Rock singer Ignatius Jones has died (Picture: Getty)
Australian rock star Ignatius Jones, best known as the frontman for Jimmy and the Boys, has died aged 67.
He died at his home in the Philippines on Tuesday after a short illness.
His sister Monica Trapaga announced his death in a statement on Wednesday.
It read: ‘It is with immense sadness that we announce the passing of Ignatius Jones AM, after a short illness. He died peacefully at 9.30pm, Sydney time, last night (7 May) at Iloilo City, the Philippines.’
She added: ‘Iggy had immense creative energy, and spent over 50 years contributing to the arts, both in Australia and internationally. He was one of the world’s leading event directors, devisors and designers.’
‘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.
Thestar fronted two bands before starting a successful career as an events director (Picture: Paul Wright/Fairfax Media via Getty Images)
‘The arts community in Australia has lost a champion, and dinner parties will now be less interesting, with his passing.’
Jones was born Juan Ignacio Rafaelo Lorenzo Trápaga y Esteban in Manila in 1957,migrating to Australia with his family in 1963.
He fronted shock rock and new wave band Jimmy and the Boys, who were active from 1976 to 1982 and became one of the most popular live acts in the country.
The band released two studio albums, Not Like Everybody Else and Teddy Boys Picnic, and scored their only Australian top 10 single, They Won’t Let My Girlfriend Talk to Me, in 1981.
He was the star of shock rock band Jimmy and the Boys before pursuing other musical and artistic endeavours (Picture: Martin Philbey/Redferns)
After leaving Jimmy and the Boys, Jones released a couple of solo songs, including Like A Ghost and Whispering Your Name, which were popular in dance clubs among the gay community in America.
He then formed swing-jazz cabaret band Pardon Me Boys with his sister Trapaga and later turned to acting, appearing in the TV show Sweet and Sour and the film Those Dear Departed.
Jones also featured on the soundtrack for fellow Aussie Baz Luhrmann’s film Strictly Ballroom, singing John Paul Young’s song Yesterday’s Hero and the Spanish dance-inspired Rhumba de Burros.
His next successful act saw him turn his hand to events directing, working on the opening and closing ceremonies for the Sydney Olympics in 2000 and director of Sydney’s New Year’s Eve celebrations from 1996 until 2002.
He also co-directed ceremonies at the Doha 2006 Asian Games, the opening ceremony of the Shanghai 2010 World Expo and the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games.
In 2014, he was given a Filipino-Australian of the Year Award, before being honoured with a Member of the Order of Australia for his contribution to the country’s arts as writer, director, performer, and author in 2019.
Jones married his long-time partner, choreographer Novy Bereber in 2018 before retiring to the Philippines together in 2022.
The late star is survived by his husband Novy, his mother Margot Martin, his brother Luis Miguel, his sisters Rocio and Monica, and several nieces and nephews.
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