Impressed, O'Keefe offered him the job and handed him a pile of records, saying "Here, learn these. . There was little or no rock music scene in Australia, and certainly no Australian rock recordings, prior to 1957, when Bill Haley toured the country. The court heard Mr O'Keefe suffered from bipolar disorder and was in a "hypomanic" state during the incident, in which he admitted to spitting, slapping and kicking Dr Lavee. Johnny O'Keefe: albums, songs, playlists | Listen on Deezer Sign up for Deezer for free and listen to Johnny O'Keefe: discography, top tracks and playlists. Further improvemen. O'Keefe's tenure with Six O'Clock Rock ended in mid-1961, and in October he moved to ATN-7 as compere of the Johnny O'Keefe Show. O'Keefe became a regular singer with the Merzi quintet and performed with them every Sunday at the charity shows they performed at the Bondi Auditorium. He was raised as a Catholic and attended the local Catholic primary school, followed by secondary schooling at Waverley College in nearby Waverley.[3]. Share Popular Johnny O'Keefe songs. Johnny O'Keefe's life changed irrevocably after seeing and hearing Bill Haley singing "Rock Around the Clock" in the film Blackboard Jungle in June 1955. Move Baby Move 4. The complete soundtrack is out now https://rocknroll1959.com/buy-the-soundtrack. Tune into Johnny O'Keefe album and enjoy all the latest songs harmoniously. Wild One (Real Wild Child) 2. Anxious not to lose face, Taylor auditioned O'Keefe and signed him to the label.O'Keefe's debut single (issued as a 78rpm record), "You Hit The Wrong Note, Billy Goat" b/w "The Chicken Song", was released in July 1957 but it failed to chart and sold poorly, as did the follow-up, "Love Letters In The Sand" which O'Keefe later described as the worst record of his career.By this time O'Keefe had become a close friend of Lee Gordon and their popularity really took off when O'Keefe and the Dee Jays were installed as the featured support act for Gordon's famous "Big Show" concert bills at the Sydney Stadium. John Michael O'Keefe, known as Johnny O'Keefe (19 January 1935 - 6 October 1978), was an Australian rock and roll singer whose career began in the 1950s. The first major biography on O'Keefe was published in 1982, and several others have been written since including The Wild One by Damian Johnstone and Johnny O'Keefe The Facts written in 2008 by Lonnie Lee and released by Starlite Records. In 2021, a clip from the film featuring O'Keefe performing 'Swanee River' was uploaded to youtube. O'Keefe and the Dee Jays quickly attracted a strong local following. He stayed in London and in 1987 was appointed professor of cognitive neuroscience at University College. During this period The Dee Jays also acted as the backing band for many of the international acts that Gordon toured, since they were at the time the only rock'n'roll band in the country who could read music. Australian rock historian Ian McFarlane succinctly described O'Keefe's qualities in his article on the singer in the Encyclopedia of Australian Rock & Pop: In September 1956 O'Keefe and his friend Dave Owen (an American-born tenor sax player) formed Australia's first rock'n'roll band, the Dee Jays. Johnny O'Keefe had been performing in talent shows, mainly doing impersonations of Johnny Ray singing songs such as Crying and The Little White Cloud that Cried (complete with prop glasses filled with water to make artificial tears). Rock Rock Rock - A Decade Of Australian Hits 1960-1970 incl Johnny Farnham, JO'K. Johnny O'Keefe's income source is mostly from being a successful Soundtrack. A cover by Christopher Otcasek was used on the soundtrack for the movie "Pretty Woman" starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere. Live performances began to taper off. Some of the dance patrons came to blows with wedding guests in the men's toilets, and within minutes the fight had erupted into a full-scale riot that spilled out into the street, with police eventually calling in the Naval Shore Patrol to help restore order. O'Keefe issued three more singles during 1958: "Over The Mountain" b/w Lawdy Miss Clawdy", "So Tough" b/w That'll Be Alright" (a cover of The Cuff Links song which reached No. [35] It fared well against stiff competition from the better-known James Taylor-Carly Simon version, which was rush-released in Australia to compete with it, but many of O'Keefe's supporters claim that O'Keefe's version was deliberately ignored by some commercial radio stations, in favour of its US rival. O'Keefe suffered multiple lacerations, a concussion and fractures to his head and face; he lost four teeth, and his hands were also badly lacerated. Casch recalled that he actually played behind Jerry Lee Lewis, whose own backing musicians were so daunted by the Dee Jays' performance that they got too drunk to play.Their first EP, Shakin' At The Stadium, included JOK's signature tune "Wild One", co-written by O'Keefe with Greenan, Owens and top Sydney DJ Tony Withers. [citation needed], In October 2010, his 1958 album, Wild One, was listed in the top40 in the book, 100 Best Australian Albums. Unfortunately though this was to be first of many such "breakdowns" O'Keefe would subsequently endure numerous spells in psychiatric hospital (including Hydebray alcohol rehabilitation hospital), and his drug problems dogged him until the end of his life . 