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Zoot founder member dies from cancer

Last week, liver cancer claimed the life of Darryl Cotton, one of Australia’s most beloved pop singers.

The 62-year-old was primarily recognized as a founding member of the rock band Zoot, and later gained fame for hosting a Saturday morning television variety program.

In addition to his music career, Cotton made appearances on the Australian TV show Young Doctors and played the lead role in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat.

Jim Keays, a friend and fellow performer, described Cotton as a “lovely guy.”

“He was genuinely a lovely guy. I mean, with Cotton, Keays, and Morris over the past 12 years, we were practically like a family. We toured together, shared rooms on the road, and I can’t recall a single argument between us.”

Keays also highlighted Cotton’s dedication to charity work.

“In the 80s, he had a television show called The Earlybird show with Marty the Monster, during which he would visit children with cancer in hospitals. He was always busy with charity work, a truly non-stop charity worker. His generosity was remarkable, and he will be greatly missed.”

“He maintained a youthful appearance, both in looks and spirit, and among the three of us, I would have expected him to be the last to pass, considering he was a non-drinker and non-smoker.”

Keays mentioned that Cotton became ill approximately six to eight weeks ago.

“We traveled to Brisbane and did the Queensland gigs without him, only to return and learn he’d undergone tests revealing he had cancer. It was a complete shock, and he deteriorated incredibly fast from that point on.”

“One moment he was just like the rest of us, perfectly healthy, and then suddenly he was facing death.”

by Wallace McTavish

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