Ross Wilson has announced additional shows to his upcoming “EAGLE ROCK” 50TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR, in celebration of the song voted by the Australian Music Industry the second greatest Australian song of all time, and the iconic band with whom Ross recorded it. A Brisbane show has been added to the front of the tour, and a second Melbourne show has been added to the back.
The “EAGLE ROCK” 50TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR also takes in appearances at the NIMBIN ROOTS FESTIVAL in September and Byron Bay’s rescheduled BLUESFEST in October.
“EAGLE ROCK” TOPPED THE AUSTRALIAN CHARTS ON JUNE 28, 1971, SPENDING 10 WEEKS AT NUMBER ONE NATIONALLY, AND 17 WEEKS AT NUMBER ONE IN MELBOURNE. THE ALBUM DADDY WHO? DADDY COOL!, RELEASED IN JULY 1971, WAS THE FIRST AUSTRALIAN-RECORDED ALBUM TO MAKE NUMBER ONE, AND IT ALSO BROKE EVERY RECORD IN THE BOOK.
50 years ago, Daddy Cool’s first single “EAGLE ROCK” topped the charts for months on end. It became a genuine cultural phenomenon, and the group’s debut album DADDY WHO? went on to break every sales record in the book; between the two of them, the single and the album had a combined 17 weeks at Number 1.
To celebrate fifty years of Daddy Cool and “Eagle Rock”, Ross Wilson is set to undertake a tour that will celebrate the band and the song upon which his long and successful career as a singer/songwriter/musician was built.
Sadly, Daddy Cool itself is no longer around to do it – both lead guitarist Ross Hannaford (Wilson’s musical partner since the mid- ’60s) and bass player Wayne Duncan have passed away, and drummer Gary Young is in semi-retirement – but it is an anniversary worth celebrating. While Ross of course will touch on other aspects of the career that Daddy Cool gave him, these shows will feature a preponderance of Daddy Cool material, as well as material from the band in which the four members first united – in fact, the band in which “Eagle Rock” was first performed – the legendary hippy rock ensemble the Sons of the Vegetal Mother.
Ross Wilson’s “50 Years of Eagle Rock” tour will take in all states, with a special show in Melbourne that will feature an expanded DC-related repertoire and an expanded line-up of his band (including the addition of young guitarist Aaron Schembri, who was mentored as a teen by Ross Hannaford).
ROSS WILSON EAGLE ROCK – 50th ANNIVERSARY TOUR
Fri 6 Aug – Royal Hotel, Nundah, Qld
Sat 7 Aug – Bribie Island Hotel, Qld
Sun 8 Aug – Wallaby Hotel, Qld
Fri 20 Aug – The Palms @ Crown, Vic *
Sat 21 Aug – Bridgeway, Pooraka, SA *
Fri 3 Sept – Belmont 16s, NSW *
Sat 4 Sept – The Cube, Campbelltown, NSW *
Sat 11 Sept – Nimbin Roots Festival, NSW
Sat 2 Oct – Bluesfest Byron Bay, NSW
Sat 9 Oct – Winnaleah Hall, Tas
Sun 10 Oct – Longley Hotel, Tas
Fri 15 Oct – Charles Hotel – WA *
Sat 16 Oct – Northshore Tavern – WA *
Fri 29 Oct – Yarraville Club, Vic
* Plus Special guest Aaron Schembri
