Slim Newton dead: Australian country music star known for writing the iconic '70s hit The Redback on the Toilet Seat dies
Australian country musician Slim Newton died on January 8 at the age of 90.
Friends and family members confirmed his death on Facebook while paying tribute to the singer who had a career spanning 50 years.
One fan wrote: 'I met him on several occasions when he was performing. I will miss him dearly. Goodbye, Slim, and thanks for the memories.'
Australian country musician Slim Newton (pictured) died on January 8 at the age of 90
Another said: 'I was saddened by the news Slim had passed away. He packed a special lifetime into those nine decades and recorded some incredible music.'
Slim was born Ralph Newton in Western Australia in 1932 and shot to fame in 1972 with his tongue-in-cheek country ballad The Redback on the Toilet Seat.
He once told Woman's Weekly he was inspired to write the tune after a visiting friend remarked they hoped there were no spiders in the outdoor lavatory.
The Redback on the Toilet Seat made it to No. 3 on the Australian charts and became Slim's signature song.
Friends and family members confirmed his death on Facebook while paying tribute to the singer who had a career spanning 50 years
He followed it up with many other popular songs, none of which reached the same heights as Redback, and became a stalwart of the Australian country music scene.
Despite his success, Newton never quit his day job as a welder and juggled his manual labour duties with performances for years.
His contributions to the industry were recognised in 1977 when he was inducted into the Australian Country Music Hands of Fame.
A memorial service for friends and family will be held in NSW on Friday, January 20.
Newton is survived by his four children, Stephen, Lisa, Linda and Jodie.
Slim was born Ralph Newton in Western Australia in 1932 and shot to fame in 1972 with his tongue-in-cheek country ballad The Redback on the Toilet Seat
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