Just one day on from the news of his shock passing, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has confirmed that music industry veteran Michael Gudinski will receive a state funeral.
The news was announced by Andrews at a press conference earlier today, revealing that full details of the event are set to be revealed in the near future.
“I went and saw Sue last night and offered her and the family a state funeral for an amazing Victorian,” he explained. “It will be a celebration of his life; the details will be finalised in coming days.
“It’s got to be COVID-safe of course, but I think we will be able to come together in an iconic venue and we’ll be able to celebrate his life and the mark that he made and the legacy he leaves.”
Gudinski passed away earlier this week at the age of 68, leading to a widespread outpouring of grief from musicians far and wide, with tributes from the likes of Jimmy Barnes and Bruce Springsteen arriving in the hours since news of his death broke.
“My friend Michael Gudinski was first, last, and always a music man,” Springsteen wrote on Facebook yesterday. “I’ve toured the world for the last fifty years and never met a better promoter.
“Michael always spoke with a deep rumbling voice, and the words would spill out so fast that half the time I needed an interpreter. But I could hear him clear as a bell when he would say, “Bruce, I’ve got you covered.” And he always did.
“He was loud, always in motion, intentionally (and unintentionally) hilarious, and deeply soulful,” Springsteen continued. “He will be remembered by artists, including this one, from all over the world every time they step foot on Australian soil.”
Founding Mushroom Records at the age of 20 in 1972, Michael Gudinski played a pivotal role in the growth of countless local artists, and the expansion of the Australian music industry. In 1979, Gudinski founded the Frontier Touring Company, which remains one of the largest promoters in Australia and New Zealand, and has frequently been listed as the top promoter in the country, and one of the best-performing internationally by trade publication Pollstar.
Over the last year, Gudinski has been instrumental in his support of the Australian live music scene, teaming up with the likes of the Victorian government and Visit Victoria to announce the likes of the State of Music television program, the Sounds Better Together concert series, and last year’s Music From the Home Front special, which topped the ARIA charts upon being given a physical release.
