The 1970s were a relatively quiet period for Ifield, but his popularity remained strong in many European countries. He continued to perform at country music festivals and in cabarets.
Collapsed lung
In 1980s, Frank faced several difficult challenges that would greatly impact his life. First, he father died of cancer. Then, Frank contracted pneumonia, which led to the collapse of one of his lungs.
“To say that was devastating would be an understatement…my whole life came crashing down…the worse thing was, the story broke in the Press even before the doctor told me,” Frank told Go55s.
Doctors performed surgery to remove parts of his lung and informed him that he would never be able to sing again. The Aussie singer’s vocal cords were damaged, leaving him unable to sing or yodel.
“It really hit me a lot harder than I at first realised…it was not long afterwards when I had to return to the UK for another Palladium appearance and that resulted in another body blow when a bloke came up to me after the concert and handed me divorce papers. My first wife had naturally grown tired of my constant travelling,” the singer shared.
Fortunately, Frank managed to make a triumphant return to the stage. He diligently did vocal strengthening exercises and eventually regained his voice.
