Jon English, Australian singer-songwriter and All Together Now star, dies age 66

Updated

Australian performer Jon English has died, aged 66, due to complications from surgery.

Key dates in Jon English's career 1972: Big break as Judas Iscariot in Jesus Christ Superstar

1975: First number one single with Turn the Page

1978: Stars in Against the Wind, pens chart-topping theme song Six Ribbons

1979: Wins both Logie and Countdown Music award

1984: Plays Pirate King in Gilbert and Sullivan's Pirates of Penzance

1990: Snags starring role of Bobby Rivers in TV sitcom All Together Now

English was well known for his work in music, television and on the stage, most notably his roles as Judas Iscariot in Jesus Christ Superstar in the 1970s and later as Pirate King in The Pirates of Penzance.

A statement from his talent representatives, Ambition Entertainment, said at the time of his passing he was surrounded by family members, including his four children, wife Carmen, sister Janet and brother Jeremy, as well as other close family members.

Late last month he was hospitalised due to "unexpected ill health". His management postponed a number of shows in Tamworth and Dubbo that conflicted with his scheduled surgery.

Sorry, this video has expired Video: A tribute to Jon English (ABC News)

His former manager Peter Rix said he died after what was supposed to be a routine operation.

"They discovered problems with aorta valves, a lot of bleeding was involved," Rix said.

Robert Rigby, the manager of English's record label, said the sudden death had shocked everyone.

"Jon was truly an Aussie rock legend," he said.

"This news has come as a very big shock to family and friends and of course the industry as a whole.

"Jon was not expecting anything more than a routine operation but due to complications unfortunately he passed away at almost midnight."

Close friend, musician Simon Gallaher who was also in Pirates of Penzance and performed with English more than 2,000 times, said he received a text message from English's partner in the middle of the night, saying:

"It's with a very heavy heart I send you this message. "In the late hours of yesterday evening Jon English passed away due to complications from the surgery of an aortic aneurysm. No one saw it coming, it was supposed to be routine surgery. "We are all absolutely devastated that this occurred and I send you my love."

Gallaher paid tribute to his friend's music and acting skills, adding he was consistently impressive in the musical comedy Pirates of Penzance.

"You would think it was all almost ad lib. His craft was to make it look like that and to do it consistently eight times a week, 52 times a year — we did hundreds of thousands of those performances and Jon never missed and Jon was always consistent and always funny," he said.

"Last year we did a new production of Spamalot — the Monty Python show — and we tried it out in Brisbane and it was a great, great success and great fun.

"Well that's something that will never happen now because I would never do it without him."

In the Australian version of Jesus Christ Superstar, English starred alongside pop royalty including John Paul Young, Marcia Hines, Doug Parkinson and Stevie Wright.

Sir Tim Rice, who co-wrote Jesus Christ Superstar with Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber, praised the "superb Aussie Judas" on Twitter.

Born in Hampstead, London in 1949, English came to Australia with his parents and siblings at the age of 12.

He was well known for his lead role of Bobby Rivers in 1991 in the television sitcom All Together Now.

English was cast as Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar at the age of 22 and toured with the show all over Australia and New Zealand for the next five years.

During this time he also recorded four albums with songs including Handbags and Gladrags, Hollywood Seven and Turn the Page, which was his first number one hit.

He went on to star as Pirate King in Pirates of Penzance in 1984 and reprised the role 10 years later in a trilogy of updated Gilbert and Sullivan works.

Among English's later songwriting successes was the theme song for the television miniseries Against The Wind, Six Ribbons, which became a number one hit in more than six countries.

Ambition Entertainment said it commemorated his passing "with great sadness".

A public service celebrating his life is set to be held.

Topics: death, community-and-society, sydney-2000, australia, nsw

First posted