Jon English Remembered On 10th Anniversary Of His Death

Jonathan James English was born in Hampstead, London on 26 March 1949. In 1961 his family emigrated to Australia, settling in Cabramatta in Sydney’s west. Music arrived early in his life. His father was a self-taught pianist who also played guitar and drums, and he bought young Jon his first guitar.

English attended Cabramatta High School and soon found himself performing with local bands. His first performance as a vocalist came unexpectedly when a neighbour’s band asked him to step forward mid-show to sing The Beatles song Twist And Shout. That moment set the direction for the rest of his life.

By the late 1960s English had joined the Sydney group Sebastian Hardie, performing as vocalist and rhythm guitarist. The band worked the busy Sydney pub circuit and served as backing musicians for Australian rock pioneer Johnny O’Keefe. Their sets included material by The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Otis Redding and Wilson Pickett, helping English refine his stagecraft.

In 1972 his career took a dramatic turn when theatre producer Harry M. Miller selected him from more than 2,000 applicants to play Judas Iscariot in the Australian stage production of Jesus Christ Superstar. The show opened at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre and ran for more than 700 performances between 1972 and 1974. English’s powerful portrayal quickly made him one of the most recognisable performers in Australian musical theatre.

The production also featured future stars including John Paul Young and Marcia Hines, the yet to be members of Air Supply and former Easybeats singer Stevie Wright. A studio cast album and television documentary spread the show’s influence nationally, and English would return to the role in later productions during the decade.

Alongside theatre work, English pursued a recording career. His debut album Wine Dark Sea arrived in 1973, followed by It’s All A Game in 1974. From the second album came Turn The Page, his first major hit single, reaching the Australian Top 20 in 1975.

Further chart success followed with Hollywood Seven, which reached No.13 nationally in 1976, while Words Are Not Enough climbed to No.6 in 1978. His songs blended rock with melodic storytelling, creating a distinctive sound that stood apart from many contemporaries.

One of the most significant moments in English’s career came with the 1978 television miniseries Against The Wind. Cast as Jonathan Garrett, English also co-wrote the score with guitarist Mario Millo. The series became a major success and produced the single Six Ribbons, which reached No.5 in Australia.

Against The Wind also found a second life overseas. Broadcast across Europe, the series achieved extraordinary success in Scandinavia. Six Ribbons and the soundtrack album both reached No.1 in Norway, while the single also charted strongly in Sweden. English History, a compilation released in 1979, sold more than 180,000 copies in Australia and reached No.4 on the national albums chart.

The role earned English the 1979 TV Week Logie Award for Best New Talent in Australia, one of several honours recognising his growing impact across multiple entertainment fields.

During the 1980s he remained a major presence on Australian stages. English became closely associated with the role of the Pirate King in Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Pirates Of Penzance, a character he estimated he performed more than 1,000 times. He also appeared in productions of The Mikado and H.M.S. Pinafore as well as musicals including Rasputin and Big River.

His popularity during this period was reflected in industry awards. English won three consecutive Mo Awards for Entertainer Of The Year in 1983, 1984 and 1985, and also received the Male Vocal Performer award in 1985. He later collected additional Mo Awards including Best Rock Band Or Performer Of The Year in 2011 and Best Rock Act Of The Year in 2012. Despite all this, he has not been recognised by the ARIA Hall of Fame.

Television audiences embraced him again in the early 1990s when he starred as Bobby Rivers in the sitcom All Together Now. The series ran for 101 episodes between 1991 and 1993, showcasing English’s comedic skills alongside his musical talents.

In 1991 he also collected an ARIA Award when his musical concept album Paris, created with producer David Mackay, won Best Original Soundtrack, Cast Or Show Album at the ARIA Music Awards.

English continued performing well into the 2000s with projects including The Rock Show, a touring revue celebrating classic rock of the 1960s and 1970s, and regular appearances in theatre productions across Australia and New Zealand. He also revisited Jesus Christ Superstar in 2012, this time playing Pontius Pilate.

Outside the arts, English was a passionate supporter of the Parramatta Eels rugby league club and was awarded life membership of the Parramatta Eels Rugby Leagues Club in 2008.

In late February 2016 English was hospitalised with unexpected health issues and underwent surgery for an aortic aneurysm. He died from post-operative complications on 9 March 2016, just 17 days before his 67th birthday.

A public memorial at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre on 4 April 2016 brought together friends and collaborators including John Paul Young, Simon Gallaher and John Waters in a concert celebrating his life and music.

Ten years later, the influence of Jon English remains visible in Australian entertainment. His recordings, stage performances and television work helped shape a generation of performers who followed him onto stages and screens across the country.