Michael Gudinski: The man who changed Australian music mourned

He began as the co-founder of Mushroom Records and grew into the chairman of the mammoth Mushroom Group of Companies and became Australia's modern-day music godfather.

From disco diva Kylie Minogue to rock star Jimmy Barnes and every musical genre in between, they were united in grief today after news seeped out of Gudinski's sudden death.

Ben Lee described him as a "force of nature"; Birds of Tokyo declared him a "titan of Australian music who touched more lives than we can ever comprehend; and Russell Crowe referred to Gudinski as a "towering figure on the Australian cultural landscape".

"Investigative humourist" Dan Ilic tweeted he'd been heckled by Gudinski at an awards night: "He got the biggest laugh of the night. Vale."

And it wasn't just Aussie stars who mourned. Global stars used rock star language to mourn the man who helped bring them across the seas to Australia.

The Foo Fighters tweeted their gratitude for giving them "and countless others the best night of their lives ... rock & roll will miss you deeply".

The below comes from superstar Bruce Springsteen:

It wasn't just music legends who mourned his passing. Cricket writer Peter Lalor summed up the man responsible for the soundtrack of many teenage years.

Broadcaster Wendy Harmer agreed saying: "Those of us of a certain age were there at the start of the revolution in Aussie music which Michael Gudinski inspired and nurtured ... But his inestimable legacy will live long, long after we're gone too. Don't think we'll ever see his like again."

Most recently, Gudinski developed the Music From The Home Front TV concert to showcase the local music industry as it struggled through the coronavirus pandemic.

Gudinski is survived by his wife Sue, son Matt, daughter Kate and two grandchildren.

"Michael often referred to his 200+ staff as the Mushroom Family, with many having clocked decades in his employment," the company said.

- with Australian Associated Press