Melbourne musician and former Redgum member Hugh McDonald has died from cancer, aged 62.
McDonald, who is perhaps best remembered for his evocative Redgum ballad The Diamantina Drover, was a long-time member of and co-writer for the iconic Australian band. He took over as lead singer when John Schumann left the band in the mid-1980s.
After Redgum disbanded, McDonald taught music and operated his own recording studio, with his 1993 solo album Lawson bringing a contemporary focus on the poetry of Henry Lawson.
Schumann posted a statement to Facebook lauding McDonald's contribution to music and mateship.
"Most people will know by now that my dear dear mate, music accomplice, wingman and backstop for more than half my life, Hugh McDonald, died last night after a long, courageous and inspirational battle with cancer," he said. "It's all too hard right now – but my unfathomable grief will be nothing alongside that of [his] family. You get a mate like Hugh once in a lifetime – if you're lucky. I was blessed – we all were. More later when my screen doesn't look like a fish shop window from the 1950s."
McDonald still performed around Melbourne and travelled overseas regularly to perform for Australian troops. In June he told The Age: "My health is OK touch wood ... I'm too busy working to worry. Travelling a lot, we went to Afghanistan in March and lots of work all over this country. Life is wonderful."