Renee Geyer – Australia’s most celebrated soul singer – dies aged 69 after health fight: ‘No pain’

Renee Geyer, Australia’s best-known and most celebrated soul singer, has died at the age of 69.

In a statement, Geyer’s family said he died of complications after hip surgery.

“While in the hospital, Renee was found to also have inoperable lung cancer,” the statement read.

“She was in no pain and died peacefully among family and friends.

“Naturally, we are all completely devastated.”

Melbourne-born Geyer, known for her raspy voice, rose to fame in the 1970s.

After recording an album in 1972 with the jazz-rock group Sun, he began his solo career with a self-titled album the following year.

In an interview with ABC Radio Adelaide in 2022, Geyer recalled how he realized he had great talent.

“It wasn’t a big deal that I was able to sing, it was just when other people started to think that I was really cool,” he said.

Renee Geyer (pictured) died peacefully at age 69, surrounded by her family and friends.

‘People’s mouths dropped open. I started thinking, “Well, I must be pretty good.”

“So I started doing it for a living and it was nice and I kept doing it and people kept asking me to come back.”

Among the people who asked him to work with them were English musicians Sting and Joe Cocker, and American soul legend Chaka Khan.

Her autobiography, published in 2000, was titled Confessions of a Difficult Woman, and she continued to live up to the title at times.

In January 2017, Geyer avoided conviction for bullying after calling a hotel receptionist a “Tongan b****”.

He pleaded guilty to intimidation in the September 2015 incident.

More to come…