Industry Legend Ron Tudor Passes Away, Age 96

Australian music industry legend Ron Tudor has passed away, age 96. 

The news was originally reported by Noise 11, with many now paying tribute to the pioneer. 

Throughout his career Tudor worked with acts including The Seekers, Slim Dusty, Brian Cadd, Johnny Chester, Olivia-Newton John, Karen Knowles, Jigsaw and more, helping establish some of the country's best-known and most successful artists.

Tudor was best-known for his label Fable Records which he founded in 1969 following stints at W&G Records as a producer, sales rep and A&R agent, and Astor Records as a promotions manager. He would go on to Bootleg Records to work with artists like Avalanche, Mississippi, The Bootleg Family, Lobby Loyde, Taste and Kerrie Biddell. 

Fable Records signee Brian Cadd has paid tribute to Tudor saying, "Ron was never the boss. He was the Leader of the Pack. He was the loudest, the funniest and maybe the naughtiest".

"But underlying all that was a deep passion for our Industry and an unshakable belief in Australian talent," he continued. 

"Australian music is firmly established globally now. I’m glad Ron lived long enough to see that. It is because of the pioneers like Ron that we got here. I keep thinking I hear his war cry...‘bring beer’. Rest assured Ronnie, if there’s a way to get a case up there to you, we will! R.I.P old boy. We will miss you."

Fable found huge success with Melbourne group The Mixtures, who secured themselves a long-running #1 hit with their cover of In The Summertime and later with The Pushbike Song.  

Mike Brady was another massive success for Tudor and the label, with the release of Up There Cazaly. The track became a VFL/AFL anthem and another chart victory. 

Tudor was a judge on early TV talent shows New Faces (seeing him secure a deal with a young John Williamson) and Young Talent Time. 

His work and service to the industry has seen Tudor recognised as a Member Of The Order Of The British Empire, a recipient for the APRA Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to Australian Music and an ARIA Award Special Achievement Award winner. 

Watch the ARIA presentation from 1999 below.