Johnny O’Keefe

Born and named John Michael O’Keefe on January 19th 1935, the second son of Thelma and Ray, was destined to become an integral part of Australian social history. Little did they know that 18 or so years in the future he would, for near on 25 years, have the highest profile, be the most controversial, but would be the most helpful performer and music producer the Australian music business would ever see. Why, you say? Well, to cut to the chase and leave out the promotional hype, Johnny O’Keefe, by achieving things for himself, put himself in the position of ‘having’ to help others. By default, he ended up being the major force of the new music industry. Whilst he had little option but to help others, he took on the challenge personally and really did try to nurture most of the artists he hired. The whole music scene was to benefit from it. Doubters of this assumption are invited to present any other performer or promoter within the music industry at that time and since, with the exception of Lee Gordon, who was able to, and in fact did, help so many to success. Little Johnny was raised in the upper crust suburb of Dover Heights in Sydney’s east, where most residents can choose whatever panoramic view they want, looking west back over the beautiful harbour to Sydney’s skyline, or eastward out across the wide blue Pacific Ocean. No, life was not too tough for Johnny or his family, although his parents Ray and Thelma had both worked very hard for many years, to achieve what they had. His schooling started at the quaint little Catholic Church School just around the corner from the home and then on to Christian Brothers in the close suburb of Waverly next to Bondi. He stayed until matriculation and then followed Barry his elder brother, to Sydney University where he studied economics. The academic career he was heading towards at this stage, did a disappearing act as soon as his passion for entertaining showed it could provide him some financial income. His parents weren’t very happy about his choice yet, like most caring parents, they went along for the ride because that is what their child really wanted to do. Well, we all can thank them, because if they had deprived him of making that choice, who knows what type of music industry we might have had if any. The chances are you would not have ever heard of many of the stars you now know so well! Who knows who else would have created monopolies that could have totally stifled competition instead of adopting the ‘help’ approach as J.O’K did.! Finally the chances are slim that Australia would have a popular music industry as it does today!

Johnny O’Keefe reached the top of his chosen profession, despite not being blessed with a wonderful voice. What he lacked in vocal ability, he made up for with a fierce determination to succeed, an uncanny ability to pick a hit song, a sheer magnetism on stage and a work ethic that would have destroyed most. He was a major figure in establishing rock’n’roll and pop music in Australia and despite sharing the bill with some of the greatest names of the rock era (Little Richard, Eddie Cochran, Gene Vincent, Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, Bobby Darin, Tommy Sands, and The Platters to name but a few), on stage, with the fabulous Dee Jays, O’Keefe had no peer. Johnny invariably blasted overseas acts off the stages of Stadiums right throughout the country with his frantic stage act; an act that earned him the title ‘The Wild One.’ His achievements in a twenty-six year career are staggering. He was the first Australian rocker to win a recording contract, and was the first Australian artist to ever make the Australian Top 40 charts, with ‘Wild One’. He was the first Australian rock artist to be signed by, and record for, a major international label – the US Liberty label. Out of that association came three Australian Number One hits, and a Number Four hit. His 35 Top 40 hits are second to none among Australian performers. His 1959 recording ‘Shout’ became the Australian Rock ‘n’roll’ National Anthem. His biggest hit ‘I’m Counting On You’ spent a staggering ten weeks on top of the Sydney Top 40 Charts in 1961. His last hit ‘Mockingbird’ topped the Australian charts in 1974, despite initially being rejected by radio stations preferring an inferior US version. O’Keefe also produced hits for other Australian artists, including Lonnie Lee, Warren Williams, Barry Stanton and The Delltones. He pioneered rock’n’roll tours throughout country Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland. He also pioneered teenage music shows on radio and television. He was the first Australian rock’n’roll artist to have his own national radio program (‘Rockville Junction’ on ABC Radio) and, was the first Australian rocker to have his own weekly national television program, ‘Six O’Clock Rock’ on the ABC. In fact, he ultimately compered four television programs. He was tireless in his efforts to help young artists to the top. Johnny gave Australians the opportunity to gain invaluable experience on television before heading overseas. Many Australian performers owe their start on television to O’Keefe. Diana Trask, Olivia Newton John, Helen Reddy and Peter Allen are prime examples of artists who benefited from his support and when on to international success. They in turn paved the way for today’s Australian artists to be accepted overseas. Despite not achieving international fame himself, Johnny still toured America in 1960, performing in 36 major cities and appearing on top rating television shows – all firsts for an Australian entertainer. Some other, but not all, career highlights included… A very successful tour in 1964 with US entertainment legend Jack Benny; …his successful tour entertaining troops in Vietnam in 1969; …his triumph at the three day Sunbury Outdoor Music Festival in 1973; …the 1974 ‘Good Old Days of Rock’n’roll’ (also featuring Lonnie Lee, Laurel Lea, Dinah Lee, Johnny Devlin, and Jade Hurley) shows which broke attendance records nightly at Sydney’s St George’s Leagues Club; …and the celebration of his life and career on ‘This Is Your Life’ in 1975.

