The Australia music industry is in mourning after the man responsible for signing acts like Kylie Minogue, Skyhooks, Split Enz and Jimmy Barnes, has passed away overnight.
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Michael Gudinski - founder of the Mushroom Records - reportedly died from a heart attack in Melbourne, aged 68.
He created the Mushroom Group in 1972 at just 20 years old, which flourished into Australia's largest independent entertainment group covering touring, record labels, publishing, merchandising, booking agencies, film and television production and creative services.
Today the group has a slew of top artists under thei belt including: Vance Joy, The Temper Trap, Dan Sultan, Julia Jacklin (Liberation Music); Jimmy Barnes, Archie Roach, Mark Seymour (Bloodlines); Faith No More, Childish Gambino, CHVRCHES (Liberator); The Rubens, The Teskey Brothers, Alpine (Ivy League Records); Violent Soho, DMA'S, Jack River (I OH YOU) and more.
His touring company Frontier Touring is Australia's leading promoter, touring the biggest names in global music since its inception in 1979.
Most recently he brought superstars Ed Sheeran and Bruce Springsteen to Australia.
Gudinski's wide-ranging businesses don't stop with music. There's Mushroom Pictures, co-founded in 1993, which co-produced feature films such as Chopper, Wolf Creek and Gettin' Square.
A larger-than-life figure, Gudinski was widely respected for his unwavering passion for all music - in particular Australian music.
Most recently, with the music industry severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, Michael conceptualised and developed Music From The Home Front, The Sound and The State Of Music, platforms designed to showcase and support contemporary Australian music in an incredibly difficult time.
It speaks to the man he was that of his countless illustrious career achievements these projects, that supported the industry he loved, were ones he was particularly proud of.
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