January 2008

 

Happy New Year!

 

Well, what a busy wind up for the year of 2007 and an incredible year for me! Some new recording and a debut at the Byron Blues and Roots Festival was like a breath of fresh air and resulted in new acceptance within the music industry in Australia.


Among my regular array of performances and appearances during 2007, some of the highlights were of course Byron, The Concert for Max (the fund raiser for Max Merrit who is dealing with ongoing illness in the ‘States’ and a DVD for whom is on it’s way), Seniors’ concerts in Melbourne, the odd 60th Birthday gig, an ABC Docu/Drama, and a celebration of my very own 60th at Crown Casino. What a year!!
 
Max Merritt’s benefit was fantastic. The people who volunteered to help read like the who’s who of the music industry, something akin to Long Way To The Top, and the Countdown Tours all lovingly merged. I had a wonderful reception from the amazing audience – if you were one of the lucky ones who were there you’ll know what I mean!


Over that same weekend two ads were placed in the Melbourne weekend papers advertising the “Normie’s 60 and We’re Celebrating” Concert to be staged in December at Melbourne’s Crown Casino Palms Room. The bookings opened the day after Max’s benefit, and were all sold out by that afternoon!
 
On December 5th, the Normie @ Crown show was played to a loving audience. Such a night - with stars like Russell Morris, the cast of ‘Shout’ including Colleen Hewett, Glenn Shorrock and Tim Campbell, Mike (MPD Ltd) Brady, Bobby Bright, Marcie and the Cookies, Debra Byrne, & Ronnie Burns. Ray ‘Gloria’ Burgess, and Tony Worsley who has just come back into the music circuit, gave some of the other memorable performances. Tony has an amazing bass baritone voice these days, and he still exudes his boyish persona of the ‘60’s.

 
The Show was compered by some of Melbourne’s most loved MC’s. Ken Sparkes (the voice of the 9 Network), Greg ‘Blind Date Evans, John Michael ‘Hollywood’ Howson, and all the way from his home in Broome WA, Lionel ‘Yorkie’ Yorke.
The 2 backing bands were variously directed by Peter Sullivan, and especially for me, Sam See.
The whole night was launched by a very special version of It Ain’t Necessarily So by Normie Rowe and the original Playboys…that was a very touching experience. The icing on the cake was that I was able to offer the proceeds raised on the night to Max as an extra boost towards his ongoing treatment

 

 During the latter part of the year I was approached with a very exciting offer - to play the part of Harold Holt, the Australian Prime Minister who disappeared while swimming at Cheviot Beach, Portsea, Victoria. in 1967. There is still a lot of conjecture as to what actually happened to Sir Harold.
Peter Butt, the producer/director of ‘The Prime Minister is Missing’ said  “Normie is the perfect choice for the part, with a remarkable resemblance” and “Normie’s skill at characterization brought Harold back to life for me to capture with the camera”. So you can be the judge -
‘The Prime Minister is Missing’ will be seen nationally around April/May this year on the ABC.
 
Also seeing light of day are a number of Normie Rowe tracks that have until now been unavailable. With the help of a long time colleague Mark Rhodes, I collated what I thought was the definitive and graphic collection of my entire recording career until now.


The CD is available at JB HiFi, and throughout all good music stores across Australia, or at www.normierowe.com <http://www.normierowe.com/>  and go to the shop
Some of the songs are: Elizabeth, Mother’s Boy, Que Sera Sera, party Mix, Rock ‘n’ Roll You’re Beautiful, Hello, Maybe Tomorrow, A live Shakin’ All Over from ‘Long Way To The Top’, and two songs from a set recorded live in 1966 at Melbourne’s Festival Hall during the final of Hoadley’s Battle of the Sounds.
 
If you’re near the Gold Coast on February 23rd and you can make your way to the Sanctuary Cove Village Theatre, you can catch me in my “Normie Unplugged Show”. This is a great theatre, and is one of my most loved venues. The Village theatre is small & intimate and the audience so close, I could just reach out a touch them! It’s going to be a great night and I hope to see you there!

 
Other dates coming up are in Melbourne and country Victoria, Adelaide and Perth. For details keep an eye out at www.normierowe.com <http://www.normierowe.com/>  and go to tour dates.
 
 Keep on rockin’ until we talk again next month.

 

Normie