Lounge Soul, Mick Gerace, Six And Out, Steve Facey, The Cockroaches, Three Day Grothe etc…
The audience numbered in excess of 1300 people in a room of 1600 capacity, so it was an extremely heart-warming and successful night. The show overran by almost an hour, yet such was the measure of the audience enjoyment that everyone stayed till the very end. Glenn A Baker did a wonderful job as the compere and managed to swell the coffers enormously with the auctions between the acts. To single out a few that I know of, a package of memorabilia given by Kevin Johnson (pictured above) that included the one-off first pressing of Rock & Roll I Gave You All The Best Years Of My Life earned the princely sum of $1700, while my donation of a CD Box set of Remembering the 60’s put out to celebrate EMI’s 100 years of British Recording reached $1000.
I know, I speak on behalf of all involved when I say how deeply satisfying it was to be able to give some help to the helpless victims of the dreadful disaster that has touched the heart of people throughout the world.”
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