Swanee (singer)

Early career

Swan was born in Glasgow, Scotland in 1952. He migrated to Australia with his family in 1961. When his mother remarried in the mid-1960s, he was the only child to keep the surname of his biological father, who was an adept boxer. Swan joined his first professional band, Happiness, as a drummer when he was fourteen. When he was seventeen, he enlisted in the Australian Army, and was discharged after two years of service. In early 1974 he was the drummer with The James Wright Band, moving on to Jim Keays' Southern Cross for a short time. By late 1974 he was playing in Adelaide band Fraternity. Brother Jimmy Barnes had replaced Bon Scott as Fraternity's singer but Barnes' stay was brief before he left to join Cold Chisel, and Swan took over on vocals. Swan also appeared live with Cold Chisel from time to time, providing backing vocals and percussion.

After Fraternity, Swan became the vocalist with Feather in 1977. This band had been known as Blackfeather in the early 1970s, but by 1977 no original members were left so the name was shortened. Feather recorded one single with Swan, "Girl Trouble", before he left in 1978 to establish himself as a solo artist.

Solo career

Under the name "Swanee", by which he was already known, he released his first solo single "Crazy Dreams" in 1979. An album, Into the Night, and several other singles followed but met with little commercial success. In late 1981, however, his version of "If I Were a Carpenter" became a national hit. The single was a precursor to the 1982 album This Time It's Different that spawned another two hits, "Temporary Heartache" and "Lady What's Your Name", propelling Swanee to national fame. While later releases failed to achieve the same level of success, Swanee has remained one of Australia's best-known live acts. Over the years, his band has maintained a floating membership.

In 1986 Swanee featured in an advertising campaign for West End Draught, a South Australian beer. The brewer provided financial support to Swanee's tours and he in turn appeared in the company's TV commercials. The following year he replaced Angry Anderson as lead singer of The Party Boys, a touring band with floating membership, formed in 1983 by Paul Christie of Mondo Rock. Swan's tenure with the band proved to be the group's most successful period. A cover of the John Kongos hit "He's Gonna Step on You Again" was a No. 1 hit and was followed up by a version of Argent's "Hold Your Head Up" that also went Top 20. The band's self-titled album made the Top 5. Swan's deal with the band was originally only meant he would only stay long enough to record the album and complete a tour supporting it, but after being briefly replaced by Graham Bonnet he returned to the Party Boys line-up, and stayed until 1989 before going solo again.

Since 1990 Swan's recording career has been less than prolific, producing only two singles that year and an album, Heart and Soul in 1997, although he still maintained a constant live presence.

In 2007 Swan released the album Have a Little Faith (Liberation Records). The project was recorded with Nashville's best, and produced by leading expatriate producer /guitarist Mark Moffatt, now resident in Tennessee. Musician credits feature players who have been session men for Garth Brooks, John Fogerty, Billy Joel, Dolly Parton and Shania Twain among others. In 2009 he worked with fellow local artists, Ray Burgess, Tommy Emmanuel, John St Peeters and Marty Rhone to release a single, "Legends of the Southern Land".

In July 2014 Swanee released the album One Day at a Time (MGM Distribution), which is entirely his work in collaboration with Darren Mullan of Adelaide Recording Studio fame, and Tony Minniecon on 'Rescue Me'.

Discography

with Feather

as Swanee (singles):

as Swanee (albums):

as John Swan

with The Party Boys

other recordings:

Awards