Some memories of Johnnie from 'down under'
Johnnie Ray hit the charts in Australia in a big way. The 1950's were a special time, when teenagers were close enough to WW2 to realise its impact on family and friends, but far enough away to feel free and happy, ready to enjoy what lay ahead of us. There was a general wish to study and make a success of one's life but, in parallel, there was a desire to live life to the full and what better way than to respond to the changing pop scene. While our parents looked back with fondness to the jitterbug and crooners such as Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra (both of whom were still on the scene) we of the 50's were ready for something and(someone) new.
It (he) came quite suddenly it seemed: John Alvin Ray, our Johnnie! Teenagers from all kinds of backgrounds, including my High School friends and myself, were absolutely 'smitten'. Some of our parents were aghast, but luckily mine were very understanding when I began to act somewhat out of character. I was extremely studious about my school studies and also was learning to play classical violin. While Johnnie didn't interfere with this and I went on to play professionally and was also successful at university, rode horses in dressage and had many interests, I am grateful that he brought me 'out of myself' to become a more relaxed and happy girl.
My friends and I went with 100's if not 1000's of screaming teenagers to meet him (catch a fleeting glimpse would be more accurate) when he first arrived at Sydney Airport. We went to see him perform at what was known as 'the stadium'. It might sound strange but, in the early 59's, this boxing venue was the only place that would hold the crowds for Johhnie abd other stars that promoter, Lee Gordon, brought to Australia. Later, we had our Opera House and later still some of the best entertainment centres in the world. In fact, Johnnie held a benefit concert at the Sydney Town Hall to raise money for our Opera House. I wonder if there is a plaque or such to mark that fact. If not, there should be. Anyway, the stadium had a revolving platform in the middle of the crowd who sat in ascending rows 360° all around. There were some warmup artists, mostly Aussies (some of whom thanked Johnnie for giving them their start in show bizz), but everyone was waiting for the big moment. When the music began and Johnnie came running down one of the aisles, the place 'exploded'! I'm not sure who would have been more exhausted afterwards, his fans or him!
Johnnie kept returning to Australia over many years. I'm not sure if this statistic is true, but someone told me it was a total of 19 times, right up to a few years before he went to that stadium in the sky. I always enjoyed the spirituals he recorded and the religious songs he wrote himself, especially 'Paths of Paradise'. He claimed to have Christian faith and I like to believe that this was true, despite some of the darker phases of his life. He was clearly unwell the last few times he came here but, in interviews, said that Australia had been good to him and he didn't want to let down his loyal fans. And that most of us were, or I'd not be writing this now and our radio stations would not have remembered his birthday by playing some JR songs yesterday.
Going briefly back to the early days, I used to go from shop to shop looking for difficult to obtain releases. Then began the 'ritual' of playing all (possibly 100, as time went by) of them each Saturday afternoon on my old gramaphone. My dear father was always out at some sport on Saturdays, but Mum was patient and eventually became a big fan! For example, on one of his Birthdays, I was permitted to invite 3 of my friends over and Mum actually baked, iced and decorated a cake! Somewhere I have the photo and will send it if I find it.
Later, when I was (and still am) happily married to husband, Egon, he too had to learn about Johnnie. He came from wartorn Europe and had a very sheltered life, really not knowing who JR was! It didn't take long for him to find out and he used to copy my scratchy old records onto tape for me. I can't truthfully state that he's a devoted fan, but he does say that Johnnie was OK which, if you knew Egon, is really saying quite a lot!
There seems to be a JR song for every occasion, whether one is feeling a bit down, when overjoyed and everything inbetween. When I lost my Mother a few years ago, my nostalgic moments were helped when I heard 'Street of Memories'.
I want to thank Tad and others, including Joy Hanni and,especially Evelyn Klopfer, who was Johnnie's first Fan Club President here, for helping me relive precious memories from those days. Wherever you are, Johnnie, we are all happy to remember you in a special way January 10, 2006.
Julie Tõnurist
Johnnie Ray hit the charts in Australia in a big way. The 1950's were a special time, when teenagers were close enough to WW2 to realise its impact on family and friends, but far enough away to feel free and happy, ready to enjoy what lay ahead of us. There was a general wish to study and make a success of one's life but, in parallel, there was a desire to live life to the full and what better way than to respond to the changing pop scene. While our parents looked back with fondness to the jitterbug and crooners such as Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra (both of whom were still on the scene) we of the 50's were ready for something and(someone) new.
It (he) came quite suddenly it seemed: John Alvin Ray, our Johnnie! Teenagers from all kinds of backgrounds, including my High School friends and myself, were absolutely 'smitten'. Some of our parents were aghast, but luckily mine were very understanding when I began to act somewhat out of character. I was extremely studious about my school studies and also was learning to play classical violin. While Johnnie didn't interfere with this and I went on to play professionally and was also successful at university, rode horses in dressage and had many interests, I am grateful that he brought me 'out of myself' to become a more relaxed and happy girl.
My friends and I went with 100's if not 1000's of screaming teenagers to meet him (catch a fleeting glimpse would be more accurate) when he first arrived at Sydney Airport. We went to see him perform at what was known as 'the stadium'. It might sound strange but, in the early 59's, this boxing venue was the only place that would hold the crowds for Johhnie abd other stars that promoter, Lee Gordon, brought to Australia. Later, we had our Opera House and later still some of the best entertainment centres in the world. In fact, Johnnie held a benefit concert at the Sydney Town Hall to raise money for our Opera House. I wonder if there is a plaque or such to mark that fact. If not, there should be. Anyway, the stadium had a revolving platform in the middle of the crowd who sat in ascending rows 360° all around. There were some warmup artists, mostly Aussies (some of whom thanked Johnnie for giving them their start in show bizz), but everyone was waiting for the big moment. When the music began and Johnnie came running down one of the aisles, the place 'exploded'! I'm not sure who would have been more exhausted afterwards, his fans or him!