3. Hosting 'Deal or no Deal" on Channel 7 Network, Australia. Sing, Sing, Sing was eventually cancelled in October 1965. Lawdy,. Hoff went on to become a successful performer with his own rock band, Ray Hoff and the Off Beats. O'Keefe's debut single (issued as a 78rpm record), "You Hit The Wrong Note, Billy Goat" b/w "The Chicken Song", was released in July 1957 but it failed to chart and sold poorly, as did the follow-up, a cover of Pat Boones "Love Letters in the Sand" which O'Keefe later described as the worst record of his career. Synopsis: Woody (Tom Hanks) is stolen from his home by toy dealer Al McWhiggin (Wayne Knight), leaving Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen). [36][37][38] He was buried at Macquarie Park Cemetery and Crematorium in Sydney. JOK at one stage employed low pressure in the car tyres as this made them squeal when turning corners.Johnny O'Keefe insisted on driving himself and this almost cost him his life. O'Keefe was married and has three children. In his twenty-year career, O'Keefe released over fifty singles, 50 EPs and 100 albums. [25], O'Keefe's last public appearance was on Seven Network's Sounds program, taped on 30 September 1978, six days prior to his death.[7]. At that time the NZBC had a monopoly on radio, they had only one J.O'K. He was raised as a Catholic and attended the local Catholic primary school, followed by secondary schooling at Waverley College in nearby Waverley.Johnny had a solid musical background and listened to the radio almost constantly at home although he did not often sing around the house. Being unable to read or memorise the script, the young O'Keefe improvised his part.The young O'Keefe was intelligent and perceptive, with a great sense of humour, although his school grades fluctuated due to his misbehaviour and the fact that he was easily distracted; Sydney radio personality Gary O'Callaghan, who was a classmate, later recalled that O'Keefe was often in trouble. This page was kept as a redirect to avoid breaking links, both internal . His second Leedon single was a cover of The Isley Brothers' "Shout!" Luckman, Susan 2001, '"What are they raving on about? This is an extract from the publication Icons, which can be purchased online. This was the band that supported a tour by Little Richard and his band. O'Keefe took the staid NZ music scene by storm, although he was banned from playing at some halls and faced problems getting airplay. Thus are the deep roots and inimitable sounds of our beautiful music handed down. At their first meeting O'Keefe played Casch a selection of rock'n'roll records and asked him to imitate the guitar playing, which he was easily able to do. Fearing that O'Keefe might have to be replaced as compere, the Seven network renamed O'Keefe's TV show Sing Sing Sing in February 1963[34] but its popularity continued. MC Paul Hogan introduced him as a "newcomer" and urged the crowd to "give him a go", and although he was at first greeted with some jeering and booing, by the end of his set he had completely won over the crowd.[35]. Taylor, however, failed to act on Haley's advice, so O'Keefe then famously took matters into his own hands and began telling the local press that he had in fact been signed to Festival. John Michael O'Keefe (19 January 1935 6 October 1978) was an Australian rock and roll singer whose career began in the 1950s. Their skill and energy and O'Keefe's frantic performances also saw them upstage many of the visiting performers. In September 1956 O'Keefe and his friend Dave Owen (an American-born tenor sax player) formed Australia's first rock'n'roll band, The Dee Jays. Although it was claimed that it was recorded live at the Stadium, it was in fact a studio recording, overdubbed with the sound of a real Stadium audience.O'Keefe issued three more singles during 1958: "Over The Mountain" b/w Lawdy Miss Clawdy", "So Tough" b/w That'll Be Alright" (a cover of The Cuff Links song which reached #12 in Sydney) and "I Ain't Gonna Do It" b/w Could This Be Magic? [6] Being unable to read or memorise the script, the young O'Keefe improvised his part.