Seekers’ chance to say goodbye to leading lady Judith Durham a ‘gift’ they will treasure

The Seekers star Athol Guy has described the heartbreaking farewell the band gave to their lead singer Judith Durham in her final moments.

The Seekers star Athol Guy has told of the heartbreaking farewell the band gave their ­beloved leading lady ­Judith Durham in her final moments.

As The Seekers reflected on Durham and her groundbreaking achievements, her family accepted the offer of a state ­funeral to “honour the life and contribution of a true icon of Australian music”.

The lead singer of The Seekers, a trailblazing quartet that rose to global fame in the 1960s with hits including Georgy Girl, Morningtown Ride, I’ll Never Find Another You, and I Am Australian, died at the weekend after a long illness. She was 79.

The Seekers in the ’60s:. Athol Guy, Bruce Woodley, Judith Durham and Keith Potger.

Guy and bandmates Bruce Woodley and Keith Potger spoke to Durham by phone as she rested in palliative care.

“It was the most difficult thing,” Guy told the Herald Sun.

“But you’re geared to the fact she knew she was going, so there was no recriminations, there was no, ‘Why me?’ We knew she knew all that.

“Keith, Bruce and I had the chance to express our love for her, and what a great time we had sharing her life. We said our goodbyes knowing it was the last time.

“She was unable to respond, but it’s something we’ll always treasure. To be given the chance to say goodbye was the greatest gift.”

Athol Guy (far right) says the band, including Bruce Woodley, Keith Potger and Judith Durham, genuinely loved each other. Picture: David Farrell/Redferns

As tributes poured in for Durham, her sister Beverley Sheehan said the renowned singer was fearless to the end.

Sheehan said: “I did talk to her at one point and I said, ‘You’re not afraid of dying are you?’ And she said, ‘No, I’m not.’”

She said a state funeral for Durham would be “a marvellous recognition of her life,”

Guy said his favourite memory of the singer-songwriter ­related to her spirituality.

He recalls Durham and her husband Ron Edgeworth wanting to be initiated into an ­Indian spiritual group, The Path of Sant Mat.

Durham was overjoyed the spiritual group didn’t know her “from a bar of soap” when she registered, but was mortified at the title of the book meant to be her manifest of study. It was called “The Seekers Guide”.

Beverley Sheehan described her sister, Judith, as fearless to the end.

“She was her own woman,” Guy said. “With four Seekers, you have four very different people in every sense.

“But we genuinely loved each other’s company, and sense of humour, and sense of ridiculousness. There was nothing we loved more than giving her a bloody good laugh every day over silly things.

“That said, she knew how to speak her mind about things she was very firm on.”

Premier Daniel Andrews said a state ­funeral would be held to honour Durham.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said: “Judith Durham gave voice to a new strand of our identity and helped blaze a trail for a new generation of Aussie artists. Her kindness will be missed by many, the ­anthems she gave to our ­nation will never be forgotten”.