Master’s Apprentices frontman Jim Keays dead at 67

JIM Keays, frontman for 1960s Australian rock band the Master’s Apprentices, has died in a Melbourne hospital.

Jim Keays, former frontman of rock legends the Masters Apprentices, pictured last year wi

JIM Keays, frontman for 1960s Australian rock band the Master’s Apprentices, has died at the age of 67.

The Glasgow-born singer, who had been battling the bone marrow cancer multiple myeloma for the past seven years, died from pneumonia in intensive care at a Melbourne hospital today. He had been on life support since Monday.

Keays and the Master’s Apprentices rose to fame with hits including Turn Up Your Radio and Undecided before splitting up in 1972, but had reunited several times, most recently for the Long Way to the Top touring event in 2002.

Glenn Wheatley, his former Apprentices bandmate, described the singer as “the ultimate showman and performer”.

“He was a lifelong, very good friend and we did a lot together as a band,” Wheatley said. “We were a very close-knit unit as the Master’s Apprentices.

“During his illness he never complained or felt pity about himself. He went through life in a positive way.”

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Keays headlined the Masters of Rock Concert at Crown Casino in Melbourne on May 25 but was admitted to hospital with pneumonia the following day and transferred to the intensive care unit.

Keays had been putting the finishing touches to his latest album.

He is survived by his partner Karin and children Holly, Bonnie and James.

Keays’ death follows that last week of Angels frontman Doc Neeson.