John Rowles - The Final Bow Farewell Tour

23rd October - 5 pm
Theatre Royal - Nelson

For 45 years New Zealand has watched the ‘Kawerau Kid’ John Rowles scale the high’s and lows of the global music industry.  Now in his 65th year Rowles has decided to go out on top in true show biz fashion with one final tour of New Zealand theatres in his farewell tour, entitled ‘Now is the hour’.

John Rowles O.B.E (born 26 March 1947) is a New Zealand singer. He was most popular in the 1970s and early 1980s, and most famous for his song "Cheryl Moana Marie". He was styled as something of a "New Zealand Elvis", complete with big hair and overblown design sense.

Rowles is part Māori. His father, Eddie Hohapata Rowles, played for the 1938 Māori All Blacks. His mother was Pakeha. He was brought up in Kawerau, in the North Island of New Zealand.

John Rowles was best known in New Zealand and Australia, though he also performed in the USA, particularly Las Vegas and Hawaii. In the UK he was most well known for the hit "If I Only Had Time" which reached number 3 in the UK Singles Chart in Spring 1968 and stayed in the charts for eighteen weeks. (Wikipedia)

“It’s a hell of a way to make a living, but looking back I wouldn’t change a thing. Guys like me we live for the stage, and we live for singing our songs. It's going to be a sad day when I take my final bow but I feel blessed that I’ve been given the opportunity to finish things off in the best possible way.”