John Farnham Biography
John Farnham is an Australian pop star singer. Farnham was a teen pop idol from 1967 until 1979. Then billed as Johnny Farnham, but has since forged a career as an adult contemporary singer. Despite him being a solo artist, Farnham replaced Glenn Shorrock as the lead singer of Little River Band from 1982 to 1985. 1986 in September, his solo single “You’re the Voice” peaked at No. 1 on the Australian singles charts.
John Farnham Age
John Farnham was born in the year 1949 on 1st July in Dagenham, England. he is currently 73 years of age in 2022.
John Farnham Weight and Height
Farnham stands at an average height and has moderate weight. Also appears to be quite tall in stature in his photos.
John Farnham Early Life and Education
John Peter Farnham Sr is John’s father and Rose Farnham is the mother. Peter has two sisters Jean and Jaqueline. Also has a brother by the name of Steven. John and his family lived in the United Kingdom for ten years before they moved to Australia in 1959 to live in Melbourne, Victoria.
So Farnham went to Yarraman Park State School which is now Yarraman Oaks Primary School. Later went to Lyndale Primary School and Lyndale High School.
John Farnham Career
Peter while attending school in 1964 he performed with the local band The Mavericks on weekends as Johnny Farnham. The band had a five-song repertoire.
Farnham was asked to join the band Strings Unlimited as lead singer in 1965. However it was a band composed entirely of string-only instruments, and they had a regular booking at a local hotel.
After making the state finals of the Hoadley’s Battle of the Sounds in 1966 they recorded a three-track demo tape with Farnham on vocals. So Barry Roy was on rhythm guitar, Mike Foenander on keyboards, Joe Cincotta on bass, Stewart Male on lead guitar, and Peter Foggie on drums.
Later Farnham did a cover of the British novelty song “Sadie” and the cover earned him his first commercial success. In addition, John released an album in 1969 and it peaked at No. 12 on the Australian albums charts. The album was Everybody Oughta Sing a Song.
In 1970 in July Farnham released his next album called Looking Through a Tear and it peaked at #11. Similarly the same year in October he released”Comic Conversations” and it peaked at number 10.
During 1971, Farnham teamed up with Allison Durbin, who had been chosen as ‘The Most Popular Female Performer at the ‘King of Pop awards for 1969–71. To clarify they did an album and a single song. So the album was Together and a single song was “Baby, Without You”
In 1971 another stage musical for Farnham was Charlie Girl and Jillian Billman was one of the dancers. So later Farnham married Jillian Billman on 18 April 1973.
You’re the Voice
John started collecting a song list for a future solo album while still in Little River Band. Therefore finished his vocals for their album, No Reins, and left in late 1985.
The first solo for Farnham’s performances since 1981 were live shows with Brett Garsed on lead guitar, Sam See on guitar, Derek Pellicci on drums, and Bruno Di Stanislo on electric bass and vocals.
Initially, public interest in the re-branded former teen idol was difficult to cultivate, and radio stations refused to play Farnham’s album. However, it started to change when Sydney radio station 2Day FM played its first single, “You’re the Voice”, which was released in September 1986. Henceforth, radio stations began receiving requests for the song.
Age of Reason and Chain Reaction
Farnham released “Age of Reason” in July 1988 and it peaked at No. 1 on the ARIA singles charts. It was written by Johanna Pigott and Dragon member Todd Hunter. The album, Age of Reason, produced by Ross Fraser, premiered at No 1. in August. It stayed on top for eight weeks. Therefore it was the highest-selling album in Australia from 1988.
In 2015, John and Wheatley spoke out against the use of his iconic signature song, “You’re the Voice”, being used by Reclaim Australia, an anti-Islamic group, and again in 2020 in regard to its use at anti-lockdown rallies during the stage 4 COVID-19 pandemic in Melbourne, Victoria which Wheatley described as offensive to Farnham.
John Farnham’s Net worth
John Farnham has a net worth of $15 million dollars. This amount has accumulated over the years he has been serving.
Wife
Farnham is a husband to Jillian Billman who was an Australian dancer. they have been together from 1973 till date.
Children
The following are the names of John’s children
- Robert Farnham
- James Farnham
Songs
- You’re the voice
- Age of reason
- That’s Freedom
- A Touch of Paradise
- Pressure Down
- Burn for You
- One
- Angels
- Every Time You Cry
- Have a Little Faith (In Us)
- Reminiscing
- Help
- Please Don’t Ask Me
- Cool Change
- Thunder in Your Heart
- Seemed Like a Good Idea (At the Time)
- When the War Is Over
- Talk of the Town
- Reasons
- Lonesome Loser
- Don’t You Know It’s Magic
- A Simple Life
- Comic Conversation
- Lady
- Break the Ice
Awards
- Logie Award for Most Popular Music
- Logie Award for Best Australian Teenage Personality