In a Father’s Day tribute, James Farnham has given a rare glimpse into his father, Australian music legend John Farnham.
Last Sunday, Sept. 6, the younger Farnham posted four images of his father, along with a note thanking the singer for a lifetime of support. The tribute went up on the day Australians marked Father’s Day.
A Father’s Day Message
“From one father to another, I’ve realised just how much you’ve taught me over the years… some useful, some questionable,” James Farnham wrote. “You’ve always been a great dad and someone I’ve looked up to my whole life.”
His father, he said, has “always been positive, fun, silly and never taken yourself too seriously, which I’m pretty sure is where I get most of my silliness from.”.
He wrote “Thanks for making dad time good fun all these years,”.
The images follow the family’s course through time. One picture has John with long blonde hair holding baby James. A second frame catches James weeping beside his own son, Jett. The latest shot shows John and his wife Jillian Billman gazing down at baby Jett.
Life After Surgery
Since the removal of a cancerous tumor from his throat through marathon surgery in 2022, John Farnham has kept himself away from the public eye. That absence has done nothing to reduce his standing in Australia.
The singer has confirmed he will not perform again. “We can rule that out,” he told the Herald Sun in May. “Because of the surgeries to my mouth and face over the past few years, singing on stage is not something I can consider again.”
“You’ve always been a great dad and someone I’ve looked up to my whole life.”
A Busy Year of Tributes
The Songs Of John Farnham: A Living Legend The Celebration is an all-star concert taking place at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena on Sept. 20. It sold out fast, with 120 artists and musicians picked personally by Farnham to take part. The event raises money for Head and Neck Cancer Australia.
The Sydney stage will host a musical tied to Farnham’s career, set to premiere Nov. 15 at the Roslyn Packer Theatre. The record label is marking the occasion by issuing a 40th anniversary edition of Whispering Jack, coupled with the live recording Whispering Jack Live In Concert, alongside fresh numbered vinyl and related goods.
The Documentary and the Legacy
The documentary John Farnham: Finding The Voice has already earned its place among the most successful Australian music films ever made, with a box-office total of more than A$2.57 million. Earlier, it was awarded the 2024 AACTA Award for best documentary.
The 1986 album Whispering Jack remains a cultural touchstone. It spent 25 weeks at No. 1 and shifted more than one million copies, becoming the first domestic LP to do so. It still holds the record as the highest-selling album ever in Australia by a local talent.
| Album | Year | Weeks at No. 1 | Copies Sold |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whispering Jack | 1986 | 25 | 1 million+ |
A top 10 hit in the United Kingdom and, four decades on, the unofficial anthem of Australia is “The Voice,” which features Farnham’s signature song, “You’.
The Voice That Carries On
The country and his family are ensuring that John Farnham’s voice endures, even though he no longer sings.
Source: billboard.com
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