Johnnie kept returning to Australia over many years. I'm not sure if this statistic is true, but someone told me it was a total of 19 times, right up to a few years before he went to that stadium in the sky. I always enjoyed the spirituals he recorded and the religious songs he wrote himself, especially 'Paths of Paradise'. He claimed to have Christian faith and I like to believe that this was true, despite some of the darker phases of his life. He was clearly unwell the last few times he came here but, in interviews, said that Australia had been good to him and he didn't want to let down his loyal fans. And that most of us were, or I'd not be writing this now and our radio stations would not have remembered his birthday by playing some JR songs yesterday.
Going briefly back to the early days, I used to go from shop to shop looking for difficult to obtain releases. Then began the 'ritual' of playing all (possibly 100, as time went by) of them each Saturday afternoon on my old gramaphone. My dear father was always out at some sport on Saturdays, but Mum was patient and eventually became a big fan! For example, on one of his Birthdays, I was permitted to invite 3 of my friends over and Mum actually baked, iced and decorated a cake! Somewhere I have the photo and will send it if I find it.
Later, when I was (and still am) happily married to husband, Egon, he too had to learn about Johnnie. He came from wartorn Europe and had a very sheltered life, really not knowing who JR was! It didn't take long for him to find out and he used to copy my scratchy old records onto tape for me. I can't truthfully state that he's a devoted fan, but he does say that Johnnie was OK which, if you knew Egon, is really saying quite a lot!
There seems to be a JR song for every occasion, whether one is feeling a bit down, when overjoyed and everything inbetween. When I lost my Mother a few years ago, my nostalgic moments were helped when I heard 'Street of Memories'.
I want to thank Tad and others, including Joy Hanni and,especially Evelyn Klopfer, who was Johnnie's first Fan Club President here, for helping me relive precious memories from those days. Wherever you are, Johnnie, we are all happy to remember you in a special way January 10, 2006.
Julie Tõnurist
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JOHNNIE RAY
There are histories of popular music and rock music and therein it says that Johnnie Ray was one of the beginners. Did I know this? No... for me he was just Johnnie. Lonnie Lee, who still performs now in Australia and through the world, still has a long Johnnie Ray sequence in his act, as he believes that Johnnie really was the beginner of so much in the popular music scene. Was it 1953? It could have been, and at that time a friend of my mothers asked if she could take me to a concert. She was a doctor's wife.. very well educated, and for some reason she wanted to go and see this singer at the Stadium. She wanted someone younger to go with her. And so we went - as a strange - almost unknown duo - to a Johnnie Ray concert. WHY did she want to go there? She wanted me, as she said she felt awful to be on her own at such a thing. I had never heard of Johnnie Ray. And then I saw the show, and for some unknown reason, there was something there that never left me. Do I remember THAT show? No, I don't. But I was there, and I remember just about every other show I saw of Johnnie's. But that one which was SO important... is somehow gone from my memory. I hardly knew the woman with whom I went.. I did it virtually for my mother. And yet, that evening started my total involvement with Johnnie Ray. By 1954 I had organised an organisation for him, to do things that I thought would be in his favour as an artist, and for us as people for him. It was then called the Johnnie Ray Club of Australia. I still have records of that. Even with badges! I worked very very hard for him and for our members. I refused to allow people to scream and shout as things were so often seen and called "Fan Fever". But we were there for him. ALWAYS there for him. At the airport when he came in at 3am from another state...he was tired, but there.. I was there when he was sad. .I was there after the show and was able to talk to him. I was there to see him at a meeting through the record business.. I even saw him overseas at the Latin Quarter. I knew Bernie Lang, his manager.. OH I wish Bernie were alive today so that the stern words he always had for me.. like "Evelyn, you do NOT have a problem!" He was always stern, one had to be. I want to talk to Bernie today, knowing so much much more than I did then. Now I understand. Then I was just there. A total innocent doing my best. But Bernie is dead. How sad. I know how good the artists were who performed before Johnnie at the shows.. the Clark Brothers. INCREDIBLE dancers, I still see before me today! Wonderful comedians. Wonderful singers. But yes, everybody waited for Johnnie. And I hear the music now in my head.. it is still there. The orchestra where the music is so different in its arrangement as it is today with popular music. I liked it better then. It was a different sound. And yes, the songs that meant things to us. Each of us had our own thoughts of what we liked. I suppose my father, who was a specialist in classical and chamber music, was shocked that I was so involved with Johnnie Ray. It was only after he died, that I too became involved in classical music and Opera. But too late for my father. Strangely when Johnnie performed at the Opera House much much later and I had subscription tickets for Don Giovanni in the Opera Theatre..I went across to the Concert Hall and spoke to him, and we laughed that I didn't see HIS concert that night, which I really wanted to. Johnnie is still there for me.. and I am so sorry that I did not write to him before he died. I think we would have had a lot to talk about so much later. But somehow I think he wasn't as happy then either. Perhaps he was NEVER happy. I always had that feeling. He was a lonely man, and I saw that and he spoke with me about it. But his management quickly parted us so that no more was said. I feel for Johnnie and say hello today to someone who meant so SO much to me for so long. I still think of Johnnie.. but now it is a memory which I treasure forever. Evelyn Klopfer. |
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