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Blasts From The Past - 50S,60S And 70S Music


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Posted

Normie Rowe - Ooh La La

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Not being Australian, I actually remember this song from the sixties, very good, I wonder what happened to Normie Rowe.

The nation was involved in the Vietnam War, and 20 year olds were liable for conscription into the military. Normie Rowe's name came up in first 1968 intake. Most conscripts were selected by a ballot of birthday dates but Normie would find out much later, that his birthday was not one of those that was drawn out. It has been suggested by many, that Normie had been conscripted because of who he was.
He served time in Vietnam, and was one of the lucky ones to return. But those two years away from his fans cost him dearly. Australia had a new King Of Pop in Johnny Farnham.

Normie scored his last hit of that era in May 1970 just after his release from the Army. However his “pop star” era had ended and he then moved into the wonderful training ground of the NSW Clubs circuit. Throughout this period, he constantly worked with big bands and the masters, Ricky May, J OK, Col Joye etc.

In 1975 he recorded his next album “Out of the Norm” which included the hit Elizabeth. He continued to perform and record sporadically.

In 1984 Normie went back to school and spent 2 years studying Drama under the mentorship of the great Hayes Gordon. He was cast in his first play towards the end of his time with Hayes and was seen by Grundy producers who then cast him in the role of Doug Fletcher, enjoying two years of success in the popular Australian soap opera, Sons and Daughters. Then, in 1987, Normie landed the lead role of Jean Valjean in the musical ‘Les Miserables’, which he played to great acclaim in over 600 performances. He then appeared in leading roles in a string of musicals, including Annie, Chess, Evita, Cyrano, Get Happy and Oklahoma. In 2002 he stole the show with his performances of Que Sera, Sera andShakin' All Over on the hugely successful Long Way To The Top concert series which played to 160,000 people Australia and became a hit CD/DVD and national television broadcast.

In 2005 Normie Rowe was inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Hall of Fame. In that year he was also recognized by the Australian War Memorial as a National Hero, alongside the likes of Sir Charles Kingsford-Smith, Vivien Bullwinkle, Keith Miller, Chips Rafferty and 45 other heroes of Australia. Normie Rowe has become a leading advocate and spokesman for the Vietnam Veterans and in 1987 and 1992 he was instrumental as a member of theNational Committees for the Vietnam Veterans Welcome Home Parade and the Vietnam National Memorial Dedication.

Normie continues a hectic schedule of live performances and has added an “Unplugged” show “An Audience With Normie Rowe” to his repertoire of performance modes and in 2006,

2007/8 saw the release of a collection of Normie's recorded works detailing chronologically his recording career form 1965 to the current day.

In 2009 Normie joined The Governor General, and Sir Jack and Lady Margaret Brabham asNational Patrons of Kidney Health Australia (Formerly The Kidney Foundation)

Normie continues to record with a 7 track Extended Play CD becoming available late 2010.

He is also well sought after on the major luxury cruise ships plying the waters of the South Pacific Asia Europe and the United States.

Posted
To all the people following "Blast from the Past 50' 60's and 70's music", you will find that my posting will be greatly reduced.

This is due to my "loss of hearing" problems that I have.

Thanks for your support and please keep supporting Ron19 with this topic.
Posted
To all the people following "Blast from the Past 50' 60's and 70's music", you will find that my posting will be greatly reduced.
This is due to my "loss of hearing" problems that I have.
Thanks for your support and please keep supporting Ron19 with this topic.

Hang in there mate and look after yourself.

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