[7]. Genres Rock & Roll, Pop, Pop Rock Share Tweet Follow 66 followers Fearing that O'Keefe might have to be replaced as compere, the Seven network renamed O'Keefe's TV show as Sing Sing Sing in February 1963 but its popularity continued.By late 1963, however, a new music trend from the UK known as Merseybeat was gaining momentum. He was introduced to O'Keefe by Keith Williams, whom he had known from a jazz trio in which they played. Johnny O'Keefe, Soundtrack: Adventures in Babysitting. On 14 February 1975 (St Valentine's Day) at the Masonic Hall, Waverley, O'Keefe married for the second time to Maureen Joan Maricic, a 29-year-old fashion consultant. n.d., [Biographical cuttings on Maureen O'Keefe, wife of Johnny O'Keefe, containing one or more cuttings from newspapers or journals] Wikipedia Citation Please see Wikipedia's template documentation for further citation fields that may be required. "O'Keefe was the promoter, singer, bouncer, door attendant, sold the ice creams, mixed the drinks and cleaned the halls, while working during the days at his father's furniture store. O'Keefe is one of five children. [citation needed], During 1969 O'Keefe toured Vietnam to entertain Australian troops stationed there. O'Keefe and the Dee Jays' first major break was a support spot on Lee Gordon's first "Big Show" rock'n'roll tour, which starred Little Richard, Gene Vincent, and Eddie Cochran. [4] He attended the University of Southern California but left midway through his sophomore year after his father died. Norton left soon after the band formed and he was replaced by Indonesian-born guitarist Lou Casch.Casch was a remarkable figure and his contribution to O'Keefe's sound, both live and on record, was considerable. [11], During this period he met and became good friends with Alan Dale,[12] also an aspiring singer, who was then employed at the O'Keefe's furniture business. [citation needed], His run of Australian hits continued in spite of his mounting personal problems. Artist descriptions on Last.fm are editable by everyone. These drugs were treatment for his bipolar disorder. His performance supporting Bill Haley led to a contract with Festival Records.At his first recording session on a Saturday afternoon in July 1957, Johnny recorded Bill Haley's Billy Goat and I'm Still Alive. - Sat. It was this incident, according to Lou Casch, that inspired O'Keefe's signature tune, "Wild One". He was born in Ambon in 1924, grew up in Aceh and Jakarta, began playing guitar at an early age, and became a dedicated jazz musician. Johnny sings his No 1 Hit Song on the Johnny O'Keefe Show Oct. '61 Johnny was stationed at Richmond in western Sydney, and served his six-month period in two blocks, from December-February 1952 and December-February 1953. A strong early musical influence was the American singer Johnnie Ray, who toured Australia to great acclaim in the 1950s and O'Keefe began his singing career as a Ray impersonator. On his return to Australia, "It's Too Late" became his eleventh Australian hit, but O'Keefe was totally broke and deeply depressed. et She's my Baby [1].Au cours de ses vingt ans de carrire, O'Keefe a sorti plus de cinquante singles, 50 EP et 100 albums. Johnny had a solid musical background and listened to the radio almost constantly at home although he did not often sing around the house. [citation needed] He spent several days confined in a straitjacket and heavily medicated, but by chance he encountered a staff member who had recently arrived from Australia who recognised him and was able to confirm his identity. During these appearances, O'Keefe would sing his specialty, Johnny Ray's "Cry", while wearing a pair of trick glasses which would squirt water over the audience. O'Keefe died in 1978 from a drug overdose. 2. and "She's My Baby". Since his death, O'Keefe's stature has continued to grow, and . He then attended high school at Christian Brothers College - Waverly, leaving in 1951 at the ripe old age of 16. Johnny O'Keefe, Australia's first and most enduring rock star, died in St Vincent's Hospital last night. He was born in Sydney on 19th January 1935 and in a career that spanned 20 years he released over 50 singles, 50 EP's and 100 albums. The show was a rather daring departure from the ABC's otherwise rather staid entertainment programming, as its charter obliged it to cater to a mainstream audience and its radio and TV outlets had until then, featured little of the new rock'n'roll craze.Six O'Clock Rock premiered on 28 February 1959 and was originally hosted by Ricki Merriman, but after six episodes O'Keefe took over as host, marking the beginning of the most successful phase of his career. Radio personality Harry Griffiths, who met O'Keefe at this