Billy Thorpe Dead

[Chantel]

Australian rock legend Billy Thorpe has died after suffering a major heart attack, a spokesman for Sydney's St Vincent's Hospital said this morning.

He was brought into hosptial around 2am this morning.

Ambulance staff tried to revive him on the way to hospital.

His family were by his side when he passed away at around 3am.

"He woke at 1am feeling terrible. Shortly after that he had a massive heart attack, the paramedics were called to the house, they worked very hard in hospital," Thorpe's manager Michael Chugg told the Nine Network.

"In the next 24 hours, the family will make a statement with details of funeral services and everything."

An obviously distraught Chugg, said he was devastated by Thorpe's death. He said Thorpe had just finished recording a new album and had just finished an acoustic tour.

"His tour manager Norm Sweeney told me that yesterday that everybody around him was blown away by how happy he was and how great the future was looking and for this to happen is just a terrible tragedy."

Former Midnight Oil frontman Peter Garrett told the Today Show Thorpe's death was a "terrible, terrible loss".

"He had this vitality and dynamism and he was an incredible singer," Garrett said. "When he and his band played at Sunbury they really played loud and proud . . . he was a very fine artist."

Close friend Glenn Shorrock said Thorpe's death had taken him by surprise, because he hadn't mentioned any heart problems.

"I've got other friends who are dealing with it [their health], but Billy wasn't one of them. He was uncompromising with his music and his life," Shorrock said.

"He was a wonderful man."

Thorpe was born in England but emigrated with his family to Brisbane in the 1950s.

He moved to Sydney in 1963 and recorded his first song the next year with his band Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs.

They went on to perform at sellout venues across Australia and had a string of hits in the 60s and 70s, including Most People I Know.

His music career spanned five decades and he also wrote two autobiographies.

He is survived by his wife Lynne, and daughters Rusty and Lauren.

[Hitman]

[BJN]

Rest in Peace, buddy.

Ahem, i mean Rock in Peace.


Would've been his Birthday on Thursday too.

[Stasswardo]

i seen him when he supported deep purple... he rocked

[Hitman]

I hate Deep Purple. Grossly overated band...

[Stasswardo]

their drummer was awesome tho