Glenn Wheatley

{{Infobox person

| name = Glenn Wheatley

| image =

| caption =

| image_size =

| birth_name = Glenn Dawson Wheatley

| alias =

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1948|1|23|df=y}}

| birth_place = Nambour, Queensland, Australia

| death_date = {{death date and age|2022|2|1|1948|1|23|df=y}}

| death_place = Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

| occupation = {{hlist|Musician|talent manager|music promoter|radio entrepreneur}}

| known_for = {{bulleted|Founder and managing director of "Talentworks"|The Masters Apprentices as Bass Guitarist|Manager of Little River Band, John Farnham and Delta Goodrem|Triple M Melbourne}}

|module = {{Infobox musical artist |embed=yes

| background = non vocal instrumentalist

| instrument = Bass guitar

| genre = Pop rock

| years_active = 1968–2021

| label = Wheatley Records

| associated_acts = {{hlist|The Masters Apprentices|Little River Band|John Farnham|Delta Goodrem}}}}

}}

Glenn Dawson Wheatley (23 January 1948 – 1 February 2022) was an Australian musician, talent manager, tour promoter and radio entrepreneur. Wheatley was the founder and managing director of Talentworks. {{cite web|url=https://mediaweek.com.au/remembering-glenn-wheatley-rocker-turned-manager-turned-rock-radio-pioneer/|title=Remembering Glenn Wheatley: Rocker-turned-manager-turned-rock radio pioneer|date=February 2022|access-date=26 August 2023|archive-date=26 August 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230826011414/https://www.mediaweek.com.au/remembering-glenn-wheatley-rocker-turned-manager-turned-rock-radio-pioneer/|url-status=live}}

Career

Wheatley began his career as a musician in Brisbane in the mid-1960s. In the late 1960s, he became known nationally as the bass player in the rock band The Masters Apprentices. He subsequently formed a media empire which included radio stations and artist management.

Wheatley is best known as the long-time manager of John Farnham; he has been described as an "iconic industry figure" and is credited with launching the career of Delta Goodrem. He is also recognised as having established Little River Band in the United States.{{cite web |url=https://www.nme.com/en_au/news/music/glenn-wheatley-artist-manager-and-masters-apprentices-bassist-has-died-aged-74-3151405/ |title=Glenn Wheatley, artist manager and Masters Apprentices bassist, has died aged 74 |work=NME Australia |date=1 February 2022 |access-date=7 February 2022 |author=Rose, Anna |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220207065955/https://www.nme.com/en_au/news/music/glenn-wheatley-artist-manager-and-masters-apprentices-bassist-has-died-aged-74-3151405/ |archive-date=7 February 2022 |url-status=live}}

In 1999, Wheatley was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame and he is also a recipient of the Advance Australia Award for Outstanding Contribution in the Entertainment Industry, a Council Member for ScreenSound Australia.

Musician

= Bay City Union =

Wheatley's first significant foray into music was as a guitarist in the Brisbane blues band Bay City Union. The band was fronted by singer Matt Taylor who later achieved fame in Australia as lead singer of pioneering blues band Chain.

= The Masters Apprentices =

In early 1968, Wheatley was hired as the bass player in a new line-up of the Melbourne-based pop-rock band The Masters Apprentices, then one of Australia's most popular groups. Wheatley's four-year tenure with the group, which lasted until shortly before their break-up in 1972, included the recording of many of their most successful songs, including the hit singles "Turn Up Your Radio" (1970) and "Because I Love You" (1971) as well as the 1971 album Choice Cuts which was recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London.

It was during Wheatley's tenure in the Masters that he learned first hand about the highly exploitative nature of the Australian pop industry at that time. The band endured many "rip-offs" and in their later career they suffered greatly from poor management decisions and inadequate support from their record labels, problems which eventually led to the group's demise in 1972.Keays, His Master's Voice, 1999.

According to Wheatley's memoir, a key incident took place in late 1969 when the Masters took part in a nationwide package tour, "Operation Starlift". The concert at Brisbane Festival Hall drew a then-record crowd of over 7,000 people, breaking the venue's previous attendance record set during the Beatles' Australian tour in 1964.

After the concert, Wheatley reflected on the event, with it becoming a turning point in his life and career - helping drive home just how badly the group were being exploited. Wheatley knew that patrons had paid $5 per ticket, so the receipts for the night would have been around $35,000, but The Masters Apprentices, like all the other acts, were on a fixed fee and received a mere $200 for the show; even the top-billed act, John Farnham, probably only earned about $1,000. Figuring that the performers were probably only paid about $2,000 in total, Wheatley realised that the promoters had walked away with upwards of $30,000 for that concert alone.{{cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/how-brisbane-changed-wheatleys-life-20090326-9d1m.html|title=How Brisbane changed Wheatley's life|first=Tony|last=Moore|date=27 March 2009|website=Sydney Morning Herald|access-date=14 May 2017|archive-date=3 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220203060552/http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/how-brisbane-changed-wheatleys-life-20090326-9d1m.html|url-status=live}}

Talent manager

Under Glenn Wheatley's management, he has the two highest selling Australian albums of all time - John Farnham's "Whispering Jack" and Delta Goodrem's "Innocent Eyes".

