Australian singer Paul Gray of Wa Wa Nee dies aged 54
Updated
Paul Gray, lead singer of the 1980s Australian pop band Wa Wa Nee, has died of cancer.
The 54-year-old musician died on Tuesday of multiple myeloma, his brother and fellow band member Mark Gray said in a statement.
He was diagnosed with myeloma in 2014.
"It is with deep sorrow and a heavy heart that we announce that Paul Gray passed away peacefully," Mark Gray said.
"We would like to thank all the doctors, hospital staff, relatives, friends and fans for the overwhelming support given to Paul and our family while he heroically battled multiple myeloma."
Wa Wa Nee formed in 1982, signed with CBS Records in 1985 and had an Australian hit with their debut single Stimulation, which peaked at number two in the Australian singles chart in 1986.
The band later charted in the United States with the song Sugar Free.
The band broke up in 1989, but re-formed in recent years to perform at 1980s revival concerts and support Rick Astley on his 2012 and 2014 tours of Australia and British group The Human League on their Australian tour in 2017.
After Wa Wa Nee disbanded, Gray worked as a keyboard player, musical director, songwriter and producer with artists including Tina Arena, Kate Ceberano and Bardot.
He appeared in the Countdown Spectacular 2 concert series between late August and early September 2007 as a performer and musical director, singing Stimulation and Sugar Free.
In 2010, he performed around Melbourne with fellow 1980s stars Scott Carne from Kids in the Kitchen and Brian Mannix of Uncanny X-Men.
ABC/AP
Topics: music, pop, cancer, australia
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