By JOHN VAN KLAVEREN
IT’S HARD to know what Tom Burlinson is better known for – his uncanny take on Frank Sinatra or his bond with horses.
Both have figured prominently in his career but it’s the singer side of Burlinson that will take the stage at Geelong Performing Arts Centre (GPAC) next week when he brings to town his new show, Now We’re Swingin’.
“It may be about even now,” the show business veteran chuckled down the line from Darwin this week as he prepared to perform the musical in the Top End.
As a young actor, Burlinson first found fame in the lead role of The Man from Snowy River, renowned for its iconic sequence of a supreme rider chasing wild brumbies down the steepest slope imaginable.
Although that was in 1981, he claimed more horsey roles in another iconic Aussie movie, Phar Lap, and in the 2011 feature film The Cup, which had a racing storyline, as well as The Man from Snowy River II.
In between Burlinson found his voice and it was the Sinatra connection that had audiences sitting up and taking notice.
Burlinson was cast as the voice of “young Frank” in the Golden Globe award-winning mini-series Sinatra, the Australian performer’s first professional singing engagement.
As a child, “the man in the hat”, as the young Burlinson referred to Sinatra, was a source of fascination.
He even wrote a song about him, which Burlinson performed on television’s former Midday Show. The tape of the performance won him the voice role in the mini-series.
Having two strings to his professional bow made all the difference to the longevity of his career, Burlinson freely admitted.
“I count myself very fortunate that I’ve been able to use other skills that are still performance related.
“I’m still happy to be traveling around the country and sharing my love for the music.”
In this two hour show he croons his way through around 30 of the most popular classics of the past 60 years by composers such as Cole Porter, Rodgers and Hart, and Cahn and Van Heusen.
The song list includes Come Fly With Me, I’ve Got You Under My Skin, The Lady is a Tramp, Fly Me to the Moon, Mack the Knife, My Way, That’s Life and New York New York, to name just a few.
“I don’t try and impersonate Frank but I sing very much in the Sinatra style,” Burlison explained.
“Between the songs I chat with the audience and provide some biographical details and entertaining anecdotes, always focusing on the music.”
Burlinson will perform Now We’re Swingin’ at GPAC’s Playhouse on 8 August.
