NZ King of R 'n R

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 5, Issue 15, 8 September 1987, Page 18

NZ King of R 'n R

I In the 1950's when ' singers like Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis were creating a whole new music industry called rock 'n roll, Tom Sharplin was a six year old in Tauranga. He doesn't recall the new sound and bcat having much impact on him at that timo* but four years later when he sang in a Boy Scout talent quest, he did choose an Elvis number - "Retum To Sender". Perhaps that was the beginning of rock 'n roll awareness for a person who is now undisputed king of the medium in New Zealand. Basic rock 'n roll had given way to "rock" and "pop" by the time he had left school in Tauranga and became vocalist with a band called Arms and Legs. Later he moved to Auckland to attend an art course, and sang m-o-r music with Arthur Skelton's Big Band. A management association with former rock 'n roll star Johnny Devlin had some influence on Tom's decision in 1974 to give up work as a graphic artist and concentrate all his show business energies on the nostalgia wave, typified by the movie American Graffiti. From that time on, his career has jumped in leaps and bounds with the artist remaining faithful to the traditional rock 'n roll image. Tom's continued appeal through the 80's is perfectly summed up by this quote from an article in the Sunday Times - "Tom Sharplin is one of the old school. He gives value for money. He plays with and not to an audience. But mostly he entertains" ... and that's what he'll be doing at the Ohakune Hotel this week.