John Edward Rowles, born on 26 March 1947 in Whakatāne, New Zealand, is a singer of Māori and European descent. He grew up in Kawerau and Te Atatū South, West Auckland. His musical career began to take shape in the late 1960s with his cover version of "If I Only Had Time" (based on Michel Fugain's French song "Je n'aurai pas le temps"), which reached number 3 on the UK Singles Chart in spring 1968. In 1970, his original composition "Cheryl Moana Marie" gained significant attention, peaking at number 64 on the Billboard Hot 100. His career spanned performances across New Zealand, Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom. He received several honours, including the Benny Award from the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand Inc in 1974, appointment as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1979, and a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2018. His autobiography, If I Only Had Time: The Autobiography, was released in October 2012. The Greatest Song of All followed in 2014.
