Roger Davies is an Australian artist manager, business manager, and music producer in the global music industry. Davies was born in 1952, and his career spans more than half a century.
He has managed multiple pop and rock performers, including Sherbet (1970–1979), Olivia Newton-John (1979–1986), Tina Turner (1981–2010), Dalbello (1984), James Reyne (1986–1990), Tony Joe White (1989–2000), Janet Jackson (1989–2002), Joe Cocker (1991 to 2014), Sade (1991–present), M People (1997–2000), Cher (1999–present), and Pink (2001–present).
Biography
Roger Davies was born in 1952 and grew up in Melbourne, Australia. In 1970, at the age of 18, Davies left university life to become a roadie for a progressive rock band, Company Caine.
The following year, he relocated to Sydney, Australia, and worked for a booking agency, Consolidated Rock, which was set up by Michael Browning and Michael Gudinski.
At age 20, in October 1972, along with a fellow workmate, Michael Chugg, he set up Sunrise booking agency. Among their clients included Sherbet.
Sherbet (1970–1979)
Davies became the talent manager for the pop-rock group Sherbet, where he was impressed by the group's attitude: their "willingness to work anywhere, anytime, whatever it took." According to musicologist Ian McFarlane, "Under the direction of astute manager Roger Davies, the band also pioneered the concept of the national rock tour by undertaking arduous, cross-country treks to play in the far-flung corners of the continent. Sherbet's carefully cultivated image tended to alienate the 'serious' music fan, although the band's ability to deliver well-crafted pop music has never been in doubt."
Unusual for the time, Sherbet, under Davies’ direction, established its own record label, publishing company, and merchandising company. With no previous management experience, Davies proceeded along the path he perceived successful English bands to have taken. Starting their own record label was a major achievement, and for a band to also have a merchandising company put them ahead of their time.
Sherbet evolved from a soul-based covers band into a teen-oriented pop-rock outfit, that relied mostly on original material. They had 11 singles peak in the Australian top ten. From 1975, Davies and Sherbet turned their attention to the international market. The single "Howzat" (1976) was inspired by the sport of cricket, which went to #1 in Australia and New Zealand. It was a top-10 hit in several European countries, including #4 on the UK Singles Chart. It had less chart success in the United States, where it reached #61 on the Billboard Hot 100. Nevertheless, its success led to an extensive international tour from 1976–1977.
Sherbet's foray into the US market began in 1977 with their album Photoplay, later retitled Magazine for the American market; however, it failed to chart in the US. Sherbet then signed with RSO Records and changed their name to Highway, but it had no US charting with their subsequent album, Highway 1 (1978). In mid-1979, the group disbanded and returned to Australia; nonetheless, Davies remained in America. Later on, in 1980, the band reformed as the Sherbs.
Olivia Newton-John (1979–1986)
In 1978, in Los Angeles, Roger Davies became the manager for Steve Kipner (ex–Steve and the Board, Tin Tin), a singer-songwriter, who had been in Australia during the 1960s. Davies also worked for Olivia Newton-John's then-manager, Lee Kramer. Kipner had co-written the track "Physical" for Tina Turner, another of Kramer's clients, who thought it "too obvious" and rejected it. Davies and Kramer heard Kipner's demo and offered it to Newton-John. Olivia Newton-John recorded "Physical" but felt the lyrics were "too risqué to release." In 1979, Davies took over Newton-John's management following her split with Lee Kramer.
In September 1981, "Physical" was released and provided Newton-John with an international hit. Supported by a ground-breaking video, it stayed at the top of the US charts for 10 weeks. Davies helped continue Newton-John's commercial success during the early 1980s, including her studio albums Physical (October 1981) and Soul Kiss (October 1985), and on the road with her North American Physical Tour (1982).
In April 2018, the Australian television biopic Olivia Newton-John: Hopelessly Devoted To You featured Delta Goodrem as Olivia Newton and Gyton Grantley as manager Roger Davies.
Tina Turner (1980–2010)
In 1980, Roger Davies' employer Lee Kramer became the manager of Tina Turner. Turner had divorced her husband, Ike, in March 1978, and by 1979 was without a record contract. To support herself, Turner had worked on the club circuit.