Bandstand Live at the Capitol Theatre, Perth 1965, featuring Jade Hurley, available from the Jukebox Saturday Night store
Green gloves. Fingers cut off. A piano getting a proper hiding. If you watched Australian television any time between 1960 and the mid-1980s, you’ve probably seen Jade Hurley, and you probably remember the gloves before you remember the songs.
He’s 83 now and still touring. We reckon that deserves a proper look back.
Green gloves from the ABC props department
Jade Hurley was born John Anthony Patrick Hurley on 17 June 1943 in Sydney, according to his Wikipedia biography. His piano style owed a lot to Jerry Lee Lewis. He started playing at 14 with a band called the Rockin’ Rebels, and Johnny O’Keefe, then the biggest name in Australian rock and roll, helped him go solo. His TV debut came on JO’K’s Six O’Clock Rock in 1960.
O’Keefe also sorted out the look. According to 4 The Record, JO’K suggested green gloves with the fingers removed, from the ABC props department, and “Jade” came out of that. O’Keefe then dubbed him Australia’s King of Country Rock. JO’K died in 1978, but the title he handed out is still on Jade’s posters nearly 50 years later.
‘How I lied’ and a night in Perth
His first recordings for Festival, some with Col Joye’s Joy Boys behind him, didn’t go far. EMI’s Joe Halford knocked back a few of his songs because he “sounded too much like Buddy Holly”, but eventually agreed to ‘How I lied’ and ‘My baby Judy’. ‘How I lied’ became his breakthrough in 1965, with those sliding Jerry Lee Lewis glissandos all over it.
Jade was on Bandstand, and one appearance is remembered more than most. On 27 November 1965 he played the Capitol Theatre in Perth for a Bandstand concert, backed by Max Merritt and the Meteors. He got through ‘How I lied’ and ‘Lucille’, then collapsed at the piano from nervous exhaustion and an old knee injury, and Max Merritt kept the show going. It’s all there on our Bandstand Live: The Capitol Theatre Perth 1965 DVD. The line-up that night was a who’s who of 1965, with Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs, Lynne Randell, Ray Brown and the Whispers, Paul Wayne, Bryan Davies, Digger Revell and Merv Benton all on the bill. Jade recovered, of course, and was soon back behind the keys.
The singles kept coming anyway: ‘My baby Judy’ (1965), ‘I’m ashamed of you’ (1966) and a cover of George Jones’s ‘Gold and silver’ (1966). None of them matched ‘How I lied’ on the charts. ‘My baby Judy’ stopped at number 76 and ‘Gold and silver’ at number 71, according to 4 The Record, but they kept him on the radio and on the club circuit, which is where he really made his living.
Golden Oldens with Mike Walsh
For a lot of us Jade was the bloke on The Mike Walsh Show. He was a regular on the midday program through the 1970s and into the 1980s, with his own weekly spot, the Golden Oldens, bashing out the rock and roll standards. Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard and Del Shannon all got a workout.
The albums sold well too. King of country rock reached number 76 in 1975 and Solid gold number 70 in 1980. Rockin’ on made number 75 in 1983, and Great balls of fire got to number 64 in 1984. ‘Down in the Riverina’ (1974) and ‘Another Saturday night’ (1982) were club favourites. Between the telly he toured the country in a motor home, working the RSL and club circuit town by town. His live shows mix the old rock and roll covers with his own songs and a fair bit of comedy, and after 60 years he knows exactly when to hit the glissando for a laugh.
How old is Jade Hurley, and is he still performing
Jade is 83 as of September 2026. On 10 May 2026 he played a Mother’s Day show at Riverlinks Eastbank in Shepparton, billed as the “King of Country Rock and Piano Man”. Shepparton is a long way from the Sydney dance halls where it all started, but Jade has always gone wherever there’s a piano and a crowd.
He’s picked up a few honours along the way. He received the Medal of the Order of Australia in June 1998 for services to entertainment and for his charity work. In 2008 he set an attendance record of 1,550 at the Tamworth Country Music Festival, and in 2017 he was named a “Tasmanian National Legend” at the Tasmanian Independent Country Music Awards. He also did a stint as an alderman on Deniliquin Council, right in the Riverina he’d sung about back in 1974.
People search for “Jade Hurley wife” a fair bit. He’s kept that side of life private, and we couldn’t confirm the details from a reliable source, so we’ll leave it there.
Seen Jade tear up a club or a country festival? Tell us about it in the comments, or request a song for the Jukebox. For more rockers who deserve another spin, try our forgotten 70s bands.
Frequently asked questions
How old is Jade Hurley?
Jade Hurley was born John Anthony Patrick Hurley on 17 June 1943 in Sydney, so he’s 83 as of September 2026. He was still on the road this year, with a Mother’s Day show in Shepparton on 10 May 2026.
Is Jade Hurley still alive?
Yes. As of September 2026 Jade Hurley is alive and still performing. He played Riverlinks Eastbank in Shepparton, Victoria, in May 2026, and we found no reports of his passing.
Why is he called Jade?
Johnny O’Keefe came up with it. JO’K suggested he wear green gloves with the fingers cut off, which reportedly came from the ABC props department, and the name Jade followed. O’Keefe also dubbed him Australia’s King of Country Rock.
Was Jade Hurley on Bandstand?
Yes. He appeared on Bandstand, and our Bandstand Live DVD of the 27 November 1965 Capitol Theatre concert in Perth shows him singing ‘How I lied’ and ‘Lucille’. The same footage shows him collapsing from nervous exhaustion and an old knee injury.
Is Jade Hurley married?
Jade has kept his private life out of the headlines, and we couldn’t find a reliable source setting out his marriage details, so we won’t guess. What’s well documented is his 60-plus years on stage and his community work.
What were Jade Hurley’s hit songs?
‘How I lied’ (1965) was the breakthrough. After it came ‘My baby Judy’ (1965), ‘I’m ashamed of you’ (1966), a cover of George Jones’s ‘Gold and silver’ (1966) and ‘Down in the Riverina’ (1974).
What TV show was Jade Hurley on in the 1970s?
The Mike Walsh Show. He was a regular on the midday program through the 1970s and into the 1980s, with a weekly segment of old rock and roll covers called the Golden Oldens.
Did Jade Hurley get an OAM?
Yes. In June 1998 he received the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for service to the entertainment industry and for his charity work. He also served as an alderman on Deniliquin Council.
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Disclaimer: The information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only. While we strive for accuracy, music history is often based on available documentation and interpretation.
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