Brendan Mitchell
From:
Melbourne Australia
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Posted 29 Jun 2007 12:34 am |
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MEDIA RELEASE
Steel Guitar Legend & Band Member Australia’s ‘Hawking Bros’ George Xanthos Leaves Many Memories
George Xanthos died early this morning in Melbourne after a long illness.
George who only last weekend was one of the first to be named in Australia’s Steel Guitar Hall of Fame passed away at 4.10am in hospital surrounded by his family - wife Lorna, and son and daughter Ricky and Kaylene.
His funeral is expected to be held on Monday in Melbourne. Final arrangements will be advised shortly.
Media release distributed on behalf of the Steel Guitar Fraternity of Australia.
Footnote:
George Xanthos also received one of country music’s highest honours when he amongst others Arthur Blanche Frank Ifield Bill & Ross Kettle Jimmy Little Geoff Mack Brian Young and Kevin King who in 1978 were inducted into the ACMF Hall of Fame in Tamworth.
A member of one of Australia’s leading country bands ‘The Hawking Bros’ and the more historic ‘The Trailblazers’ the national 3XY weekly Radio Show broadcast in both Australia and Nashville Tnn, George was an untiring supporter of steel guitar in Australia until his illness. He will be sadly missed by all.
Profile: The Trailblazers, a group of artists and musicians with a strong country and western leaning, rehearsed for their weekly 3XY radio show at the Erskine Hall Carlton, and later at the Albion Hall Brunswick. Amongst the members of the Trailblazers were Alan Hawking, Jack Johnson, Tom Heaney, Stan Green, George Xanthos, Charlie Boland, Russell Hawking, George Mack, Elsie Darling and Jack Quinn. The Trailblazers performed over three hundred weekly radio shows for radio 3XY. These shows were broadcast throughout Australia and on WSM Nashville, USA. After the Trailblazers had recorded their weekly radio show it was common for a small group of them including Jack Johnson, Norma Johnson, Stan Green, the Hawking Brothers, Beverley Dick and Jack Quinn to adjourn to Nando's Spaghetti Bar, Carlton where they would entertain their friends and Nando's customers without accepting payment. However, they were provided free food and drinks.
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AWARD Hall of Fame George Xanthos.jpg |
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Gerard Rowan
From:
Australia
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Posted 29 Jun 2007 1:33 am
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Very sad news.
George Xanthos was a great friend, a great Aussie steeler and a great help to many of us in the Australian Steel Guitar community. Being a road veteran and importer of Emmons steels, George was the one we turned to with all our pedal steel "issues". These problems were addressed with George's patient and helpful manner, in spite of the fact that he suffered horrendous health problems for many years.
George was a great bloke
I will miss him very much
love to Lorna and to George's family |
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