47 Facts About Normie Rowe

Norman John Rowe was born on 1 February 1947 and is an Australian singer and songwriter.

Normie Rowe rose to national prominence in the mid-1960s as a pop star and teen idol, backed by The Playboys.

Normie Rowe was signed by local label Sunshine, where he released his biggest hits; he was credited for his bright and edgy tenor voice and dynamic stage presence.

Normie Rowe was named "King Of Pop" by Go-Set in 1967 and 1968.

Normie Rowe was born and raised in Northcote in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Normie Rowe was drawn to music early in life, and began singing with his local church choir in Melbourne while at primary school.

Normie Rowe was hooked on rock and roll music even before his teens, and Col Joye became one of his early idols and inspirations.

Normie Rowe took up guitar and formed his first amateur band, The Valiants, whilst attending Northcote High School.

Normie Rowe concentrated on singing and made his first stage appearance as a lead vocalist in a school concert, aged 14.

Normie Rowe was the boy next door that I could identify with, not the wild Johnny O'Keefe.

Normie Rowe began performing regularly at Melbourne dances and discos, backed by instrumental groups like The Thunderbirds, The Impostors and, finally, The Playboys, who became his permanent band until 1967.

Normie Rowe worked as a trainee technician but, in late 1964, his long hair became an issue with his employers and, in the face of a "cut it or quit" ultimatum, he left the PMG to become a professional entertainer.

Normie Rowe was signed to a recording deal with the independent label, Sunshine, which included a management deal with the Ivan Dayman organisation.

Normie Rowe's first single, released in April 1965, was a brooding "beat" arrangement of George Gershwin's "It Ain't Necessarily So" a choice suggested by Stan Rofe.

The inspiration for Normie Rowe's version was apparently a 1963 version by the United Kingdom band Ian and the Zodiacs.

Normie Rowe's success continued through late 1965 and into the first half of 1966, during which time he scored another three consecutive Top Ten singles.

Normie Rowe appeared in the 1966 musical comedy film Don't Let It Get You.

Normie Rowe was by this time the most popular solo performer in Australia so, in August 1966, he left to try his luck in the UK.

Several members opted to stay in Australia for family reasons, so Normie Rowe replaced them with bassist Brian Peacock and guitarist Rod Stone, both from the ex-New Zealand band The Librettos, which had recently split.

Normie Rowe returned to England in January and, in March 1967, the group embarked on a tour of the UK, supporting The Troggs, Gene Pitney and Sounds Incorporated.

Normie Rowe was replaced by former Adam Faith sideman Mick Rogers.

Normie Rowe returned to Australia in July, where he appeared as a special guest at the national finals of the 1967 Hoadley's Battle of the Sounds.

Normie Rowe was inducted into the army in February 1968, although he continued to perform part-time until leaving for Vietnam in January 1969, making various television appearances.

Normie Rowe began working with a new backing band, Nature's Own, who regularly backed Johnny Farnham and other members of the Sunshine roster.

Normie Rowe's only charting record during that period was the ballad "Penelope", written by former Playboys member Brian Peacock.

In Vietnam, Normie Rowe rose to the rank of corporal and was crew commander of an armoured personnel carrier.

Normie Rowe was discharged from the army in February 1970.

Normie Rowe was later revealed to have inspired the song "Smiley", written by Johnny Young and recorded by Ronnie Burns, which was a major hit in Australia in 1969 and 1970.

Normie Rowe signed to Festival Records in 1971, and cut three singles.

The strong anti-war sentiment of the period affected him, and like many Vietnam vets, Normie Rowe suffered considerably because of his service.

Normie Rowe said that he was treated like a pariah by the very people who had been buying his records and screaming at his concerts only a couple of years before.

Normie Rowe became a popular participant on variety programs such as The Don Lane Show and The Mike Walsh Show.

Normie Rowe played Daddy Warbucks in Annie, Freddie Trumper in Chess, and Juan Peron in Evita.

Normie Rowe has had a long association with many charity and community groups, his major concern being the welfare of children.

Normie Rowe is a long-serving member of Variety Clubs of Australia, for which he became a National Ambassador, and he won several awards for his work with them, including 1996's "Heart and Soul of Variety" award.

Normie Rowe kept up regular appearances on TV variety shows, which led to one infamous incident in 1991 that briefly took him back into the headlines.

In 1998, Casey and Normie Rowe re-united, filming a TV commercial for Bushells tea in which the Midday incident was reflected upon.

Normie Rowe has had to endure other public hardships, including family problems involving his teenage daughter, which resulted in a great deal of intrusive and unwelcome publicity, and the end of his marriage to his first wife, Sue.

Unknown to many, Normie Rowe has another son, born in Melbourne in November 1965, who has remained anonymous.

In 2002, Normie Rowe received national acclaim for his performance in the Long Way to the Top concert tour, Normie Rowe's 2007 album, Missing in Action, included his own version of Ronnie Burns hit "Smiley".

Normie Rowe portrayed former Prime Minister, Harold Holt, in the telemovie The Prime Minister is Missing, broadcast on ABC TV on 23 October 2008.

Normie Rowe was one of the lead acts in the Go Show reunion concerts held in Melbourne and Adelaide during February 2011.

In 2011, Normie Rowe was a guest on episode 115 of SBS program RocKwiz, on which he performed Shakin' All Over, and a duet with Georgia Fields of The Beatles song All I've Got to Do.

In January 2012, Normie Rowe appeared in a television advertisement for Coles Supermarkets promoting their products to the reworked tune of "Shakin' All Over".

Apparently, Normie Rowe was contacted by the son of a military officer who had been, at that time, the military attache to the prime minister.

In June 2017, Normie Rowe wrapped the shooting of a short film entitled Holt, in which he played the titular Harold Holt for the third time.

In 2009, Normie Rowe became a Patron of Kidney Health Australia, the not-for-profit peak body promoting good kidney health through education, advocacy, research and support.