'She has done Cork proud': Rebecca O'Connor's manager says she's ready to crack US

‘My wish is for them to do one last show — in Christine McVie’s honour,’ is former Fleetwood Mac manager Dennis Dunstan’s hope for the superband he managed for 13 manic years in the 80s and 90s. And it’s also the parting comment he makes at the end of the forthcoming documentary on one of the world’s biggest ever bands.

The documentary — the only one to be authorised by the band — will stream at the end of the year, Dunstan exclusively reveals during his recent visit to Ireland.

He’s here because he turned his back on his early retirement plan some years ago to manage Cobh singer Rebecca O’Connor, whose show paying tribute to Tina Turner has been selling out venues across the world since they met up 15 years ago — thanks to a taxi driver back in Dunstan’s native Australia. “I have a taxi driver friend, who’s also a muso, and she got in the taxi with him and gave him her CD. He sent it to me and I thought it was really, really good. I couldn’t believe it wasn’t Tina.”

Of course, being the manager of one of the biggest bands in the world meant that Dennis had a hotline to Tina’s manager too. “She would often come backstage at the ’Mac gigs and I would always look after her,” he recalled. But he was still shocked when Turner’s manager rang and put Tina on the phone to him. Tina said the ‘black Irish girl’ was ‘so good’ that she immediately gave the show her blessing.

“She said to me, ‘Dennis, my career is kind of winding down now and I would love if she kept the music alive’. Rebecca does it absolute justice, but I knew I would only take her on if I had Tina’s personal endorsement.”

Now Dennis travels the world with the feisty Cork woman who is a much bigger draw abroad than she is in Ireland. “But she has done Cork proud,” added Dennis, “selling out the Opera House, and travelling the world too.”

The best endorsement of the powerful Irish singer is the admission by Dennis that he had no intention of managing another band, and was ready for a quiet life in Australia, before he met Rebecca.

She’s even been endorsed by one of Dennis’ oldest and closest friends — Mick Fleetwood himself, who encouraged Dennis to abandon his plans to retire and go full throttle with Rebecca’s show. “Mick said to me — ‘don’t let the old man in, Big D, keep on rockin’!”

Before his days with Fleetwood Mac, Dennis was a session drummer in the UK and a handy musician, so he can’t help taking to the stage with Rebecca on her Irish tour. He’s in good company there, too, sharing the space with legendary Irish saxophonist Richie Buckley, and Louth bass player Ellen O’Reilly, alongside a troupe of established Australian musicians.

Although she’s enjoying a very successful career abroad, Dennis sees an even bigger future for Rebecca. “I think she is ready to crack America now, and I could really see her doing Vegas in 2027-2028 — her show is at that level now.”

He says that while there were not that many ‘tribute’ acts around when Rebecca started her Tina show, she is really riding the crest of a wave of nostalgia at the moment. The huge number of younger people coming to the shows now is testament to that, he says, and he’s a firm believer in the theory that the best era for music was between the 70s and 90s — something that younger music fans are beginning to realise, he says. 

“Newer bands are having to take music samples now from 70s and 80s music — it’s like they have run out of ideas.”

As the man who kept one of the world’s most fractious rock bands together during some very high-profile and ugly disputes — both professional and romantic — he knows a thing or two about maintaining longevity in the business. “I had to deal with five superstar egos and all their associated mood swings,” he admitted, but still has no regrets about the pressure he was under keeping the show — quite literally — on the road.

His dream of getting the remaining members together for one last reunion is shared by his buddy, founding member Mick. He admits it would be bitter-sweet, since they lost Christine after she suffered a stroke in 2022.

“I am really hoping they can put aside their differences for one last time. It would be wonderful to see them playing live again, maybe having it all live-streamed across the world, with Christine on a big screen behind them. It’s probably highly unlikely, but never say never. Nothing would be bigger. Mick and I have our fingers crossed.”