Ignatius Jones, best known as the singer of Jimmy and the Boys, has died at his home in the Philippines.
Jones, who became an Australian citizen in 1971, fronted Sydney shock rock band Jimmy and the Boys in the 70s and 80s.
They had a number of hits including a cover of The Kinks I’m Not Like Everybody Else in 1979 and They Won’t Let My Girlfriend Talk To Me in 1981.
The late star’s, sister Monica Trapaga, announced his passing in a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Tuesday afternoon.
She revealed he had been battling a “short illness” before his death.
“He died peacefully at 9.30pm, Sydney time, last night (7 May) at Iloilo City, the Philippines,” the statement read.
“His friends and family will remember Iggy as a bon-vivant, a lively raconteur and a real Renaissance man, immensely and passionately knowledgeable in history and the arts. The arts community in Australia has lost a champion, and dinner parties will now be less interesting, with his passing.”
The statement continued: “He is survived by his husband, Novy, his mother, Margot Martin, his brother Luis Miguel, sisters, Rocio and Monica, and a gaggle of nieces and nephews.”
After Jimmy and the Boys broke up, he signed a solo deal with Warner Records and released the single Like A Ghost.
Outside of his music career, Jones also played a major role in some of Australia’s biggest events over the last three decades.
For six years, the singer was director of the Sydney New Year’s Eve Celebrations (1996-2002), and he also personally directed the City of Sydney’s Millennium Celebrations.
He was also Artistic Director alongside David Atkins for the Sydney Olympic Games Opening Ceremony, and the Harbour Spectacular Closing Ceremony.
In 2002, Jones directed the 2002 Gay Games Opening Ceremony, where he greeted the audience of 38,000 saying: “Australia and the gay and lesbian community is not so much a melting pot … We are more of a mixed salad, where every part remains separate, yet adds to the wonder of the whole … I have been lucky, I have never had to come out, I was never in.”
In recognition of his work, in 2017 he was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Australian Event Awards. Jones also received the Order of Australia for his contribution to the arts as a writer, director, performer and author in 2019.