(CelebrityAccess) — Michael McMartin, the longtime manager of the Australian rock band Hoodoo Gurus and a founding member of the Music Managers’ Forum in Australia, died on March 31st, shortly after announcing his retirement due to health issues.
His passing was announced by his family in a statement provided to TheMusic.Au: “The McMartin family is very sad to announce the death of Michael McMartin yesterday, on Easter Sunday. Michael had been undergoing treatment for cancer for a number of years but, despite the best efforts of his medical team, he succumbed to his illness peacefully around noon on Easter Sunday, surrounded by his beloved family. Michael is survived by his wife, Saskia, and his son, Hamish and his extended family, including Michael’s two grandchildren, Kiara and Koby. Michael’s entire family would like to express their gratitude to Michael’s doctors and, in particular, to the staff at the Karinya Palliative Care Unit of David Berry Hospital, Berry NSW. They have all been simply amazing and Michael could not have been in better – or kinder – hands.”
His former clients, Hoodoo Gurus, also marked the passing of their former manager with a statement on social media: R.I.P. Michael McMartin. Yesterday, on Easter Sunday, Michael McMartin died in hospital, surrounded by his beloved family. I just posted the family’s press release on our Facebook page but, briefly, Michael was our manager for almost 40 years, only retiring in the last few weeks due to ill health. Relationships like that are very rare and we are extremely grateful for everything we shared and built together. More like a close family member than a friend or business associate, the history we share and the connection we have will be everpresent in our lives.”
A native of Canada, McMartin is a graduate of Loyola College in Montreal.
In 1971, he relocated to Australia and launched the independent label and publishing company Trafalgar Records. In 1985, he refocused on music management, signing the Hoodoo Gurus as his first client and launching Melody Management.
McMartin was a founding member of the Music Managers’ Forum in Australia and later served as both Chairman and Executive Director of the International Music Managers’ Forum (IMMF).
In 2007, he was presented with the APRA Ted Albert Award for his lifetime contribution to Australian Music and elected to the ARIA Hall of Fame as part of the induction of the Hoodoo Gurus in 2009.
In 2015 was awarded the Medal of the Order Of Australia (OAM) for “services to the performing arts, especially music.”
