Beloved Australian singer Margaret McLaren died earlier this year aged 69.
The Melbourne-born singer was born in 1954 and rose to fame in the early 1970s as a backup singer for legendary Australian rock star Johnny O’Keefe.
She rose to national fame in 1973 when she performed a duet with O’Keefe called Mockingbird, which reached number eight on the Australian charts.
O’Keefe’s daughter Vicky announced the heartbreaking news of Margaret’s passing in an Instagram post: “So sad to hear about Margaret’s passing. She was such a vibrant and powerful singer alongside Dad with his band.”
Vicky added that McLaren was a key member of O’Keefe’s live band, The Stuart Park Group, and brought something special to his performances.
Beloved Australian singer Margaret McLaren died earlier this year aged 69. She rose to national fame in 1973 when she performed a duet with O’Keefe called Mockingbird, which reached number eight on the Australian charts. Both in the photo
‘Margaret was only 15 when she started singing with dad and I remember loving watching her performances with him.
‘The duo of JOK and Margaret was absolutely fantastic, gaining all the airplay over the rival version of Carly Simon and James Taylor, which was released at the same time.
‘Rest in peace. Our deepest condolences to his family,’ Vicky added.
Heartbroken fans were quick to go online and express their condolences.
The Melbourne-born singer was born in 1954 and rose to fame in the early 1970s as a backing vocalist for legendary Australian rock star Johnny O’Keefe’s band, The Stuart Park Group.
O’Keefe’s daughter Vicky announced the heartbreaking news of Margaret’s passing in an Instagram post: “So sad to hear about Margaret’s passing. She was such a vibrant and powerful singer alongside Dad with his band.
“A beautiful lady, a wonderful friend and always a pleasure to be around,” one fan wrote.
“She touched the lives of many people with her larger than life personality, infectious smile, incredible voice, kindness, warmth and great sense of humor,” a second person wrote.
McLaren became a popular touring musician in the 1980s, playing countless pubs across Australia with her band Vocamotion.
Margaret is survived by her three children, John, Jesse and Holly, and seven grandchildren.
