In excerpts from his memoir The Voice Inside, published by The Australian, Australian music legend John Farnham has made shocking allegations against his late former manager, Darryl Sambell.
Farnham, who rose to stardom in the 1960s, claims he was secretly drugged “for years” by Sambell during the early years of his career.
“He drugged me for years and I had no f—ing idea,” Farnham wrote in his memoir. “I caught him one day. I was drinking a cup of coffee and there was a pill only half-dissolved in the bottom. When I asked him what it was, Darryl replied, ‘That’s just something to help you stay awake.’”
Farnham, best known for his hit “You’re The Voice,” reflected on the long-lasting impact of this discovery, expressing regret over his silence at the time. “I feel so ashamed of myself for not realising what Darryl was up to or speaking up more often to put him back in his place. I didn’t question any of it, I just went along as if nothing was off-key.”
He added, “I still don’t know why I didn’t react more. I put it down to being young, under stress, tired and feeling unsure and insecure about my own instincts.”
Farnham claims that Sambell’s need for control dominated every aspect of his life during their professional relationship. He claimed that for years, Darryl controlled “where and when I worked, what I sang, what I wore, what I ate.”
Reflecting on the trauma of those years, Farnham admits how difficult it has been to come to terms with his past.
“Many years have passed since then and, up until now, I’ve found it very hard to unpick what happened to me. But now that I’ve confronted on it, I look back on that time with sorrow. I’m annoyed at myself for being so gullible and trusting.”
“I gave away control of my career, my direction and my life. I was a young bloke and I needed a manager.”
Sambell managed Farnham’s career until 1976, when the singer finally ended their professional relationship. The split marked a turning point in Farnham’s life, allowing him to rebuild his career with manager Glenn Wheatley.
Under Wheatley’s guidance, Farnham released Whispering Jack in 1986—a defining moment that propelled him to international acclaim and saw him peak at No. 1 on the Australian Kent Music Report albums chart.
Farnham’s storied career is filled with accolades. He’s won 21 ARIA Awards from 60 nominations, including Album of the Year for Whispering Jack and Single of the Year for “You’re The Voice” in 1987. His albums—Whispering Jack, Age of Reason, Chain Reaction, and Then Again—have all been honored as Highest Selling Albums in Australia, and he’s been recognized as Best Male Artist multiple times. In 2003, he was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame.
Beyond the ARIAs, Farnham has earned Mo Awards for Best Male Vocal and Entertainer of the Year, and a Logie for Best Teenage Personality early in his career. He received the JC Williamson Award in 2004 for lifetime achievement in live performance, and was named Australian of the Year in 1987. His contributions to music and charity earned him the Officer of the Order of Australia in 1996, and he was inducted into the Music Victoria Hall of Fame in 2015.
More recently, John Farnham: Finding The Voice—released through Sony Pictures with a companion soundtrack via Wheatley Records/Sony Music Australia—became Australia’s highest-grossing feature-length music documentary of all time. The soundtrack debuted at No. 2 on the ARIA Chart, marking Farnham’s 20th top 10 appearance. The documentary also won the 2024 AACTA Award for Best Documentary and the 2024 TV Week Logie Award for Best Documentary.
From his childhood in Melbourne to his recent battle against cancer, The Voice Inside delves into both the highs and the significant challenges that have shaped Farnham’s life. You can pre-order the book at Hachette Australia.
