Mothers And Fathers/Isn't It A Lovely Day/It's Your Life/ I'll Never Dance Again
Jonne Sands was just short of his 16th birthday when he was groomed to take Normie Rowe's throne following the latter's controversial conscription. He certainly had the talent as well as the looks to make young girls swoon which brought immediate, albeit minor success in hometown Brisbane with his debut single "It's Your Life" in May 1968. His 2nd, "Mothers & Fathers" did even better, charting well Nationally, including a much needed breakthrough in Sydney & things looked promising for him. It remains perhaps the song he's best known for now
Throughout his career, he was also a popular performer on TV shows in the southern states ie Uptight, Bandstand etc. However the hoped for ascendencence to the upper heights of pop stardom never quite happened for Jonne, despite further hits in Brisbane & a total of 6 excellent singles on the Sunshine label over the next 2 years.
A one-off single for EMI/Columbia at the tail end of 1970 failed to reverse the trend & his last solo single, I Can Promise You Sunshine/Rikky Rikky, a picture disc on Nuclear Productions, was issued in 1973. In all of Jonne released 8 solo singles.
Not that his career ended in 1973. On the contrary, he then joined popular 60's harmony/rock band Executives following their reformation the following year, replacing Gino Cunnico as co-lead vocalist with Carole King. With the rejuvenated group, he issued 3 further singles & the band again enjoyed much success on the Sydney Club & Cabaret circuit. They also made regular TV performances on the popular night-time variety shows of Ernie Sigley, Don Lane etc as well as appearing on the also revived Bandstand. Jonne stayed with the Executives for the next 4 years, the band finally dissolving in 1978.
What happened to such a talent? I have all his records.
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