Over the weekend, it was reported that Judith Durham, lead singer of The Seekers died at age 79.
The Australian singer passed away in palliative care on Friday night in Melbourne following complications from chronic lung disease.
News of her death has shocked the music community, with fans and co-members of The Seekers leading tributes to the entertainer.
Judith Durham has died at age 79.
(Image: Getty)Judith Durham was one of the first Australian artists to achieve international success alongside her Seekers bandmates.
After joining the band in 1963, The Seekers moved to the UK and many of their songs, such as I’ll Never Find Another You, Georgy Girl and A World Of Our Own, topped the British charts.
In 1995, The Seekers were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame and in 2014 were honoured as Officers of the Order of Australia.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese led tributes for Judith Durham via Twitter: “A national treasure and an Australian icon, Judith Durham gave voice to a new strand of our identity and helped blaze a trail for a new generation of Aussie artists.”
“Her kindness will be missed by many, the anthems she gave to our nation will never be forgotten.”
The Seekers sold over 50 million records.
(Image: Getty)Athol Guy, Bruce Woodley and Keith Potger, the surviving Seekers’ bandmates, also shared a moving statement, describing Judith as a “treasured lifelong friend and shining star”.
In a statement, Athol Guy said that “her struggle was intense and heroic, never complaining of her destiny and fully accepting its conclusion. Her magnificent musical legacy Keith, Bruce and I are so blessed to share”.
Australian singer Anthony Callea also took to Twitter on Saturday to share his respects. “The skies above just gained a voice of an angel” he wrote.
Meanwhile, rocker Jimmy Barnes said Judith was “the voice of Australia”.
“The Seekers had hit after hit record across the world. I thought they had great songs and Judith had a great voice. RIP Judith.”
Judith joined The Seekers when she was 19.
(Image: Getty)Magda Szubanski shared that “Her [Judith] beautiful, crystalline voice was the naive but knowing siren sing of (her) childhood,” before offering her “deepest condolences to her loved ones”.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton also paid tribute to Judith, describing her as someone who “gave voice to more than one generation of Australians through words of universal appeal, carried by melodies that, once heard, became fixed in our memories”.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews revealed on Sunday evening that he had “spoken with Judith Durham’s family” and was pleased that they accepted the offer of a State Funeral.
“To honour the life and contribution of a true icon of Australian Music.”
This article has been edited from its original on our sister site, New Idea.
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