= Little River Band =

In late 1974, Beeb Birtles, Graham Goble and Derek Pellicci (ex-Mississippi) and Glenn Shorrock (ex-Axiom) met with Wheatley in London.{{Cite web|title=The Chuck Miller Creative Writing Service: Little River Band|url=http://www.chuckthewriter.com/lrb.html|access-date=2022-02-02|website=www.chuckthewriter.com|archive-date=23 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923203128/http://www.chuckthewriter.com/lrb.html|url-status=live}} With Wheatley as manager, they agreed to reconvene in Melbourne in early 1975.{{Cite web|title=Rolling Stone #247: Little River Band – The Uncool - The Official Site for Everything Cameron Crowe|url=https://www.theuncool.com/journalism/rs247-little-river-band/|access-date=2022-02-02|language=en-US|archive-date=1 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160401085625/http://www.theuncool.com/journalism/rs247-little-river-band/|url-status=live}} They decided their new band would establish itself in the United States. Wheatley's first-hand experiences of the rip-offs in the 1960s music scene, combined with working in music management in the UK and the US in the early 1970s, allowed him to help Little River Band become the first Australian group to enjoy consistent commercial and chart success in the US.{{Cite web|date=2014-06-08|title=Little River Band (LRB) – Nostalgia Central|url=https://nostalgiacentral.com/music/artists-l-to-z/artists-l/little-river-band-lrb/|access-date=2022-02-02|website=nostalgiacentral.com|language=en-GB|archive-date=18 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150118094637/https://nostalgiacentral.com/music/artists-l-to-z/artists-l/little-river-band-lrb/|url-status=live}}

In May 1975, Little River Band signed with EMI Records and started recording their debut self-titled album at Armstrong Studios the following month. The album was co-produced by Wheatley.

Wheatley travelled to Los Angeles in December 1975 and touted the group to various record companies until Rupert Perry of Capitol Records signed them on Christmas Eve.{{Cite book|last=Wheatley|first=Glenn|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/48988328|title=Paper paradise : confessions of a rock 'n' roll survivor|date=1999|publisher=Bantam Books|isbn=0-7338-0012-2|location=Sydney|oclc=48988328}}

Under Wheatley's management, the band sold more than 30 million records; six studio albums reached the top 10 on the Australian albums chart and ten singles reached the top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100.

= John Farnham =

After Little River Band were dropped by Capitol Records in 1986, Wheatley returned to Australia and began taking over management, from Kenn Brodziak,{{cite web|url=https://milesago.com/industry/brodziac.htm|title=Kenn Brodziak}} of his friend John Farnham who had been a leading pop singer in the late 1960s and early 1970s but his career had been reduced to playing club gigs before he replaced Glenn Shorrock in 1982 as the lead singer of Little River Band. Wheatley mortgaged his own house to help pay for the recording of Farnham's 1986 comeback album, Whispering Jack. The gamble paid off and re-established Farnham as a major singing star. The album became (and remains) the biggest-selling Australian album of all time by a local artist.{{cite web|url=https://dailyreview.com.au/whispering-jack-turns-30-still-biggest-selling-oz-album-ever/52052/|title='Whispering Jack' Turns 30 and still the biggest selling Oz album ever - Daily Review: Film, stage and music reviews, interviews and more.|website=dailyreview.com.au|date=24 November 2016|access-date=14 May 2017|archive-date=3 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220203060549/https://dailyreview.com.au/whispering-jack-turns-30-still-biggest-selling-oz-album-ever/52052/|url-status=live}} Wheatley went on to manage Farnham's career, including tours and records. They remained close friends until Wheatley's death.{{Cite news|date=2022-02-02|title='So many people have lost a part of their lives': Farnham leads tributes to Australian music icon Glenn Wheatley|language=en-AU|work=ABC News|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-02-02/john-farnham-leads-tributes-to-glenn-wheatley/100798942|access-date=2022-02-05|archive-date=5 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220205012404/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-02-02/john-farnham-leads-tributes-to-glenn-wheatley/100798942|url-status=live}}

= Later years =

In 1999, Wheatley published his autobiography, Paper Paradise, which was based in part on a ribald memoir he had begun during his stint in the Masters entitled Who The Hell Is Judy in Sydney?.

