Glenn Wheatley(1948-2022)
- Actor
- Producer
Just how did the hunky heart-throb bassist from the legendary
Australian band of the 1960s, The Masters Apprentices, go on to be one
of the most powerful, recognizable music figures in Australia in the
80s, 90s and, of course, today? Glenn Wheatley's tale begins in 1948,
born the elder of two boys to father Dawson (born 1917, now deceased)
and mother (b. 1919, deceased). Glenn has had a career in the music
industry for over 35 years, and the young Wheatley started his career
as bassist to The Masters Apprentices, one of the few Australian acts
from the 1960s to meet national success, and go on to perform in the
1970s, with an equal amount of success. When the "Masters" broke up in
1971, lead singer Jim Keays decided to pursue
a solo career but, for Wheatley, he decided that although music was his
passion, he might be better behind the scenes. He went on to try his
hand at group management, and his first real success came as manager to
the legendary Australian Group,
Little River Band, fronted by
Glenn Shorrock. Wheatley even went on to
portray former client Shorrock in the television show,
The D Generation Goes Commercial (1988).
However, eventually Wheatley and Shorrock parted ways, but his real
break came in the 80s, when he went on to manage... Who else....
John Farnham. Wheatley mortgaged
his own house to help John produce the album "Whispering Jack", which
went on to become the highest-selling album in Australia's history,
going 17 times platinum in Australia. Approximately one in four
households in Australia own a copy of "Whispering Jack", the wonderful
album that would not exist today if not for Wheatley. Although
Wheatley's life has not been all glamour and shine. A nasty divorce
happened in the 1970s with his first wife, Alison Sunde, which left
Wheatley devastated for several years. However, in 1982, Wheatley
married a young actress named
Gaynor Martin (born in 1957), famous for
appearing in
Sons and Daughters (1982)
and Skyways (1979). Together, they
have three children, Tim Wheatley,
Samantha Wheatley and Kara Wheatley.
Wheatley went on to manage some of the most prominent Australian
musicians out there, such as James Reyne and
Delta Goodrem. Wheatley got Reyne his
first acting job in the TV movie
Return to Eden (1983), and
Reyne was very unhappy with his performance. This contributed to Reyne
departing from Wheatley, another blow to Wheatley's career. He managed
rising star Delta Goodrem, until she
announced that she would be leaving him to pursue new management. She
cited Wheatley's fierce bond with
John Farnham as the reason for
her departure, and it may well be true... Wheatley and Farnham have
made it to the top, worked together for 20 years, most recently on his
"last time" tour. In 2003, Wheatley awarded
John Farnham into the Aria Hall
of Fame at the 17th Annual Aria Awards. Wheatley continues to be one of
the most powerful figures in Australian music today, and it is always
fascinating to see which star he will discover next...