Hachette Australia to publish John Farnham memoir Inside The Voice

Aussie music legend John Farnham is gearing up to release his tell-all memoir which is set to give fans access to his personal and public journey like never before.

The Voice Inside is written in partnership with Poppy Stockwell and will be published in time for fans to get their hands on a copy at Christmas.

The memoir is set to chart the 74-year-old’s personal and public journey, told in his own words and with his inimitable humour, insight, and humility.

It will track Farnham’s rise from early pop stardom in the 1960s, the wild years of the early 1980s, his comeback with the Whispering Jack album in 1986 and the remarkable career highs that followed.

But the book will also explore the tough times in the You’re The Voice singer’s career, from record companies turning their backs, facing financial ruin, his devastating diagnosis of mouth cancer in 2022, and the death of his long-time friend and manager Glenn Wheatley that same year.

To be published by Hachette Australia, the book is slated for a November release.

The memoir comes after the documentary John Farnham: Finding the Voice, which picked up both ARIA and AACTA Awards last year.

Farnham said in a statement that after he was asked many times, it finally felt right to sit down and tell his story.

“It is a very strange feeling looking back on my life, on the good and the bad, and now that I have started, it is all rushing back. I hope the book engages and entertains because that’s what so much of my life has been about,” he said.

Stockwell, who is also the writer and director of the Farnham biopic, said working with the star on his memoir was like sitting down with an old friend, who also happens to be an “absolute legend”.

“His resilience and sense of humour shine through every recollection, making this project a genuine reflection of the man behind the music. It’s been a joy to help bring his tales to life, and I can’t wait for readers to get an unfettered glimpse of the man whose music is the soundtrack to so many of our lives,” she said.

Head of Literary at Hachette Australia Vanessa Radnidge said the nation will be exposed to the true extent of his health battles and hard times.

“Like so many Australians, I am a huge fan of John Farnham’s,” she said.

“His talent is legendary, and his resilience in a tough industry is inspiring. However, we didn’t really know the battles, the hard times or the depths of who John really is. And now he is sharing his life, his memories and what defined him.

My colleagues and I are so proud to help John publish his memoir, and I know I am one of many who can’t wait to get to know the voice inside this iconic and much-loved Australian.”