time, remembered him as "a bad-tempered ratbag" who often argued with Merzi, although Merzi commented that they never clashed over music.Recognising Johnny's potential, Merzi began tutoring him on piano, encouraging him to broaden his repertoire and helping him to refine his stagecraft. Johnny O'Keefe Net Worth. That award was presented to him by the the talented Bryan O'Leary, a former pupil of Jimmy's, who was in turn a pupil of Bryan's grandad Johnny O'Leary. John Michael O'Keefe, known as Johnny O'Keefe (19 January 1935 - 6 October 1978) was an Australian rock and roll singer whose career began in the 1950s. By chance he was able to make contact with Lee Gordon, who happened to be in London at the time, and with Gordon's help (and that of O'Keefe's wife and his parents) he was released from hospital and returned to Australia.His run of Australian hits continued in spite of his mounting personal problems "I'm Counting On You" became his second #1 hit in August 1961, followed by a third chart-topper, "Sing (And Tell The Blues So Long)" in March 1962 and "I Thank You", which reached #22 in December.His tenure with Six O'Clock Rock ended in mid-1961, and in October he moved to ATN-7 as compere of the The Johnny O'Keefe Show. During these appearances, O'Keefe would sing his specialty, Johnny Ray's "Cry", while wearing a pair of trick glasses which would squirt water over the audience. He realised immediately that this was the style of music he wanted to perform, and from this point on he dedicated himself single-mindedly to becoming a rock 'n' roll singer and a star.Although he was perhaps an unlikely candidate for stardom, he pursued it relentlessly for the next two decades and it is a tribute to his tenacity that, in large measure, his dream was achieved: by 1960 he had become the most popular and successful singer in Australia and a major TV star. His parents were both good singers, his mother was an excellent pianist and his father occasionally played in a jazz band.O'Keefe made his stage debut at the age of four when he played the role of 'Dopey' in the Waverley College production of "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs". They opened a boutique, J. O'K Creations, at Paddington in 1978. However many believe he never fully recovered from the accident and that it was the catalyst for his subsequent mental health problems. 4. [34], From 1968 onwards O'Keefe devoted most of his time to performing on the burgeoning Australian club and cabaret circuit, and aside from the 1969 live LP Live on the Gold Coast, his only album releases were compilations of past hits, mostly issued on Festival's budget label Calendar. make. According to Ian McFarlane, Liberty offered to pay $5 to anyone who could throw further than the singer, but they had to pay out many times at one exhibition when O'Keefe turned up drunk.O'Keefe undertook a gruelling tour that visited 35 states, but he made little impact, although "She's My Baby" reputedly sold more than 100,000 copies in the USA, and the flipside, "It's Too Late" briefly reached #1 in New Orleans. MC Paul Hogan introduced him as a "newcomer" and urged the crowd to "give him a go", and although he was at first greeted with some jeering and booing, by the end of his set he had completely won over the crowd.In early 1974 he scored his last big hit with a version of the old Inez and Charlie Foxx hit "Mockingbird", recorded as a duet with vocalist Margaret McLaren. Johnny's car crash, 1960 NFSA ID 1349308 Year 1966 Courtesy Nine Network Request access Access fees Summary In this clip, from a 1966 Bandstand special, Johnny talks to Brian Henderson about returning from his disappointing American tour and the lead-up to his horrific car crash in June 1960. Haley was impressed by O'Keefe, giving him a song to record ("You Hit The Wrong Note, Billy Goat") and recommending him to Ken Taylor, A&R manager of leading local record company Festival Records. After the second US tour collapsed, on impulse he flew to London, but he blacked out at the Park Lane Hotel and woke up three days later in St George's Hospital, London, where he had been admitted, suffering from "nervous collapse". tflight", "Johnny O'keefe - television - A Sydneybiz.com project", Hello Ego! Real Wild Child by Johnny O'Keefe (CD, 2022) AU $19.46 New Wild One The- The Very Best of 25 Track 2008 Johnny O'keefe CD AU $11.71 New AU $9.99 Used All Auction Buy It Now 138 results Artist: Johnny O'Keefe Artist Genre Style Edition Buying format Condition Price All filters SPONSORED Dennis Knight Salutes Johnny O'Keefe CD AU $30.00 Free postage This became his first hit in March 1958, peaking at No. Another night saw a crew cut disc jockey Bob Rogers handing out records while