The Western Australian music community is in mourning following the death of Rick Steele – a veteran blues musician, and patriarch of the Steele family that includes his son Luke (Empire Of The Sun, The Sleepy Jackson) and his daughter Katy (Little Birdy). Steele was 77 years old, having died the day after his birthday, and had reportedly long been at battle with an undisclosed illness.
Following his father’s passing, Luke took to Empire Of The Sun’s social media to pay tribute. “He spent his life soothing the souls of so many through his incredible gift of music,” he wrote. “His own musical career spanned more than 60 years; a repertoire of thousands of songs. I’d often wonder how he remember[ed] them all.
“He was an eccentric; an artist with a beautiful flair. He loved his family, garden and his castle, and he sure loved a good song. He always said, ‘You only have three minutes to tell the world what you want to say’. That always said so much to me.” Katy, for her part, simply shared a photo of her father as a young man with a dove emoji to her Instagram page.
Rick Steele – ‘ANZAC’
Richard Warwick Steele was born on March 9th, 1948 in Auckland, New Zealand. He began performing at an early age, and moved to Perth in the early 70s. Across decades of prolific touring and recording between Australia and New Zealand, Steele played shows with the likes of Split Enz, Dragon and the Little River Band. He later formed the Perth Blues Club in 1992, and remained its president until his death. He was supportive of both Luke and Katy’s musical pursuits, even opening for both of Luke’s bands at various points, and continued to not only make music into his 60s but play shows around Perth into his 70s. Steele was inducted in the WA Music Hall Of Fame in 2016.
“Rick’s influence extended beyond his performances,” wrote a representative for Western Australian Music – the governing body of the state’s music sector – in a tribute post. “He was a mentor to many and an unwavering supporter of his family, including his talented children, who have each made their own mark in the music world. His passion for the blues, his generosity of spirit and his dedication to both his craft and his community will never be forgotten.”
Steele is survived by his wife Liz, his four children (Luke, Katy, Jake and Jesse) and his nine grandchildren.
Further Reading
Empire Of The Sun Review – Electro-Pop Brilliance with a Side of Theatre Sports
Luke Steele Announces Debut Solo Album & Releases First Single
“It’s Like This Weird Pirate Party”: Daniel Johns On The Method To The Madness Of DREAMS
