In late March, 1996 I was in the throes of completing "Of Wheels and Wires" with Nash Chambers.
One morning, as we were about to start mixing, I received a phone call that was destined to draw me into a whirlwind of energy and vision that I came to know as Frank Hackett-Jones. A truly great Australian whose generosity and energy were phenomenal, Frank was an extraordinary man who believed that wealth was for the service of humanity and not the other way around. He was a shining example of a great bloke and a loyal citizen and, as such, he was almost a singularity in today's entrepreneurial landscape. A rich man with passionate ideals and a spirit of service.
The phone call went pretty much as follows,
"Good Morning. Pat Drummond?"
"Yes. ...."
I represent Mr Frank Hackett-Jones.
"Yes. ...."
"Mr Hackett Jones. would like you to make a new album."
"Well, I'm in the process of doing that, mate. When it's finished, perhaps, I can send him one."
"No," said the voice " You don't quite understand.... Mr Hackett-Jones is an admirer of your work and would like you to produce a new album of songs about his home town of Canowindra"
"Well, I appreciate the call but ..er...I don't know that much about Canowindra. I'd have to research the town's history and so on....."
"No problem . We could arrange for you to come and stay here for a while...at our expense of course."
"Well.... it's an interesting brief. When would you consider starting it...sometime next year?"
"To be precise, the album would have to be completed in 4 weeks"
":WHAT!!?!?!?!?!?"
I must have been crazy to agree... but Frank's spirit was infectious. He had the habit of convincing everyone around him that anything was possible. The next four weeks threw Nash, Bill and Kasey Chambers, Allan Caswell, Norma Murphy, Jim Haynes, Rob Fairbairn and quite a few other members of the Australian Country Music Fraternity into the maelstrom, but there was no saying "No" to Frank when he had set his mind on something. Writing, Recording, Mastering, Graphics were all completed on schedule as the soundtrack to the 1996 Marti's Canowindra Balloon Fiesta. Once it was finished Frank then insisted that the album be performed 'live' at the festival. It was a resounding success. Over the next few years I remained closely associated with the festival and in particular with Frank Daniels, Judy Lynne and Jodie Hammond under whose direction the event won the New South Wales Tourism Award for Excellence and doubled up by taking out the National Tourism Award in 1998.
Frank Hackett-Jones, was an expatriate Canowindra schoolboy, son of a local nurse, and successful business man living in Guernsey (Channel Islands), who sought to celebrate the memory of his late mother Marti in such a manner that the people of Canowindra would benefit. He founded and funded Marti's Canowindra Balloon Fiesta. His financial assistance over the first three years gave the people of the town the spirit and determination to carry on with this wondrous gift and hopefully will continue to do so for many years to come, both as a memorial to Frank and his mother, Marti.
The Canowindra Balloon Festival remains one of the most unique and beautiful events in NSW. I can still see my brother, Ron, in that amazing balloon with that look of wonderment on his face as we drifted across the fields and copses of inland NSW; at dawn on that beautiful morning in 1996. It was a once in a lifetime experience.
Here is a link or two worth visiting if you are on-line.
http://www.specialevents.com.au/archiveprev/2000/06june/featuresjune/hackett-jones.html
and
http://www.martisfiesta.com.au/
P.S. The "wings of an Eagle" line in the song refers to the first balloon that Frank built for his homecoming at the inaugural event; a gigantic hot air eagle which was destroyed by a grass fire in 1995 and which preceded the Kookaburra seen on the lyric page. Frank, among his other business interests, owned Germany's Eagle Airlines. He told me during that first briefing that didn't want me to write about him on that album. He suspected I might, but he a was noble man and didn't want to be glorified in any way. I disobeyed the direction....I couldn't help it. And in hindsight, I'm glad I did.