Listen free for 30 days

Listen with offer

  • Playing to Win

  • The Definitive Biography of John Farnham
  • By: Jeff Apter
  • Narrated by: Rob Meldrum
  • Length: 8 hrs and 5 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (3 ratings)
Offer ends May 1st, 2024 11:59PM GMT. Terms and conditions apply.
£7.99/month after 3 months. Renews automatically.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Playing to Win cover art

Playing to Win

By: Jeff Apter
Narrated by: Rob Meldrum
Get this deal Try for £0.00

Pay £99p/month. After 3 months pay £7.99/month. Renews automatically. See terms for eligibility.

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £16.00

Buy Now for £16.00

Pay using card ending in
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.

Summary

John Farnham is the quintessential Aussie legend. As a teenager he gave up an apprenticeship to chase his musical dreams, hitting the big time with the catchy pop ditty "Sadie (the Cleaning Lady)". But it wasn't smooth sailing from there.

A family man at heart and the most loyal of friends, John was sometimes uncomfortable with the spotlight and for many years struggled to make his music career as successful as those close to him - including Glenn Wheatley and Molly Meldrum - could see it could be. He finally hit his stride with 1986's Whispering Jack and the breakaway success of "You're the Voice", which became the anthem of a generation.

John lived it up - holidaying with the Skases in Port Douglas and sharing cigars with Bob Hawke at the Lodge - but always came back down to earth. Inherently humble, the King of Pop would also become king of the comeback, proving to have a longevity rare in the music industry.

In this deeply personal and insightful biography, author and music industry insider Jeff Apter - thanks to the support of those close to John - provides a rare glimpse inside Farnsie's world, unlike any other book about the man. He reveals the drama behind John being named Australian of the Year, how the cassette demo of "You're the Voice" was nearly overlooked, and how John once accidentally sparked the attention of ASIO. And he explores Farnham's relationships with the figures who have been instrumental in making him "The Voice": his first manager, Daryl Sambell; his wife of 40-plus years, Jill; and longtime friend and manager Glenn Wheatley.

©2016 Jeff Apter (P)2016 Audible, Ltd

What listeners say about Playing to Win

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    2
  • 4 Stars
    1
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1
  • 4 Stars
    1
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1
  • 4 Stars
    1
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.