being filmed for a documentary. His net worth has been growing significantly in 2021-2022. and recording another string of hit records. O'Keefe made his stage debut at the age of four when he played the role of 'Dopey' in the Waverley College production of "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs". To cover his US failure he bought a bright red imported 1959 Plymouth Belvedere on hire purchase and began touring relentlessly up and down the east coast of Australia to pay off the car and replenish his finances, returning to Sydney every Saturday to present Six O'Clock Rock. who is johnny o'keefe sonwayne fontes brother. While the front of the large car bore the brunt of the very severe impact, all three were seriously injured. O'Keefe scored his fourth Australian No. O'Keefe's trademark was his flamboyant stage attire, which included gold lam jackets and brightly coloured suits trimmed with fake fur. Johnny O'Keefe first met Bill Haley during his tour in 1957 in Australia. Their first performance was at Stones Cabaret in the beach side suburb of Coogee, and by early 1957 they were playing four dances a week and also performing on Saturdays in the interval between films at the Embassy Theatre, Manly. [15], Recognising Johnny's potential, Merzi began tutoring him on piano, encouraging him to broaden his repertoire and helping him to refine his stagecraft. JOK was more at ease with tough wild kids.At a packed 1959 Sydney Stadium big show starring American Lloyd Price backed by various Australian acts, JOK saved the show. Sing! [citation needed], In January 1961 O'Keefe attempted another tour of the United States, but it was also unsuccessful. He was born in Ambon in 1924, grew up in Aceh and Jakarta, began playing guitar at an early age, and became a dedicated jazz musician. Four "trucks" ink. Casch recalled that he actually played behind Jerry Lee Lewis, whose own backing musicians were so daunted by the Dee Jays' performance that they got too drunk to play.[24]. [4] His parents were both good singers. [citation needed] According to Ian McFarlane, Liberty offered to pay $5 to anyone who could throw further than the singer, but they had to pay out many times at one exhibition when O'Keefe turned up drunk. Naughton left soon after the band formed and he was replaced by Indonesian-born guitarist Lou Casch. THE GREAT J.O.K - JOHNNY O'KEEFE (14 TRACKS, VINYL LP) AU $21.71. [citation needed] Within a few months the emergence of the new wave of guitar/vocal groups led by the Beatles and the Rolling Stones ushered in a new era in popular music, and their advent signalled the start of a rapid decline in O'Keefe's career. My parents had landed in New York on the eve of the depression; my father's hope was that I would never have to live through one myself. O'Keefe's face was smashed and Johnny Greenan was thrown out of the car, landing six metres away on the highway, causing a fractured vertebra and loss of front teeth; Janice Greenan suffered a severe concussion. [35], In January 1973 O'Keefe performed at the second Sunbury Pop Festival. It was also recorded by Jerry Lee Lewis, Everlife, Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, Glamour Camp, Marshall Crenshaw, Brian Setzer, and Wakefield and Jet. Born in Fort Madison, Iowa, [4] O'Keefe was the son of Edward Flanagan and Charlotte Flanagan, [5] Irish vaudevillians working in the United States. J O'K as he was known became the undisputed King of Australian rock and roll. He was introduced to O'Keefe by Keith Williams, whom he had known from a jazz trio in which they played. [45], The King of Pop Awards were voted by the readers of TV Week. The show was a major success, but this only added to his already hectic workload and increased the pressure on him. The Dee Jays stayed together, however, and continued performing until 1980. [citation needed]. It fared well against stiff competition from the better-known James Taylor-Carly Simon version, which was rush-released in Australia to compete with it, but many of O'Keefe's supporters claim that O'Keefe's version was deliberately ignored by some commercial radio stations, in favour of its US rival.In August 1974 O'Keefe put together a package tour called "The Good Old Days of Rock'n'Roll" which featured many of his old friends including Johnny Devlin, Lonnie Lee, Jade Hurley, Barry Stanton, Tony Brady and Laurel Lea. "O'Keefe married Marianne Renate Willimzik, a 23-year-old hairdresser, at St Therese's Catholic Church, Dover Heights, on 2 August 1958. The recording for which he is best remembered, Shout!, was recorded and released as a single twice (in 1959 and in 1964) but never achieved better than number 11. 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