John Farnham, the great Australian singer whose comeback hit from the 1980s, “You’re the Voice,” is considered the unofficial national anthem, has been diagnosed with cancer.
The 73-year-old artist recently discovered a cancerous growth, for which he underwent surgery Tuesday morning (Aug. 23) in a Melbourne hospital, reads a statement from his family.
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“Cancer diagnosis is something that so many people face every single day, and countless others have walked this path before me,” the singer comments in the message.
“The one thing I know for sure is that we have the very best specialist healthcare professionals in Victoria, and we can all be grateful for that. I know I am.”
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Farnham is one of Australia’s most successful recording artists, with hits across five decades.
None blew up quite like “You’re the Voice,” which led the Australian chart (then the Kent Music Report) and peaked at No. 6 on the Official U.K. Chart.
Its parent album, 1986’s Whispering Jack, was the first record to sell over a million copies in Australia, and is now the recognized as highest-selling Australian album in ARIA history, with more than 1.6 million copies shifted.
Farnham has been recognized with awards and honors on many occasions, including the 1987 Australian of the Year, he was made Officer of the Order of Australia in 1996, he’s collected 21 ARIA Awards — the most by a solo artist — and was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 2003.
Farnham’s cancer diagnosis closely follows the death of his close friend and collaborator Olivia Newton-John, who died earlier this month following her own cancer battle, aged 73. Farnham and ONJ released several collaborative albums, including Highlights From The Main Event, the highest-selling album in Australia for 1999.
Earlier in the year, Farnham’s long-time manager and friend Glenn Wheatley died from complications related to COVID-19.
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