Normie Rowe

Norman John Rowe (born 1 February 1947) is an Australian singer and songwriter. He rose to national prominence in the mid-1960s as a pop star and teen idol, backed by The Playboys. His 1965 double A-side "Que Sera Sera"/"Shakin' All Over" was one of the most successful Australian singles of the decade. Born in Melbourne, Rowe was inspired by rock and roll as a teenager and began performing while still in high school, leaving his job to become a professional entertainer. He was signed by local label Sunshine, where he released his biggest hits; he was credited with his bright and edgy tenor voice and dynamic stage presence. Rowe was named "King Of Pop" by Go-Set in 1967 and 1968. Many of his most successful recordings were produced by Nat Kipner and later by Pat Aulton, house producers for the Sunshine label. His string of consecutive top ten singles in the mid-1960s made him the most popular solo performer of the era, although attempts to break into the United Kingdom were unsuccessful. Rowe was drafted for National Service in late 1967. His subsequent tour of duty in Vietnam, which lasted from 1968 to 1970, effectively ended his pop career, and his reputation was affected by the anti-war movement and stigma around returning soldiers. Unable to recapture the musical success he enjoyed at his peak in the 1960s, he pursued a career in theatre and television, including a role on Seven Network soap opera Sons and Daughters. In 1991, he was involved in a physical fight on live television with broadcaster Ron Casey after the latter made derogatory remarks regarding Rowe's service in Vietnam. In October 1979 Rowe's first child, Adam, died in an accident, and later his daughter, Erin, died just before Christmas in December 2022.