The wife and manager of late country music great, Slim Dusty, multi-award-winning songwriter and musician, Joy McKean, has died at the age of 93.
Record company, EMI, announced her passing today, saying she had died peacefully in her sleep surrounded by family on Thursday following a long battle with cancer.
“With heavy and sad hearts we advise the passing of Joy McKean OAM,” EMI said in a statement.
“She will be remembered as a pioneer in Australian music.
“Joy McKean was a multi-award winning songwriter and musician who wrote many of her husband Slim Dusty’s most famous songs and won the first Golden Guitar awarded at the Tamworth Country Music Festival for Lights on the Hill.
“Her musical partnership with Slim produced over 100 albums, sold over eight million albums and earned 45 Golden Guitars. Joy was Slim’s manager, ran the business and most importantly loved and raised the family.”
Her death follows husband Slim’s passing in 2003 at the age of 76. She was his loyal wife and manager for more than 50 years and is survived by children, Anne and David, four grandchildren and six great grandchildren.
