James Farnham shared a heartfelt Father’s Day message on September 6, accompanying it with four photographs documenting his relationship with his father, John Farnham, the Australian pop veteran.
“From one father to another, I’ve realised just how much you’ve taught me over the years,” James wrote. “You’ve always been a great dad and someone I’ve looked up to my whole life. Now that I’m a dad myself, I just hope Jett looks up to me the same way I’ve always looked up to you.” The images include John holding baby James, James with his own son Jett, and a recent photograph of John with his wife Jillian Billman and grandson Jett.
John Farnham has largely withdrawn from public life since undergoing surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from his throat in 2022. He has confirmed he cannot sing or perform again due to the surgeries affecting his mouth and face.
Despite his absence from performing, Farnham’s legacy remains prominent in Australia. An all-star concert at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena on September 20, The Songs Of John Farnham: A Living Legend The Celebration, sold out swiftly, featuring 120 artists selected by Farnham and raising funds for Head and Neck Cancer Australia. A musical based on his career premieres November 15 at the Roslyn Packer Theatre in Sydney.
Sony Music is releasing a 40th anniversary edition of Whispering Jack (1986), Farnham’s breakthrough album that spent 25 weeks at No. 1 and became the highest-selling album ever in Australia by a local artist. The documentary John Farnham: Finding The Voice won the 2024 AACTA Award for best documentary and became the highest-grossing Australian music documentary in history, earning more than A$2.57 million at the box office.
Source: Billboard
