From Daddy Cool to Mondo Rock, and as a solo artist with no less than 26 ARIA Top 40 hits
to his credit as a singer, songwriter and producer, Ross Wilson is one of Australia’s most awarded, respected and well-known artists.
Since he burst into the Australian music scene in 1965, Ross has been the voice and composer behind so many hits that have become classics in the Aussie Rock song book.
From the legendary band Daddy Cool whose number one anthem Eagle Rock and debut album Daddy Who? smashed all previous sales records in Australia in 1971, to the 1977 formation of Mondo Rock, delivering 80’s hits Cool World, State of The Heart, Chemistry, No Time, and Come Said The Boy and into the 21st century as a solo performer, Wilson has never been out of the limelight.
To celebrate Ross’s incredible career spanning over 50 years in the business, his national tour, which started in 2023, is back on the road this year due to popular demand and will rack up over 200 shows, making it the biggest tour in his incredible multi decade career.
In the lead up to his huge performance in Adelaide on 30th January, Ross Wilson spoke to Glam Adelaide about his music, touring and how he was drawn into the music industry.
“It was youthful enthusiasm, basically. When I was a teenager, like so many kids, I formed bands and all that. I joined a band, and when I finished school I had a job briefly for a couple of years, but still kept playing in bands. I eventually took a jump off the edge, without a safety net, to make music a full time career, and I’ve never looked back.”
Not only is Ross the voice of so many hits, but several songs he has written and recorded have also gone on to be huge hits for other artists too. Ross’s 1982 hit Touch of Paradise went on to be one of John Farnham’s biggest hits from his Whispering Jack album.
“Daddy Cool had broken up and I’d been producing Skyhooks for a while. I thought it was about time to get back out and do my own thing.The very first song I wrote with my writing partner Gulliver Smith was Touch of Paradise. That was the very first song I wrote for Mondo Rock. We played it at the very first performance ever of Mondo Rock and it was a further five years before we actually recorded it, and 10 years before John Farnham made it really popular.”
Ross has been the voice and mind behind so many hits. We asked him if, at the time of writing and recording songs like Eagle Rock or Come Said The Boy, he ever imagined they would become the classic rock hits they are today.
“I think anyone who writes music hopes that things will have longevity – I still do. Songs like Eagle Rock and Come Said the Boy were huge hits when we first released them and they still are today. I still love getting up on stage and performing them. I love seeing the joy these songs bring people.”
Starting in September 2023, by the end of July this year, Ross will have racked up over 200 performances as part of his 50 years of hits national tour.
Ross shared with us what it is about performance that he loves so much.
“I love connecting with audiences and sharing that moment in time with them. It brings me joy and you can see their love for the music as well. We get good feedback on social media and people say they had a great time and encourage others to come and see us. I’ll keep doing this for as long as I can.”
This Friday, 30th January, Ross will hit the stage at The Bridgeway for a night of music before a sold-out performance on 1st February in McLaren Vale.
“It’s very much a ‘best of’ sort of show, with all the hits from over the years like Eagle Rock and Come Said The Boy and a bunch of others, including a few new songs as well. We just try to have a lot of fun. The majority of my music is great to dance to, so we want people to get up and boogie. I love playing at the Bridgeway. It has such a great rock n roll vibe there.”
Tickets for Ross Willson’s Bridgeway show are on sale now.
Tickets and further tour dates can be found at: https://www.rosswilson.com.au/
Photo credit: Gio Angel
