“This bloke Graham Toole
should not be missed!”
RAY HADLEY
“He impressed me as a
highly professional performer”
FRANK IFIELD
“World class singer”
CLIVE LENDICH

The US-based Legends are just that in musical tribute
circles – LEGENDS – with the longest running tribute
show in the world and a full cast of singers, dancers,
and a live band.
With ‘American Kenny’ unexpectedly out injured, Graham
had nine days to learn four songs and a duet before
taking to the stage for twenty-two shows beside Rod
Stewart, Tina Turner, Stevie Wonder, Elvis Presley,
Michael Jackson, Donna Summer, and Cyndi Lauper – or
at least the closest thing to them. “It was world-class,”
he enthused.
In the past 25 years he has performed tributes to Glen
Campbell, John Denver, and Kenny Rogers. Growing up in
a musical house, his mum played piano, and his dad sang
alongside himself and his five sisters, all going through
classical training and eisteddfod competitions.
“Music’s always been my passion,” Graham said. At 12,
the same year he discovered guitar, he joined an old-time
dance band. At 16, Graham won a talent competition to be
the curtain-raiser for a young John Williamson back in his
Old Man Emu days of the early 1970s, and he was on his
way.
In 2004, he was recognised with the Frank Ifield
International Spur Award for his potential global country
music appeal, individual style, and professionalism with
his Album ‘A Life Worth Living’.
Graham and his family in the mid-2000s playing the
streets of Tamworth with his wife and children
Rebecca, Julius, and Ashleigh Toole. Wife Leonie also
sings and writes and, for 10 years, he and his young family
sang in the streets of Tamworth.
While the couple penned and recorded an album, Graham
said these days he was happy singing the songs of the
music’s greats.
“It’s been a brilliant opportunity to play wonderful songs
that everyone knows… that’s the fun part: we encourage
people to join in,” Graham said.
“The music transcends through the ages; they are just
such well-crafted songs.”
Increasingly he finds second and third generations
coming to the concerts, with grandparents eager to
share the music they grew up with.
As for favorites, he said that was too hard to choose, with
the melody in one, or a phrase in another clicking with
him in particular situations.
“And that’s what it’s like for audiences too… one line in
a song can just take them back to that special time in
their lives,” he said.
Graham Toole believed he had hit the jackpot when
he was called up in January 2019 to sing as Kenny
Rogers with the Las Vegas Legends in concert at
Melbourne’s Crown Casino. While it was a little
surreal being on stage with these stars of the
1960-1990s, living and dead, Graham has made a
career out of singing the songs of the greats.