Wendy Oldfield Still Rocks at 50!
The perenially cool Wendy Oldfield turns 50 today. Happy Birthday to one of South Africa’s most beloved rock stars! Wendy burst onto the South African rock scene at the age of nineteen in the ’80s as lead singer of The Sweatband, with the very catchy single “This Boy” (which still works today – take a […]
The perenially cool Wendy Oldfield turns 50 today. Happy Birthday to one of South Africa’s most beloved rock stars!
Wendy burst onto the South African rock scene at the age of nineteen in the ’80s as lead singer of The Sweatband, with the very catchy single “This Boy” (which still works today – take a listen below).
Her musical career sort of happened by chance. “I was studying at Barkley House Teachers Training College to give myself something to do whilst waiting for a career in music to happen,” she told Rock.co.za.
“Sure enough it did! One of the girls studying with me, knowing that I could sing asked me if I would be interested in auditioning for her boyfriend’s brother’s band – the Sweatband.
“I was like ‘Uh The Sweatband?’… not really with that name, but I decided to go and check it out.
“The first thing that [drummer] Leslie Cook asked me was whether I would dye my hair black and did I shave my legs?
“I also noticed that they were pretty fixated on my boobs which I guess is pretty much rock ‘n roll boy stuff! I still laugh about the fact that they never asked if I could sing!!”
But she could! And she can. And she still does! Wendy still gigs at various cool spots entertaining her audience with that unique Wendy Oldfield blend of heart, rock and soul that makes fans long for more.
She’s also now a mother of three and lives in Wilderness in the Western Cape.
Watch Wendy Oldfield singing recently in Durban:
This is a live recording of Bob Marley’s “Redemption song”, performed by Wendy Oldfield on tour in Durban KZN during November 2013.