From Whakatane to Las Vegas fame: Rowles made a knight
FROM humble roots in Whakatane to headlining concerts in Las Vegas with his sultry voice, singer John Rowles has another accolade for the record books: becoming a knight.
Rowles’ voice reached radios across the globe in the late 1960s after he recorded the hit song If I Only Had Time, which reached No 3 in the UK singles chart in 1968.
For his services to entertainment he was named a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, as part of the Queen’s Birthday 2018 Honours.
His song Cheryl Moana Marie also found popularity overseas, reaching 64 in the US Billboard Top 100 in 1971.
Rowles (71) famously performed in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia.
His Queen’s Birthday Honours profile said Rowles was part of the Royal Command Performance for the Queen in 1981.
He also performed a oneoff show for charity at the Aotea Centre in Auckland in 1990.
In 2011 Rowles performed a farewell tour before returning to the limelight in 2014 for his ‘‘I’m Back Again’’ Australian Tour.
He then released an autobiography, If I Only Had Time, which touched on his touring days in Las Vegas and Hawaii, where he found a dependable market for his legendary voice.
Called the Kiwi Tom Jones or Elvis Presley by some, Rowles drew attention from the masses with his big hair, big voice and slick style.
He told The New Zealand Herald in 2006 during touring he would wear clothes that some would think ridiculous today.
‘‘I was different — I didn’t dress normal. I used to have the big buckle and the tight velvet suit. It would look absolutely ridiculous today but I did the Johnny Carson show in New York with that.’’
Even now, decades after his mainstream success, Rowles’ voice is still popular and his hit songs have been listened to millions of times on YouTube. — NZME