His life was not only a series of great highs, but also of many lows. A near fatal car crash in 1960 not only affected him physically, but it also had a huge psychological impact. He suffered a series of highly publicised nervous breakdowns through the early 1960s and these saw him undergo electric shock treatment and lengthy periods in institutions, including Ryde Psychiatric Centre. The arrival of The Beatles and other ‘long haired’ groups in 1963/4 saw him and that whole first era, slide from popularity. This together with the loss of his television shows, and the death in 1963 of his mentor and friend, the legendary promoter Lee Gordon, hit him hard. Despite being written off by critics, fans and many in the industry, Johnny demonstrated an amazing capacity to bounce back at different times through the 1960s and 1970s. Whilst he achieved some of his greatest successes during these times he could not keep the fight up forever. Gradually it all took a toll on his personal life and resulted in the collapse of his first marriage, and the loss of daily contact with his three young children who he adored. With the gradual demise of his career, in the face of major changes in music, Johnny increasingly sought solace in alcohol and prescription drugs, and this eventually took the ultimate toll. Like Elvis, America’s King of Rock’n’Roll, it will be Johnny O’Keefe’s fans who will write the final epitaph for history. Editor’s Note It is very easy for each of us to judge another’s shortcomings, weaknesses and character traits they were born with; however, who’s to say we would act any differently or better, if we were subjected to the experiences and demons that impacted their lives.

Whilst he recorded many singles, extended plays and albums there were the major hits which stood out from those others that also received plays. The list below reflects the biggest of his hits on their first release except for ‘Shout’ which did it again in 1964, the year of the English invasion and the start of the dimming of the first original Rock’n’Roll lights around the world.

1957 (You Hit The Wrong Note) Billy Goat / I’m Still Alive (The Chicken Song) (78 RPM) Festival FS – 1532 7/57 1958 So Tough / That’ll Be Alright – Festival FK – 3037 7/58 1959 Shout / What’d I Say – Lee Gordon LS – 575 11/59 She’s My Baby / Own True Self – Lee Gordon LS – 582 12/59 1960 Don’t You Know / Come On And Take My Hand – Lee Gordon LS – 600 7/60 1961 I’m Counting On You / Right Now – Leedon LK – 113 8/61 1962 Sing Sing Sing / To Love – Leedon LK – 184 1/62 I Thank You / Heaven Sent – Leedon LK – 298 11/62 1963 Move Baby Move / You’ll Never Cherish a Love So True (Until You Lose It)- Leedon LK – 378 5/63 1964 She Wears My Ring / Let’s Love Tonight – Leedon LK – 574 3/64 Shout Parts 1 &2 / Come On And Take My Hand (both re recordings) – Leedon LK – 636 5/64 1973 Mockingbird / Soulshake (with Margaret McLaren)- Festival FK – 5177 7/73

