Daddy Cool Guitarist Ross Hannaford Passes Away From Cancer

Venerated Australian musician Ross Hannaford has passed away at the age of 65 following a battle with cancer, it has been reported.

As Fairfax notes, Hannaford released his first solo studio full-length under his own name late last year, the basically self-titled Hanna, the album now marking the final chapter in a storied career that lasted five decades, starting with Hannaford's work in Melburnian pop/R&B outfit The Pink Finks in 1965.

The Pink Finks would be the first of several bands to feature both Hannaford and his long-time co-conspirator Ross Wilson, the ranks of which also include the fantastically named Sons Of The Vegetal Mother, who lasted all of two years (being an 'esoteric special-occasion progressive band' sounds like a tough gig), and who spawned the act for which both men would go on to become best-known in Daddy Cool.

In 1970, Hannaford and Wilson came together with Wayne Duncan (bass) and Gary Young (drums) to cement the long-standing, iconic Daddy Cool line-up. The foursome would go on to release two full-lengths during their initial stint together — 1971's Daddy Who? Daddy Cool and 1972's Sex, Dope, Rock'n'Roll: Teenage Heaven — before splitting after the release of their second album. A live album followed (Daddy Cool Live! The Last Drive-In Movie Show, 1973) before the band reconvened for the first time in 1974.

The reunion was not to last, with the members calling time on the band again the following year, remaining a visible force through the strength of their timeless 1971 hit Eagle Rock and appearance of The Missing Masters release in 1980, ultimately reforming in 2005. Daddy Cool released one more album of new material, 2007's The New Cool, and have remained sporadic performers over the past 10 years, including most recently at the 2014 The Age Music Victoria Hall of Fame ceremony, at which they were inducted. They were previously inducted into the ARIA Hall Of Fame in 2006. Despite his growing sickness, Hannaford remained an active performer throughout the final year of his life.

Hannaford's ailment came to light in July last year, when it was announced that he was suffering "serious health issues" and was forced to cancel a scheduled national tour; a benefit concert was consequently staged in his honour featuring performances from his Daddy Cool bandmates, Paul Kelly, the RocKwiz Orkestra and more.