1. Jonathan James English was an English-born Australian singer, songwriter, musician and actor.
43 Facts About Jon English
2.
Jon English emigrated from England to Australia with his parents in 1961.
3.
Jon English was an early vocalist and rhythm guitarist for Sebastian Hardie but left to take on the role of Judas Iscariot in the Australian version of the stage musical Jesus Christ Superstar from May 1972, which was broadcast on television.
4.
Jon English co-wrote and performed the score with Mario Millo.
5.
From 1983 to 1985, Jon English won four Mo Awards with three consecutive 'Entertainer of the Year' awards and a further 'Male Vocal Performer' in 1985.
6.
Jonathan James English was born in 1949 in Hampstead, London, to Sydney and Sheila English, with siblings Janet, Jeremy and Jill.
7.
Sheila and the children followed, when the family emigrated to Australia in 1961 on RMS Orion with Jon English turning 12 years old just before calling-in at Fremantle.
8.
Sydney had bought a house in Cabramatta, where young Jon English attended Cabramatta High School.
9.
Jon English's earliest known band was Zenith in 1965, formed at Cabramatta High School, and according to English "they were crap".
10.
Also attending Cabramatta High School, but one year lower was Carmen Sora; Sora and Jon English married in September 1969 when she was 19 and he was 20.
11.
In January 1972, Jon English left Sebastian Hardie when he won the role of Judas Iscariot in the Australian version of Jesus Christ Superstar from May 1972.
12.
Jon English reprised his role of Judas in the 1975 and 1978 productions.
13.
Jon English's debut single "Handbags and Gladrags", released at the same time, was a cover of the Mike d'Abo song, which had been a Top 40 hit in the UK for singer Chris Farlowe in 1967.
14.
Jon English's version peaked at No 50 on the Australian singles charts.
15.
Jon English performed a duet with fellow Superstar lead, Trevor White to release a single "Laid Back in Anger" but it had no singles chart success.
16.
Jon English performed in the stage musical The Bacchoi in 1974 for Nimrod Theatre Company; and in minor TV roles in police dramas Matlock Police in 1975, Homicide in 1976 and Chopper Squad in 1978.
17.
In 1978, TV's Seven Network and Pegasus Productions approached English to take the role of Jonathan Garrett in the historical romance miniseries Against the Wind.
18.
On 16 March 1979 Jon English won the TV Week Logie Award for 'Best New Talent in Australia' for his acting performance in Against the Wind, the programme won two other Logie Awards.
19.
Jon English teamed with former Superstar co-lead, Marcia Hines, to produce July 1982's mini-album Jokers and Queens and its self-titled single, the album peaked at No 36 on the Australian albums charts and the single reached No 62 on the singles charts.
20.
In 1984, Jon English wrote the national anthem for Hutt River Province.
21.
Jon English estimates he has performed his favorite role of Pirate King over 1,000 times.
22.
Jon English later took on other stage musicals, including Rasputin and Big River, toured with various line-ups of the Foster Brothers and released Some People.
23.
In 1988, Jon English collaborated on the song "You're Not Alone" which was The Australian Official Olympic Team Song.
24.
From 1997 to June 1998, Jon English toured his own musical show, Turn the Page.
25.
Later in 1998, Jon English toured the Michael Frayn show Noises Off.
26.
In 1999, Jon English toured Australia and New Zealand performing in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.
27.
In 2000, Jon English finished another musical project called Buskers and Angels, which toured September and October 2000 to warm reviews, and subsequently releasing a CD of the same name.
28.
At the Gimme Ted benefit concert on 10 March 2001, Jon English was backed by his former band, Sebastian Hardie, for two of his songs.
29.
Jon English released the amateur rights to his rock opera Paris and it was first performed in 2003 in Sydney and Gosford, New South Wales, with English assisting in the direction of the production and appearing as the Fisherman in one performance at Gosford.
30.
In 2004, Jon English appeared as Sergeant Wilson in stage productions of Dad's Army touring through Australia and New Zealand.
31.
In 2006, Jon English toured the country again as part of the Countdown Spectacular.
32.
Later in 2007, Jon English filmed a children's mini-series titled Time Trackers in New Zealand, playing the role of a lovable but havoc raising hologram from the future.
33.
In 2008, Jon English was awarded a Life Membership to the Parramatta Eels Rugby Leagues Club.
34.
Jon English was hired as a motivational coach for the 2009 season, when Parramatta lost the NRL Grand Final, having beaten 14 other teams in home and away games to get to the Premiership decider.
35.
In 2010, Jon English played the title role in The Removalists by David Williamson at the Perth Theatre Company.
36.
In 2012, Jon English returned to Tasmania, working with Encore Theatre, for a revival of Jesus Christ Superstar, with Jon English in the role of Pilate.
37.
In 2013 Jon English played at the Sweden Rock Festival, backed up by Swedish hard rock band Spearfish.
38.
In 2015, Jon English returned to play the Sweden Rock Festival and during his stay in Sweden he decided to record a new solo album together with his friends in the band Spearfish.
39.
In late February 2016, Jon English was hospitalised due to "unexpected health problems" and was forced to cancel several scheduled performances due to planned surgery for an aortic aneurysm.
40.
Jon English died following post-operative complications late in the evening of 9 March 2016,17 days short of his 67th birthday.
41.
Jon English described himself as a "passionate" supporter of the Australian rugby league team Parramatta Eels.
42.
Jon English supported the Fitzroy Football Club and launched his Some People album at Dallas Brooks Hall in Melbourne in May 1983 as a benefit for the club.
43.
Jon English conducted music software courses at Sydney's Apple headquarters during the '90s.