Wednesday, October 15, 1997
What ever happened to John Rowles who used to sing at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel? Singer John Rowles
stars in AustraliaNew Zealand singer John Rowles, who revisited Hawaii earlier this year, giving a performance for Prudential at the Hyatt Regency Kauai, is performing Down Under.
"He's based here in Australia," said Rhonda, a New Zealand songbird familiar to patrons on the Waikiki circuit and now performing in Sydney. A close friend of Rowles, Rhonda said he works a lot in Australia. "He's extremely popular here -- big star," she said when reached by telephone.
He initially captivated Waikiki in the early '70s, first at the old Duke Kahanamoku's, then at the Outrigger Hotel's Main Showroom and later at the Royal Hawaiian's Monarch Room.
Rowles recorded a song written by Waikiki entertainer Keith Haugen, "It's Christmas (All Over the World)," and made it a hit in Australia and New Zealand. He first sang it here while seeing out 1990 in a special New Year's Eve performance at the Turtle Bay Hilton.
He had closed out a successful run at the Tropics Surf Club at Hilton Hawaiian Village in November 1988. His biggest hit was "Cheryl Moana Marie," a song he wrote.