Just days before thousands of Australians gather to celebrate his extraordinary career, John Farnham’s son has offered a deeply personal glimpse into how the music legend is doing today.

At 77, Farnham has stepped away from live performance following the extensive surgeries he underwent after being diagnosed with mouth cancer in 2022. But according to his son Rob Farnham, there is still a familiar spark in the man behind one of Australia’s most recognisable voices.

And one small part of his life at home is keeping that voice very much alive.

“He’s back to his old self”

Speaking to A Current Affair on Friday night, Rob gave an encouraging update on his father’s condition.

“He’s so good, he’s back to his old self,” Rob said.

He described his father as “super fast talking”, recalling the way John greets him whenever they speak or meet.

For a family that has watched John endure years of treatment and recovery, the simple return of those familiar everyday moments carries its own significance.

The little boy who still gets to hear John sing

Perhaps the most touching part of Rob’s update was not about music halls or sold-out arenas.

It was about John’s relationship with his grandson, Jett.

Rob said his father spends plenty of time with the young boy, chasing him around the house, playing together and singing little songs.

“He sings to Jett all the time,” Rob said.

John even sings the jingles from television, with Rob revealing that every now and then his father will still “belt out a big note”.

“The voice is still there,” he said.

But Rob was also clear that singing at home is very different from performing a full live show.

John can still sing, he explained, but the demands of doing major shows are no longer something his father can take on.

A voice that will not be heard on stage again

The update comes after John confirmed earlier this year that he would not return to live performance.

Following the surgeries to his mouth and face, Farnham told the Herald Sun in May that performing on stage was no longer possible for him.

It marked a significant moment for an artist whose career had been defined by live performance and by a voice that became part of Australian musical history.

ABC previously reported that Farnham was diagnosed with mouth cancer in 2022 and confirmed in August 2023 that he was cancer-free. His last public performance was at the Fire Fight Australia fundraising concert in Sydney in February 2020.

A celebration he almost didn’t want

Now, as Farnham prepares to be honoured by some of Australia’s biggest performers, he will remain away from the stage.