Wheatley also managed Australian Neighbours actress and singer Delta Goodrem, helping her to achieve major success, but Goodrem split with Wheatley under acrimonious circumstances in 2003.{{cite news|url = http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/10/04/1064988452984.html|title = Delta dumps Wheatley|newspaper = Sydney Morning Herald|date = 5 October 2003|access-date = 19 July 2007|archive-date = 16 January 2008|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080116174949/http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/10/04/1064988452984.html|url-status = live}}

Radio assets

In 1980, Wheatley led a consortium that founded EON-FM in Melbourne, the first commercial FM radio station in Australia. It was sold to Triple M in 1985.[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/132156005 A radio junkie plans to take his fix on anything electronic in advertising battle] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210906073445/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/132156005 |date=6 September 2021 }} Canberra Times 29 August 1987 p. 5. Wheatley bought EON-FM again in 1986 before selling it to Hoyts.[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/240553589 Australian Broadcasting Tribunal Share Transaction] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210906073446/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/240553589 |date=6 September 2021 }} Commonwealth of Australia Gazette 24 June 1987 page 308[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/136297923 Hoyts set to float media interests] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210906073453/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/136297923 |date=6 September 2021 }} Canberra Times 31 March 1987 page 16 In 2013, EON Broadcasters, in which Wheatley held a 10% shareholding, purchased 91.9 Sea FM and 92.7 Mix FM on the Sunshine Coast from Southern Cross Austereo.[https://www.radiotoday.com.au/breaking-news-glenn-wheatley-buys-sea-fm-a-mix-fm/ Glenn Wheatley buys Sea FM & Mix FM] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210906073447/https://www.radiotoday.com.au/breaking-news-glenn-wheatley-buys-sea-fm-a-mix-fm/ |date=6 September 2021 }} Mumbrella 7 March 203 In 2017, EON Broadcasters purchased 2CH in Sydney from Macquarie Radio, selling it in 2020 to Sports Entertainment Network.[https://mumbrella.com.au/glenn-wheatleys-eon-broadcasting-adds-2ch-network-forced-macquarie-media-sale-416672 Glenn Wheatley's EON Broadcasting adds 2CH to network after forced Macquarie Media sale] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210906073447/https://mumbrella.com.au/glenn-wheatleys-eon-broadcasting-adds-2ch-network-forced-macquarie-media-sale-416672 |date=6 September 2021 }} Mumbrella 19 December 2016[https://radioinfo.com.au/news/sen-expands-sydney-and-purchases-2ch-11-million/ SEN expands into Sydney and purchases 2CH for $11 million] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220203060546/https://radioinfo.com.au/news/sen-expands-sydney-and-purchases-2ch-11-million/ |date=3 February 2022 }} Radioinfo 4 June 2020

Criminal convictions

In July 2007, Wheatley pleaded guilty to charges of tax evasion and faced the possibility of up to 10 years in jail.{{cite news|date=7 July 2007|title=Wheatley guilty of tax fraud|newspaper=The Australian|url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,22031463-2702,00.html|url-status=dead|access-date=8 July 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070707193645/http://theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,22031463-2702,00.html|archive-date=7 July 2007}} On 19 July 2007, he was sentenced in the County Court to 30 months jail, with a minimum of 15 months to be served. "I'm ashamed of what I have done", Wheatley said in court. "It was something that I have regretted for a long, long time and I'm ashamed of what I've brought on my family, who have had to suffer a lot."{{cite news

|url = http://www.smh.com.au/news/business/wheatley-to-face-music/2007/07/19/1184559919156.html

|title = Wheatley to face music

|newspaper = Sydney Morning Herald

|date = 19 July 2007

|access-date = 19 July 2007

|archive-date = 30 January 2008

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080130155954/http://www.smh.com.au/news/business/wheatley-to-face-music/2007/07/19/1184559919156.html

|url-status = live

}}

During the trial, many high-profile Australians presented character references for Wheatley, including John Farnham, Sydney Swans' chairman Richard Colless and entertainer Bert Newton. One reference, from army general Peter Cosgrove, described Wheatley as a "very honest and upright person".

However, Commonwealth prosecutor Richard Maidment SC said that "The fraud that was instigated (by Wheatley) can be described as sustained and sophisticated. Tax fraud is not to be seen as a victimless crime." Wheatley was released from Beechworth Correctional Centre on 19 May 2008 and was moved to home detention with electronic surveillance for the remainder of his sentence.{{cite news |title=Wheatley 'to go home' |url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/wheatley-to-go-home/2008/04/09/1207420462560.html |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=9 April 2008 |access-date=9 April 2008 |archive-date=13 April 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080413092515/http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/wheatley-to-go-home/2008/04/09/1207420462560.html |url-status=live }} Wheatley completed his detention on 18 October 2008 and immediately left for an overseas holiday.{{cite news|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/freed-wheatley-to-escape-overseas/story-fna7dq6e-1111117789122|title=Freed Glenn Wheatley to escape overseas|last=Te Koha|first=Nui|author2=Houlihan, Liam|date=19 October 2008|work=Herald Sun|access-date=20 October 2008}}

