Goodbye: John Rowles says his final farewell to Geelong at the end of the month.
ERIN PEARSON
JOHN Rowles was a fresh-faced and fancy free 17-year-old when he first touched foot on Australian shores in 1964.
Little did the promising Kiwi singer expect the adventure to catapult him onto the world stage and through more than four decades of success.
Few stars can say they’ve partied with Elvis, dated I Dream of Jeannie’s Barbara Eden, played tennis with Olivia Newton John, talked rugby with Tom Jones or turned down an offer to record Kenny Rogers’ newly written song Lucille.
Rowles will celebrate his 65th birthday in Geelong as part of his final farewell tour, Now is the hour – The Final Bow.
“I first came over with Eddy Lowe and we were a duo singing Beatles songs in Melbourne and Sydney. Then I went solo but it was tough and I had to go out on the road with Billy Thorpe and, boy oh boy, I wasn’t ready for that,” Rowles laughed.
“Then by chance I met Cliff Richard’s manager, Peter Gormley, and in no time I was on the road to London and superstardom.”
Rowles’ hits include Cheryl Moana Marie, Tania and If I Only Had Time.
He was looking forward to visiting Geelong so he could make his audience feel special “one last time”.
“I want them to feel they’ve been touched like they’re the only person in the room and I’m singing directly to them,” Rowles said.
“After all these years that’s still the most important thing to me.
“It means a lot to me to travel the world and perform one last time for all those people who have supported me over the last 45 years and, most importantly, to know I’ll be giving them 100 per cent.
“The voice feels great, I feel great and the time feels right.”
Rowles plays Geelong Performing Arts Centre on March 29.
