Bernard Fanning facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bernard Fanning
Fanning performing in 2010
Background information
Birth name	Bernard Joseph Fanning
Born	(1969-08-15) 15 August 1969 (age 56) Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Genres	Alternative rock blues acoustic folk
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter musician
Instruments	Vocals piano guitar percussion harmonica
Years active	1989–present
Labels	Dew Process Universal Lost Highway

Bernard Joseph Fanning (born 15 August 1969) is an Australian musician and singer-songwriter. He is best known as the lead singer of the alternative rock band Powderfinger, which started in 1989.

Bernard grew up in Toowong, Brisbane. His mother taught him to play piano when he was young. By age 15, he was already writing his own songs. After high school, he briefly studied journalism at the University of Queensland. However, he soon left to focus on music. He met Ian Haug in a class, and together they formed Powderfinger with John Collins and Steven Bishop. Bernard became the lead singer. Later, Jon Coghill and Darren Middleton joined the band. Powderfinger became very successful in Australia, releasing many albums.

In 2005, while Powderfinger took a break, Bernard started his solo music career. His first solo album was called Tea & Sympathy. Powderfinger got back together in 2007 and released two more albums before they stopped playing together in late 2010. While Powderfinger played alternative rock, Bernard's solo music often mixes blues and acoustic folk styles. He plays guitar, piano, keyboards, and harmonica. Bernard also cares about helping others and supports Aboriginal Australians.

Early Life and Music Start

Bernard Fanning was born in Brisbane on 15 August 1969. He grew up in Toowong with his two brothers and a sister. His family was Irish Catholic. Bernard's mother taught him piano when he was a child.

When he was 15, Bernard attended St. Joseph's College, Gregory Terrace. This is when he started writing his own music. He said these early songs were "terrible," but he loved creating them. After finishing school, Bernard went to the University of Queensland to study journalism. But he was also very interested in music. At 19, he left university to follow his dream of becoming a musician.

Music Career Journey

Powderfinger Years (1989–2004)

Bernard first met Ian Haug, who would become Powderfinger's guitarist, in 1989. They were in an economics class at the University of Queensland. Ian had just started Powderfinger with his friends John Collins and Steven Bishop. Ian was the lead singer at first. But when he heard Bernard sing, he asked Bernard to be the new lead singer. Ian believed Bernard's voice was perfect for the band.

In 1992, Darren Middleton joined Powderfinger as the fifth member. Bernard and Ian were impressed by Darren's guitar playing. Jon Coghill also replaced Steven Bishop as the drummer. This lineup of Bernard, Darren, Ian, John, and Jon stayed the same for many years.

Powderfinger became very famous in Australia in the late 1990s. They won many awards and sold lots of records and concert tickets. Bernard was the main voice of the band, which made him a well-known person in Australian music. In 2003, filmmaker Gregor Jordan asked Bernard to sing two songs for his movie Ned Kelly. One was a folk song called "Moreton Bay" and the other was Bernard's own song, "Shelter for My Soul."

Solo Music Adventure (2004–2006)

On 31 October 2005, Bernard released his first solo album, Tea & Sympathy. It quickly became number one on the Australian music charts. It stayed in the top 50 for 58 weeks!

Tea & Sympathy included some songs Bernard had written while with Powderfinger, plus new ones. He wrote most of the songs very quickly between March and May 2005. A lot of the inspiration for the album came from his feelings about his brother's death in 2002 and the end of a long relationship. Most of the album was recorded in June 2005. Bernard said making the album was a lot of fun.

Three songs from the album were released as singles. The most popular was "Wish You Well". This song was voted number one in the 2005 Triple J Hottest 100 countdown. Bernard won the Best Video award in 2006 for "Wish You Well."

Bernard went on a concert tour called Which Way Home in early 2006. He played seven shows in major Australian cities. He then did another tour called Yesterday's Gone. After these tours, Powderfinger got back together. Bernard later said that while he enjoyed his solo work, "Powderfinger is my real job."

Powderfinger Returns (2007–2010)

Fanning performing with Powderfinger in London, 2007

In 2006, Bernard hinted that Powderfinger would release a new album. Their sixth studio album, Dream Days at the Hotel Existence, came out on 2 June 2007. The album's title came from a book Bernard read. It also reached number one on the Australian charts.

Powderfinger toured Australia and New Zealand with another band, Silverchair, in 2007. This tour was called the Across the Great Divide tour. Its goal was to support Reconciliation Australia. This group works to close the gap in life expectancy between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. Bernard said the tour showed that both bands supported reconciliation.

Back to Solo Work (2011–Present)

After Powderfinger stopped playing together, Bernard moved to Madrid, Spain, with his family for 18 months. While there, he started writing songs for his next solo album. He moved back to Brisbane in 2013. His second solo album, Departures, was released in June 2013.

Bernard released his third solo album, Civil Dusk, on 5 August 2016. This album was the first of two parts. The second part, Brutal Dawn, was released on 26 May 2017.

In 2024, Bernard started a new project with Paul Dempsey called Fanning Dempsey National Park. Their first album, The Deluge, was released on 2 August 2024.

Music Style and Influences

Bernard Fanning is known for his strong singing voice. However, he has said he isn't always confident about it. He believes that getting the song's message across is more important than just showing off his voice. He writes songs based on his own experiences.

When working on Tea & Sympathy, Bernard mentioned that he couldn't play guitar solos. This meant other parts of the songs became more important. He also said his songs were shorter because he didn't have his bandmates to help build them up. Bernard has said that his favorite band is The Beatles.

Views on Social Issues

Bernard Fanning has said that while his songs might have social messages, his main focus is being a musician. He doesn't want to be seen as a political expert. If a song has a social message, he wants it to be a good song first. He is not interested in becoming a politician, unlike some other musicians.

In 2007, Bernard wrote about his trip to Uluru. He was upset that people were climbing the rock, which goes against the wishes of Aboriginal people. After this trip, he wrote the song "Black Tears". Bernard also spoke about the difference in life expectancy between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians. He encouraged everyone to talk about reconciliation.

Bernard has a generally left-leaning view on social issues. He prefers to share his thoughts through his songs rather than directly discussing politics. He feels as strongly about social issues as he does about personal relationships. He has spoken out about how Aboriginal people are treated in Australia.

Personal Life and Charity Work

Bernard Fanning has done a lot of charity work both by himself and with Powderfinger. The band played at the 2005 WaveAid concert to help victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. The Across the Great Divide tour in 2007 promoted Reconciliation Australia. Bernard also supports charities like A Just Australia and Youngcare Australia. He spends time at youth detention centers in Brisbane, teaching songwriting workshops.

Bernard married Andrea Moreno in February 2007 in Brisbane. Andrea is from Spain, and they met while Bernard was recording Tea & Sympathy in Europe. They have a daughter and a son. Bernard learned some Spanish from Andrea. He is a fan of cricket and the National Rugby League team, the Brisbane Broncos.

Discography

Solo Albums

• Tea & Sympathy (2005)
• Departures (2013)
• Civil Dusk (2016)
• Brutal Dawn (2017)

Awards and Nominations

Bernard Fanning has won several awards for his music.

APRA Awards

The APRA Awards celebrate Australian songwriters and composers.

ARIA Music Awards

The ARIA Music Awards recognize excellence in Australian music. Bernard Fanning has won five of these awards.

Queensland Music Awards

The Queensland Music Awards celebrate artists from Queensland, Australia.

See also

In Spanish: Bernard Fanning para niños