THE Australian music industry was today mourning 1960's rock figure Gerry Humphreys, who died from a heart attack at the age of 63.
The lead singer of 1960s rock band The Loved Ones died in London yesterday.
Music historian and commentator Glenn A. Baker paid tribute to the music veteran today, saying: "Humphreys had one of the most distinctive and impressive voices in Australian rock history.
"He had a certain maturity and authority that a lot of the younger bands at the time didn't have.
"Humphreys had an almost sort of rasping, scat jazz tone in his voice that really did set him apart."
The Melbourne-based band had hits with The Loved One, Everloving Man and Sad Dark Eyes, and their work has been covered by some of Australia's biggest known artists.
Humphreys formed The Loved Ones in Melbourne in 1965 and the group only ever recorded the one album, Magic Box.
The band featured Humphreys on vocals, Gavin Anderson on drums, Rob Lovett on guitar, Ian Clyne on piano and Kim Lynch on bass.
The group's biggest hit, The Loved One, reached number two on the Australian chart in 1966 and was later recorded by INXS.
Everloving Man was most recently covered by Jet as the b-side for the single Cold Hard Bitch and Sad Dark Eyes was covered by ex-Saints member Ed Kuepper.
Humphreys' music has also been used on many film soundtracks.
The Loved Ones split in 1967 and after a brief stint as a solo artist, Humphreys formed Gerry and the Joy Boys.
He had two more minor hits with Rave On and Oingo Boingo Man that same year.
Humphreys migrated to Australia from England as a teenager in 1957 but moved back to the United Kingdom in 1977.
The Loved Ones never officially re-formed, other than for a brief tour and live album in 1987.
"Like so many pop stars of the 1960s, Humphreys' subsequent years were not exactly happy," Baker said.
"In other words, to be a 60s pop star was as much of a curse as a blessing because unless you could build on it and unless you could take it further, you were left with a loose end."
Baker said he was not friends with Humphreys but had spoken to the singer on the telephone less than two weeks ago.
"He didn't sound to be a man to be all that happy with his lot, though he did seem to accept the position he found himself in," Baker said.
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