Jimmy Barnes is best known for his powerful voice with the iconic rock band Cold Chisel and his successful solo career.
But his life off the stage is equally notable: he was the father of eight children with five women over the course of his 68 years.
The Working Class Man hitmaker was awarded Father of the Year by the Fathering Project in August, an honor he shared with his eldest son, Today Extra host David Campbell.
Speaking about the honor at the time, Jimmy gushed about fatherhood.
“From the moment you look into your baby’s eyes to the day they are about to walk through the door to venture out into a life of their own, joy flows freely,” she said in a statement.
“I’ve watched David on his journey, growing from a little boy to a clumsy young man, along the way we both made mistakes, but nothing we couldn’t fix with patience and love.”
Rocker Jimmy Barnes’ life offstage is equally notable, as he fathered eight children by five women over the course of his 68 years.
Jimmy revealed this week that he has another daughter – real estate sales associate Katy Lee Carroll, who lives on the New South Wales north coast.
With news of Jimmy’s expanding brood, here’s a look at the Cold Chisel frontman’s unconventional family life.
Mahalia, Eliza Jane, Jackie and Ellie May
Jimmy has four children with his wife Jane, whom he married in 1981.
They are Mahalia, 42 years old, Eliza Jane, 40, Jackie, 38, Ellie May, 35.
Following their father, the four brothers began their musical careers in the early ’90s as part of the children’s pop group The Tin Lids.
Their passion for music continued into adulthood, and all four demonstrated their impressive talents.
Eldest daughter Mahalia released four albums and competed on the third season of The Masked Singer on Channel 10.
The talented Jackie is also quite skilled on the drums, having performed on over 60 releases since 1990.
Jimmy has four children with his wife Jane: Jackie, Ellie May, Mahalia and Eliza Jane.
The Khe Sanh singer revealed to Today Extra host David Campbell that he was her father when she was just 10 years old.
David is pictured with his half-sister Mahalia Barnes.
He is currently the drummer for iconic rockers Rose Tattoo.
Eliza Jane has also performed with artists such as Liam Finn, son of Crowded House frontman Neil Finn, as well as his band Evil J & Saint Cecilia.
She married her husband Jimmy Metherell in March this year.
Jimmy’s youngest daughter, Ellie May, recently appeared on the ABC series Headliners with Killing Heidi’s Ella Hooper and You Am I frontman Tim Rogers.
David Campbell
Khe Sanh singer Jimmy revealed to David Campbell that he was his father when he was 10 years old.
David was raised by his grandmother, who he believed was his adoptive mother, and thought his teenage mother, Kim, was his sister.
He used to see Jimmy when he was a child, but believed he was just a family friend, until he discovered the truth.
‘I used to go see David when I was young but he didn’t know who I was. It must have been very strange for him,” Jimmy admitted on The Apple and the Tree podcast.
Daughters Amanda Bennett and Megan Torzyn, both from Barnes’ hometown of Adelaide and now in their early 50s, met their father for the first time in 2010.
Jimmy has now revealed he also has another daughter – real estate sales associate Katy Lee Carroll, who lives on the New South Wales north coast.
“I had been on tour with Cold Chisel and I was hungover, wearing a leather jacket and showing up.”
The singer admitted he was relieved when he told David he was his father and said it wasn’t long before they developed a close father-son relationship.
Amanda Bennett and Megan Torzyn
Daughters Amanda Bennett and Megan Torzyn, both from Barnes’ hometown of Adelaide and now in their early 50s, met their father for the first time in 2010.
The couple contacted Jimmy about paternity, prompting him to take a test and confirm that he had fathered his daughters with two different women.
“My kids are so great that when I found out there were a couple more I felt like they would be good people and they’re lovely girls,” Jimmy previously told New Idea.
‘My only regret is not having met them when they were younger, but life is what it is and all things happen for a reason.
“At the time it was probably better for them that they didn’t know me, because I was pretty wild.”
Katy Lee Carroll
Jimmy has now revealed he also has another daughter – real estate sales associate Katy Lee Carroll, who lives on the New South Wales north coast.
“Christmas is about family and we would like to introduce you to my daughter Katy Lee, who has been in our lives for the past five years,” he wrote in a statement.
The 68-year-old, who celebrated his 43rd wedding anniversary with Jane in May, has known Carroll for five years.
Barnes issued a statement on Instagram on Monday afternoon, just hours after Daily Mail Australia contacted her management about her secret offspring.
“Christmas is about family and we would like to introduce you to my daughter Katy Lee who has been in our lives for the past five years,” he wrote.
‘Katy is a wonderful woman and since finding out that I was her biological father, our family and extended family have loved getting to know her.
‘It has been heartwarming to see good relationships with his sisters and brothers growing.
‘We have always respected her strong desire to keep her family life private and will continue to support her.
‘I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a Merry Christmas. I hope to bring you all more music in the New Year.”