Australian music industry icon Glenn Wheatley has died aged 74. Apart from his career as a musician and manager he also had a major involvement with the radio industry. In late 1979, a consortium, recording entrepreneur Bill Armstrong, stockbroker Bill Con and Wheatley successfully bid on one of two Melbourne FM licenses and set about creating a commercial FM radio station and created EON FM. Glenn took over Sydney’s 2CH in 2017, selling it to Pacific Star Network’s SEN for $11.2 million. Also he recently sold two more of his radio acquisitions, 91.9 Sea FM and 92.7 Mix FM on the Sunshine Coast, in September last year.

The former bass player for the Masters Apprentices turned band manager mortgaged his own home to fund the recording of John Farnham’s 1986 comeback album Whispering Jack.

After leaving the Master’s Apprentices in 1972, Wheatley focused on music management, looking after Little River Band before forming a partnership with Farnham.

It is understood he contracted coronavirus over the Christmas period and spent the following weeks in intensive care. He died in Melbourne on Tuesday night (Feb 1). Wheatley turned 74 just over a week ago.

He leaves behind wife Gaynor Martin, and their three children, Tim, 37, Samantha, 35, and Kara, 35.