I was the instigator of what has become Sydney's Premier Country Music Festival where over the past six years I have been its Patron. This annual event is held in association with the Galston Rotary Club on the second Sunday of September in the beautiful rural setting of 'Fagan Park' Galston, nestling in the Hills District to the north of Sydney, and the region where I now reside. Four years ago at the behest of the organisers of the festival, I was asked to present my own award in order to promote young talent called The Frank Ifield Spur Award. It gave me great pleasure to be asked to assist young talent to realise their full potential. This has developed into my new successful role as promoter for these artists who are now enjoying air-play both here and on the International markets. Now, demands on my time have made any thoughts of retiring and simply sitting back in my rocking chair watching the world go by, just a dream at the end of an exhausting day. The dream may seem tempting, but the reality is that I enjoy the pace of life to the full and wouldn't change it for the world!

What are your hobbies and interests out side of show business?
In Australia, at the age of 17, I was fascinated by the 'Bash & Crash Game' of Stock Cars. Spurred on by my friend Col Dennis, a trucker from Wollongong, I found myself behind the wheel of his well-tuned fortified mean machine. It was an 8 cylinder Cadillac and built like a fortress (Later, I was 'relegated' to a Scoda, as pictured). The roar of the crowd and the smell of racing fuel filled me with an excitement that followed me to England. However, after I had reached fame as a singing star, this hobby was curtailed because of the impossibility of getting insurance. Nevertheless, I pursued another bizarre hobby of Hot Air Ballooning from Dunstable Downs. This hobby met its inevitable conclusion when I was dragged along a ploughed field and sustained a leg injury. This would have been OK except that I was starring in Pantomime at the time in the role of 'Sinbad The Sailor' and the manager was not amused at my limping on stage like 'Long John Silver'. These days I indulge in less perilous pursuits: Stock cars have given way to the dangers of driving the streets of Sydney, and Balloon flights have been replaced by the comfort of an airline seat.

Below: Frank with his Scoda stock car. Right: Hot Air Ballooning - Dunstable Downs 1972

Who played the mouth harp (Harmonica) on my hit I Remember You?
It was Harry Pitch. A lot of people think it was John Lennon as the Beatles did the song as a tribute to me on their stage recording from Hamburg. Others attribute it to Arthur Tolcher who played behind me at the Birmingham Pantomime production of 'Mother Goose'.

Above: Harry Pitch in 1978 Harry also played the themes to the popular British TV shows Last of the Summer Wine and Anne of Green Gables. As 'Mr. Bloe' he made number 2 on the pop charts in 1970 with the single Groovin' with Mr. Bloe. Left: A concert poster from 1963 with Harry headlining, and a pre-Kinks Ray Davies (minus the e) as support act!