Australian singer and Seekers vocalist Judith Durham dies at 79 | Australian Music

Australian singer-songwriter and Seekers vocalist Judith Durham has died at the age of 79.

Durham released many solo albums, but is best known as the voice of The Seekers, a folk music group he played with from 1963 to 1968 before leaving to pursue a solo career.

The band quickly achieved worldwide success, selling over 50 million records and scoring many international hits, including I’ll Never Find Another You. carnival is overour own world and George Girl.

Australia’s Commonwealth Arts Minister Tony Burke reacted to the news on social media, paying tribute to Durham as “our musical icon”.

“Once upon a time, the most famous Australian voice was that of Judith Durham,” he wrote. “What a contribution. What a loss.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese hailed Durham as “a national treasure and an icon of Australia”.

“Judith Durham has given voice to new elements of our identity and helped pave the way for a new generation of Australian artists.”Her kindness will be missed by many. I will never forget the national anthem you gave our country.”

Opposition leader Peter Dutton paid tribute to Durham for “giving multiple generations of Australians a voice through words of universal appeal carried by melodies that, once heard, become anchored in memory”.

In a statement, Dutton said, “With song after song, concert after concert, Durham showed how the human voice can reach and move each one of us.” Unique, her voice is a gift of universal beauty.”

Victorian premiere Daniel Andrews said the Essendon-born musician “continues to conquer the world of music both here in Australia and abroad”.

“Her unique voice and stage presence have taken the Seekers to the lead and the band has become one of Australia’s biggest chart-toppers.

Durham received many accolades during her career, particularly for her contributions to music as an entertainer and composer, including being awarded the Order of Australia (OAM) in 1995 and the Centenary Medal in 2003. I received

She was also named Victorian of the Year in 2015.

Born in Melbourne, Durham shot to international fame after recording his first EP at the age of 19 and joining The Seekers alongside Atholl Guy, Keith Pogger and Bruce Woodley.

They officially disbanded in 1968, the year after they were co-winners of the Australia of the Year Award, but later reunited to perform.

In 1969 Durham married British pianist and music director Ron Edgeworth, after which she spent a short time in England and Switzerland. The couple survived a car accident with their tour manager in 1990, in which Durham suffered injuries including broken wrists and legs.

The sheer amount of outflow from fans prompted Durham to reunite with the rest of the Seekers for the Silver Jubilee Show. At that time, Edgeworth was diagnosed with motor neuron disease. He died four years later.

In 2013, Durham suffered a stroke that affected her ability to read and write, but not her singing. It was released in 2018 to celebrate her 75th birthday.

– with the Associated Press of Australia