Six O’Clock Rock	Johnny O’Keefe Show	Sing Sing Sing	Where the Action is
ABN 2 (ABC) February 1959 to 1962	ATN7 October 1961 to August 1962	ATN7 February 1963 to October 1965	TEN10 January 1967 to November 1967
Come 6 O’clock every Saturday night, right across the ABC network you’d hear the sounds of London’s Big Ben Clock chiming out whilst on screen a silhouette couple would be dancin’ their socks off. The sounds of… “Weeeeee’ll , come on everybody its 6 O’clock huh huh huh” would bend the small TV speakers and Australia’s first ‘live’ Rock’n’Roll show would be on its way! It started in February 1959 and first hired J.O’K as a singer with his band The DeeJays. They were to present the minority ‘New Music’ part of the show, with Modern Jazz and contemporary hits of the early 50’s making up the ‘most important’ part of the show. It wasn’t long before two things happened. The first was that the new audience spread across Australia turned out to be the teenagers who demanded more of this new music stuff… The second was when producer Peter Page made Johnny the compere instead of just an act. As he had never been a radio or TV compere before, his first few weeks as compere could be described as ‘disastrous. He would forget stars names and songs when announcing them and would generally just fumble through. However this is exactly what the teenagers wanted as it quickly became the most popular TV show. Future stars such as Lonnie Lee, Barry Stanton, Warren Williams and hundreds of others were to get their first ‘Australia-wide’ exposure through this show. It eventually lost some appeal after Johnny was replaced and it became more ‘softer’ and like Bandstand which was its opposition in TCN9. In 1962 the plug as finally pulled and the screen went black. It went into history as the first ever true raw Rock’n’Roll TV Show in Australia. It has not been forgotten however. Mention the name to anyone over 40 and you’ll get a ‘gleam’ in the eye and ‘what a great show’ response.	A little later, Johnny was successful in getting ATN7 and its network to go ahead with a big production show that would feature many of the stars who got their first breaks on Six O’clock Rock a few years before. Unlike Six O’clock Rock, it featured a large orchestra with most backings for the songs being pre-recorded at the Festival Records’ studio. Some of the stars had to mime their songs whilst at time others were ‘live’. Virtually no expense was spared with the sets, lighting and production facilities, even though they still had a limited budget which Johnny was for ever trying to get increased. The most popular artists of the time such as Lonnie, Lucky, Warren, Barry etc., were naturally featured often, but Johnny still had room for the newer acts who he thought had the potential to ‘make it’. The actual show was recorded in the Epping studios of ATN7 and there were several producers over the run of the show. The Australian Rock’n’Roll industry really grew during these times due to the fact that as soon as an artist had a new record, it could be aired that same week right across the country. Due to the pressures of trying to balance a touring schedule, producing records and putting many hours a week into this TV show, Johnny unfortunately had a health breakdown and the show was put on hold.	After reinstalling Johnny, ATN decided to call the show ‘Sing Sing Sing’ in case he would have to leave again. This was they could still keep the show going with another compere if they wanted. Johnny had a great record release at the time called ‘Sing ‘ and this was to become the well known theme. The show was produced much the same as its forerunner ‘The Johnny O’Keefe Show’ and its popularity was still very high. The two main producers for both these series were Ron Way and Kevin Ryder. It would have possibly gone on for many years but unfortunately Johnny’s health deteriorated and his physiological problems that started after the crash continued to haunt him.withe back to haunt him.	This was Ten’s first attempt at a popular music TV show and they decided to film it all on outside locations. This gave the viewer a scenic tour of Sydney while watching and listening to their favourite stars. The show lasted only a few months due to budget problems and low viewer ratings. Ten at the time was a new station and their signal could only be picked up in a small proportion of the Sydney market. Later they took care of this problem, however in the early stages they had many frustrated television set owners who could never see the station or the program ‘Where the Action is’. This was to be Johnny’s last weekly TV series..