Like so many Australians, I’m reeling at the news that Michael Gudinski has passed away. He died peacefully in his sleep overnight at 68. What he crammed into those 68 years forever changed the Australian music landscape.
He founded Mushroom Records when he was just 20, providing a platform for artists we now call household names including Jimmy Barnes, Kylie Minogue, Archie Roach, Paul Kelly, The Choirboys, The Saints, and loads more. It became the country’s largest independent entertainment group.
At age 26 he launched Frontier Touring. It became Australia’s leading tour promotion company, helping local artists zigzag the country and bringing leading international acts to our shores. Right now Frontier Touring is behind some of the biggest upcoming shows, including concerts by Midnight Oil, Eskimo Joe, and the legends on the APIA Good Times bill.
When COVID ground the music industry to a standstill, he rose to the challenge again. He was behind platforms including Music From the Home Front, The Sound, and The State of Music which put local artists in loungerooms across the country. He made sure the show really did go on, against all odds.
Michael Gudinski championed our artists like no other, and he will be greatly missed.
Image source: Eva Rinaldi Celebrity Photographer @ Flickr