Ignatius Jones dies following a short illness [Video]

Australian rock star, major event director, writer and raconteur Ignatius Jones has died. He was 67 years old.

Over five decades Jones was a central figure in Australian entertainment, first as a performer and later as an artistic director of large-scale events including the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, the Sydney Olympics – alongside David Atkins, the Vancouver Winter Olympics opening, while he also wrote the show The Man from Snowy River – the Arena Spectacular.

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Born Juan Ignacio Rafaelo Lorenzo Trápaga y Esteban in the Philippines, his family moved to Australia when he was a young child.

His sister Monica was born a few years later, and both siblings developed an interest in dance, music and performance. While Ignatius adopted the surname Jones for his career, his sister later found fame as a singer and Play School presenter.

In 1976 Ignatius became the lead singer of the band Jimmy and the Boys and they quickly became one …