Australian singer John Blanchfield has died at age 79.
Known for a string of popular singles recorded in the 1960s with music legends the Bee Gees, the Melbourne-born pop star later became a talent manager.
After retiring from the spotlight in the 1970s, he started his own music label Rainbird Records and worked with Aussie stars of the era like Normie Rowe and Lobby Lloyd.
His family announced his passing on John’s Facebook page on Thursday.
‘It’s with great sadness, love and pride that we let you know that our darling husband, Dad, Paree, and friend, John Blanchfield, grabbed his hat and got out of here on Wednesday,’ they said.
‘John’s great loves were music and good people, and his days were filled with both until the last moment.’
Australian singer John Blanchfield has died at age 79
Known for a string of popular singles recorded in the 1960s with music legends the Bee Gees, the Melbourne-born pop star later became a talent manager
John’s father, a cobbler, left Melbourne to resettle his family in Brisbane in the early 1940s.
A talented singer from an early age, John started his ‘performing’ days by entertaining guests with tunes at family gatherings.
After leaving home at 18 and moving back to Melbourne, John was working as a postman when he got his first big break.
In 1966, he auditioned as a singer in a nightclub. He didn’t get the job, but a prominent star of the time spotted him as a raw talent and advised him to work on his act.
The budding pop singer returned to Brisbane and scored a regular spot on Countdown (not the ABC show), a music program broadcast on TVQ-0 (Channel 10).
John appeared each week to sing covers of hit tunes. He later met the Bee Gees backstage during a recording of the show.
The hitmakers, who were already big stars, brought John to Sydney to record his first major single.
Produced in the Bee Gees’ own studio, a converted butcher shop in Hurstville, John recorded ‘Town Of Tuxley Toymaker Part 1, and Upstairs, Downstairs, which were released in 1967.
After retiring from the spotlight in the 1970s, he started his own music label Rainbird Records and worked with Aussie stars of the era like Normie Rowe and Lobby Lloyd
Pictured: The Bee Gees in the 1960s. The famed hitmakers, who were already big stars, brought John to Sydney to record his first major single in 1966 which they had written especially for him
The tunes were especially written for him by the Bee Gees’ members Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb.
Recalling his music career on the Purple Haze podcast, John said that they were the only songs that the Bee Gees wrote that they never re-recorded for themselves.
While never topping the national charts, John, who changed his name to ‘Jon’ while he was a performer, had several hits in his hometown.
Upstairs Downstairs and the singles She’s My Baby, and Lucy’s Place were all hits on the local Brisbane music charts.
He gained a lot of attention in 1969 with the tune ‘Son of a Simple Man, a song about notorious Australian bushranger Ned Kelly.
With his stylish good looks, John was also in demand as a TV compere and scored gigs on Brisbane TV including the music show Uptight.
Retiring from performing in the early 70s, John founded Rainbird Records in 1976. However, he had more success with his talent agency, Beetroot Services.
He later guided the careers of such major names as Ross Wilson of Mondo Rock fame, jazz artist Vince Jones and the band Goanna, who had a huge hit with their 1982 single Solid Rock.