On 14 May 2010, Wheatley was charged with drink driving after recording a blood alcohol level of 0.08 by a random breath testing unit in Rushcutters Bay. He faced Waverley Court on 9 June 2010 and pleaded guilty. His licence was suspended for six months and he received an $850 fine.{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/06/09/2922388.htm|title=Glenn Wheatley guilty of drink-driving|last=Wells|first=Jamelle|date=9 June 2010|work=ABC News|access-date=18 June 2010|archive-date=12 June 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100612095338/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/06/09/2922388.htm|url-status=dead}}

Personal life and death

Wheatley was married to the actress Gaynor Martin; they had one son and two daughters.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2022-02-01 |title=Australian music industry icon dies with COVID-19 |url=https://australianseniorsnews.com.au/featured/australian-music-industry-icon-dies-with-covid-19/ |access-date=2024-10-28 |website=Australian Seniors News |language=en-US}}

The Wheatleys shifted base between Sydney and Melbourne over the years.{{Cite web |last=Pallisco |first=Marc |date=2023-08-17 |title=Gaynor Wheatley lists Melbourne townhouse ahead of interstate move |url=https://www.realestatesource.com.au/gaynor-wheatley-lists-melbourne-townhouse-ahead-of-interstate-move/ |access-date=2024-10-28 |website=realestatesource |language=en-US}} In June 2012, while walking his son's dog, Danko, Wheatley had part of his middle finger chewed off trying to intervene when another dog attacked.{{cite news |url = http://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainment/glenn-wheatleys-finger-savaged-in-dog-attack/story-e6frf96f-1226397646063|title = Glenn Wheatley's finger savaged in dog attack|newspaper = Herald Sun|date = 12 June 2012|access-date = 12 August 2012 }}

Wheatley died from complications from COVID-19 on 1 February 2022, at the age of 74.{{Cite news|date=2022-02-01|title=Glenn Wheatley, whose clients ranged from John Farnham to Delta Goodrem, dies aged 74|language=en-AU|work=ABC News |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-02-02/glenn-wheatley-dies-aged-74/100797454|access-date=2022-02-02|archive-date=1 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220201234840/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-02-02/glenn-wheatley-dies-aged-74/100797454|url-status=live}}

Awards and nominations

=Go-Set Pop Poll=

The Go-Set Pop Poll was coordinated by teen-oriented pop music newspaper Go-Set. It was established in February 1966 and conducted an annual poll from 1966 to 1972 of its readers to determine the most popular personalities.{{Cite web | url = http://users.ncable.net.au/~ronjeff/top40/oz_king.htm | title = Australian Music Awards | publisher = Ron Jeff | access-date = 16 December 2010 | archive-date = 30 June 2012 | archive-url = https://archive.today/20120630220831/http://users.ncable.net.au/~ronjeff/top40/oz_king.htm | url-status = dead }}

| 1970

| Self

| Best Guitarist

| 5th

| 1971

| Self

| Best Bass Guitarist

| style="background:gold;"| 1st

=Other notable awards=

| 1963

| Self

| Queensland Apprentice of the Year

| 1971

| Self

| Advance Australia Award for Outstanding Contribution in the Entertainment Industry

| 1988

| Self

| Business Review Weekly Australia's Business Award for Marketing

| 1999

| Self

| ARIA Hall of Fame

Charities and benefits

Wheatley produced the "Spirit of Christmas" series of albums for 25 years, with over $5.5 million being raised in that time for both the Salvation Army & the Starlight Children's Foundation.

In 1994, Wheatley instigated a concert to help the people of Rwanda. Featuring John Farnham and Friends, the concert raised funds and awareness to the genocide being perpetrated in that country at the time.

In 1999, with the Australian Troops deployed to East Timor, Wheatley and Talentworks worked with the Armed Forces and, alongside Doc Neeson, facilitated a Concert for the Troops in Dili called "Tour of Duty". The concert was simulcast in Australia by the Seven, Ten and Nine Networks, in what was an Australian-Television-First between the three major networks.

In 2018 and 2019, Wheatley's Talentworks produced 2 concerts to benefit Australian farmers in need, with the 2019 event raising a staggering $4.6 million.

''Finding the Voice''

Wheatley was credited for the concept and production of Finding the Voice, the multi-award winning documentary about John Farnham. Finding the Voice won the AACTA award for Best Documentary and it is currently recognised as the highest grossing Australian documentary in history. Wheatley Records also produced the ARIA award-winning soundtrack to Finding the Voice.