The Official Website of the Singer & Songwriter

Craig Ferguson

Carols by Candlelight has been an Australian
Christmas tradition since 1938. This concert is
telecast live featuring a huge line up of popular
stars performing carols and Christmas songs a
long with 50,000 Melburnians waving candles of
hope and faith lighting the great southern sky.

On Christmas Eve 1986, I was with my family at a
party and the carols were on the television in the
background. In a lounge room full of screaming, hyperactive children eagerly anticipating Santa’s arrival, I remember looking over to the TV and seeing a glamorous blonde woman walking on to the stage accompanied by a man and they started singing. My attention was particularly caught by her flowing sequined gown and so I wandered over to the TV to watch the performance. This was my first introduction to the magic of the great Jackie Trent. I was instantly captivated by Jackie’s incomparable presence, voice, style and energy. Jackie and Tony performed three songs and I was glued to the TV thinking, who is this woman? Why haven’t I seen her before? I went over to my mother and said, “Have you ever heard of Jackie Trent?” Mum replied, “Yes, Jackie Trent and Tony Hatch are famous singers and songwriters” and she started singing ‘The Two of Us’. Of course I knew that song and she told me a host of the other hits they had written and I became and instant fan. I then saw Jackie and Tony often on numerous TV shows and bought as many CDs as I could get. Back then I was working as a radio announcer at 3UZ in Melbourne and although it was a sports/horse racing station, I would always throw a Trent/Hatch song on where possible between races just to relive their writing genius. Of course I always gave them a big wrap during the intro or tag to the song.

1990 was a memorable year for me as Jackie and Tony were coming to Melbourne for a Variety Club function and I arranged for us to meet up for dinner. I picked them up from their hotel in Melbourne and we went to an Italian restaurant in Kew. It was a memorable night with great food, wine, champagne, laughter and the occasional song thrown in for fun!! Jackie was as much fun in life as she seemed on stage and I was now even more devoted and intrigued by this amazing woman.

Jackie and Tony were guest artists at a couple of shows that I was the compere of. Of course I was absolutely thrilled to be able to introduce the wonderful Jackie Trent to the stage. Jackie always looked magnificent wearing glamorous, colourful designer gowns that the stage lights loved. To watch Jackie perform live on stage is something every human should experience, and one they will never forget!!

I became very good friends with Jackie and Tony’s personal assistant in Sydney Carolyn Hum. Each time I went to Sydney I would stay at Caro and David’s house and we have had many great times together over the past 21 years. I remember being the master of ceremonies at Caro’s 50th birthday where Jackie and Tony composed a special song for the occasion and another great night was had. I went to Sydney each year to watch the annual Carols in the Domain in which Jackie performed and Tony was musical director and producer. This event was also telecast on TV with Jackie stealing the show each time with songs that only she could masterfully perform. They were memorable performances by Jackie and fortunately I have them all on DVD!!!

I remember well in 1994 when Tony told me they were moving back to the UK due to work and family commitments. I was saddened by the news as I didn’t think we would see much, if anything of them in Australia again. Jackie’s final performance at Carol’s in the Domain in 1994 was superb, and a fitting farewell. She performed a stirring arrangement of the Elton John/Tim Rice hit ‘Can You Feel the Love Tonight’ to the 100,000 people in the park. Jackie had a tear during the song and so did we!!

I received a phone call from Caro in 1995 telling me that Jackie and Tony had separated and I couldn’t believe what I was hearing!! They were a musical institution, how could Mr and Mrs Music be no longer?? It just seemed like absolute madness to me, and everyone else as well!! This was an incredibly tough time for Jackie and in some respect, she just withdrew back to her family and wonderful mother to try and make sense of what had happened, start to recover and move on with life. I remember thinking we have to get Jackie back on stage and doing what she does best, PERFORM!!! This will be the best therapy and the confidence she needs right now!!

I rang Jackie in the UK and we had lots of chats about what had gone on and how she was coping. Clearly she was a shattered woman and doing her best to get life back on track. I asked her to consider coming back to Australia to co-write and record a song with a mutual friend Michael Harvey in Sydney. I was producing a CD on the life of one of the world’s greatest sports broadcasters Bill Collins. I wanted to finish it with a stirring, yet personal song for a man who I had idolised since my early childhood. Jackie was excited about the opportunity and flew out here in 1999. She wrote and recorded ‘That’s How We Remember You’ accompanied by the Australian Girls Choir and it was brilliant. We went to the Melbourne Cup as guests of the Victoria Racing Club as Jackie had performed at the official Cup Eve Ball. Jackie even backed the winner Rogan Josh!!

Jackie made a number of television appearances while she was here and it was during this time that we planned for her to return and do a number of concerts. We had lots of chats, laughs, cries, food and drink and it was obvious JT was growing strong and the confidence to get going again was resonating just below the surface. Jackie was ready and the time was right to strike up the band!!

Jackie returned to Australia and did a series of sensational concerts in Melbourne, Sydney and the Gold Coast and blew the audiences away. Yes, Jackie Trent was back and nothing was stopping her now. It was one of life’s great highlights for me, and one I am sure Jackie remembers fondly.

At the time I reflected back to that Christmas Eve in 1986 sitting in a lounge room thinking, “Who is this wonderful woman?” And there I was not only working with her, but we had become great friends and I had the privilege of travelling around watching her do what she does best, light up theatres like no other can!!

Jackie Trent is one of the dearest people in the world to me and I thank her for all the great memories and times we’ve had together, but most importantly……. Thankyou for being my friend!!!

So, here is my advice to all Jackie Trent fans out there. Make it your personal goal to get on a bike, bus, tram, train, truck, cart, plane, horse or scooter and get to one of Jackie’s shows as soon as is humanly possible. This is one of life’s experiences you simply can’t afford to miss!!!!

Craig Ferguson
May 2011