Frank Ifield targets Aussie talent in UK (1990)

SHOWCALL UK Column

Frank Ifield

By Frank Ifield

On With the Show's

Flashback to Variety Today 1990

THIS year while recuperating in England I have been busying myself doing lots of radio shows the length and breadth of the UK featuring Australian Country Music

The British listeners have been enchanted by the diverse talents of bush balladeers, Slim Dusty, Smokey Dawson, etc, to the modern country stylists such as Doug Ashdown and Graeme Conners. If that is not enough variety we introduced them to Mary Schneider's powerful yodelling songs and Tex Morton's updated reissues.

While it is true to say that we have already given the world a lot of talent in the arts of ballet, opera, films, radio stars and the pop industry, even I did not realise until I started to compile these programs, just what an untapped wealth of original talent we still have in this great country of ours.

But now I know that we have something new and excitingly different to offer the world in the field of Australasian music (Downunder country style).

New discovery

Not one to let the grass grow under my feet, I have also been actively talent spotting and have discovered Nikita Scott, a young girl pop singer of 17 from Tregadillet, Cornwall. Having found some original songs we have already started with a recording session in Liverpool, England (just before I came home to spend Christmas in Sydney) and we are extremely proud and pleased with the result.

I feel confident that Nikita will be on the worldwide pop scene before too long and that 1991 will be her big introduction year. She has youth, good looks, a great voice, stage presence and personality to great abundance. What more could the world of entertainment be seeking. She has the talent but just needs the opportunity and I feel I can provide that for her.

At the moment, Nikita is doing Pantomime followed by cabaret dates until I return, when we will secure a summer season and more recording sessions, with some TV appearances thrown in for good measure.

Bumped into Price & McCoy

HERE in England now the nights are drawing in and the days growing colder taking my mind back to the lovely summer we've had. In particular the trips around England and the continent with my mother and brother Jim here on vacation. I remember the joy the heat of Madrid in Spain and my meeting up with an Australian act working in a big production show at `Scala' Melia.

They had been working in the Conrad Jupiters Casino show on the Gold Coast when I first saw them, a tumbling/acrobatic act known as Price and McCoy. Needless to say, they captured the love of the Germans and naturally the Spanish took them to their hearts, prompting a return date in early 1991.

Terry told me their sights were set on the Lido Paris and Las Vegas and I know that both these dreams will come true for them, having seen their polished professionalism. Don't forget to come back and entertain the Aussie audiences fellas!

Anthony Newley on tour

ANTHONY Newley, 59, is also on tour here and was quoted as saying on his first night in Chatham: "I'm here because I have been a fool with women. My first marriage cost me $250,000, my second (Joan Collins) was $500,000 and my last wife was over $1 mil. When I leave the theatre I shall be doing the evening shift at McDonalds."

Neighbours stars tour

YOU can't be in England long without being aware of the various `Neighbours' stars as they seem to be constantly touring or turning up on the TV. Jason Donovan has just been over again and even down here in Cornwall, one can't escape them.

The Cornwall Colosseum makes sure of that as well as featuring others such as the welcome return of the Shadows, which means that Hank Marvin has had to leave his home in Perth for a while to join them. Also, Charlie Pride, that well known country singer from the USA, comes again to give fans a treat and I'm looking forward to Status Quo's Rockin all over the Year's  tour this month (December).

JOAN Sutherland's Farewell Performance at the Sydney Opera House has been shown here in its entirety by British Satellite Broadcasting (BSB).

Buddy musical turns 1

BUDDY has just celebrated its first birthday at the Victoria Palace, London. This musical I know will soon be staged in Australia. I could think of lots of Aussie artists who would like to play in this production as we 'older' rockers were all influenced by Buddy Holly and the Big Bopper. In England, the lead part is filled by Billy Geraghty with Nick Butler as the Big Bopper.

World's greatest variety theatre

I RECALL doing a show at the London Palladium following `Le Cage Folle' in the summer of '88 and they were talking of hopes that the venue would return to its rightful role as the world's greatest `variety' theatre. I'm pleased to report that this is now their policy and they are playing to packed audiences with that great comedian, Ken Dodd.

I am excited about the prospects of 1991 and hope that it will also be a good year for our readers. I am proud to have been chosen to be a correspondent on a regular basis with news of the UK Entertainment scene under the heading `SHOWCALL UK'.

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