A night that was always going to be emotional

For Richard Wilkins, the John Farnham tribute was never going to be just another night on stage.

On September 20, the veteran entertainment reporter took on the role of MC for The Songs of John Farnham: A Living Legend – The Celebration Concert at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena, a sold-out event bringing together some of Australia’s biggest stars to celebrate the man behind so many unforgettable songs.

But shortly before the concert began, the mood changed.

Richard revealed that after the previous night’s dress rehearsal, John’s wife Jill and sons Rob and James had addressed those involved with the show and provided an update on John’s health.

“It wasn’t the news anyone wanted to hear,” Richard later wrote.

For an occasion that was already expected to be deeply emotional, the news gave the night an even greater sense of poignancy.

Four decades of memories

Richard’s connection with John stretches back decades.

Writing ahead of the tribute, he revealed that he had not actually spoken to John since the last Hay Mate event they worked on together — but that he still carried “fond and fabulous memories” of the time he had spent with John and his manager and close friend Glenn Wheatley over more than 40 years.

It was a glimpse of a relationship that existed long before the cameras, red carpets and major tribute concerts.

Richard described his feelings toward the Farnham family with unmistakable affection and respect, reflecting on just how much history had passed between them.

“What times we’ve had.”

After Glenn Wheatley died in 2022, Richard had publicly described him as “what a man… what a life”, underscoring the longstanding connection between the entertainment reporter and the people who had shaped Farnham’s extraordinary career.

Then came the news about John

The update from the Farnham family made clear why John would not be at the concert.

His family said his health had deteriorated in recent months. He now requires continuous oxygen support, uses a wheelchair for mobility and receives 24-hour nursing care at home. They said they had kept those details private while adjusting to his changing needs, but felt it was important for his supporters to understand why he could not attend.

John’s family also said that, under different circumstances, he would have loved to be there — and that he was deeply moved by the tribute being organised in his honour.

For Richard, who was about to walk onto the same stage, that knowledge could not have been easy to carry.

“Tonight makes it 95”

And yet, when the curtain finally rose, Richard helped turn the evening into a celebration rather than simply a farewell.

Standing inside the arena, he reminded the crowd that John had sold out 94 shows at Rod Laver Arena over the years.

“So I guess tonight makes it 95,” he told the audience.

It was an extraordinary number — and a fitting one for a concert celebrating a singer whose career has been woven so deeply into Australian life.

Around 120 performers took part in the event, including Keith Urban, Tina Arena, Jimmy Barnes, Jessica Mauboy, Human Nature and Kate Ceberano, while Céline Dion, Hugh Jackman and Chris Martin joined the tribute from overseas.

John himself was absent.

But his presence was everywhere.

His voice still filled the arena

Footage from Farnham’s past performances appeared on the big screens, allowing the audience to see the man they had come to celebrate while today’s stars performed the songs that had defined generations.

His son Rob also took the stage, performing Love To Shine and later thanking the crowd on behalf of the family.

He said his father would have been touched by the turnout.

The moment captured something the whole night seemed to understand: John did not need to be physically present for the room to belong to him.

A friendship that has outlasted generations

For Richard Wilkins, the evening was also a personal reflection on a relationship that has stretched across more than four decades.

He had known John through some of the biggest moments of his career, from the years of Whispering Jack and the concerts that helped make Farnham a national icon, to the later years when health forced the singer away from the stage.

John’s 1986 album Whispering Jack remains one of Australia’s defining records and sold more than 1.6 million copies. He was named Australian of the Year in 1987 and went on to win more than 20 ARIA Awards.

And now, at an evening created to honour that extraordinary legacy, Richard found himself doing something very different from simply introducing performers.

He was helping an entire country say thank you.

What Richard carried onto that stage

There was one particularly poignant detail in Richard’s message before the concert.

He admitted that it had been a long time since he had actually spoken to John.

Yet the affection remained.

The memories remained.

And as he prepared to stand in front of thousands of people celebrating one of Australia’s most beloved performers, Richard knew the night had become something more than a tribute.

It was a reminder of a friendship, a remarkable career and all the years that had passed between then and now.

More than 40 years of memories.

And one difficult piece of news that made the celebration feel more precious than anyone had expected.