In the age of tribute bands, one has emerged that is truly Australian and authentic. The official “Johnny O’Keefe Tribute” features Vicky O’Keefe, daughter of the Wild One together with Queensland’s King of rock’n’roll, Dennis Knight, the Swing Sisters and the JO’K All Stars.
Vicky O’Keefe has been showcasing her dad’s greatest hits since the mid-1990s. She describes herself as the Mild One but on stage the Wild Child comes into her own.
“One of the biggest regrets in my life was the sad fact that I never had the opportunity to perform on stage with my father,” says Vicky. “I was only 17 when he died. He was naturally my mentor and like other children of great entertainers, was the reason for my decision to pursue a singing career.”
The singer-songwriter, who spent the 1980s and 1990s developing her own style, is happy to be mixing and matching JO’K and VO’K today.
“I first did a tribute to dad back in 1996 but I think it was the advent of Shout! – The Musical, which was the final catalyst for both the duet and the album,” she said.
For the tribute show, Vicki teams up with Dennis Knight who in the late 60’s recorded a song “Every Breath I Take,” with the backing of the then Bee Gees. Dennis’s career really started from there. In 1973, Johnny O’Keefe became Dennis’s manager, and this boosted his career to the corporate market of the entertainment scene. JO’K nurtured Dennis to perform with the same charisma he himself had on stage.
The tribute show is proudly supported by the Johnny O’Keefe Memorial Association Inc and includes two hours of music with hits such as “I’m Counting On You”, “Move Baby Move”, “She Wears My Ring”, “Wild One” and “She’s My Baby”, supported by original family footage.
The tribute show will be at Tewantin-Noosa RSL in the South Bar from 8pm on Saturday 30 March. Bookings on 5447 1766.
