{"id":856783,"date":"2026-08-16T01:46:11","date_gmt":"2026-08-16T01:46:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/856783\/"},"modified":"2026-08-16T01:46:11","modified_gmt":"2026-08-16T01:46:11","slug":"tina-arenas-devastation-at-the-loss-of-aussie-music-legend-johnny-young","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/856783\/","title":{"rendered":"Tina Arena\u2019s devastation at the loss of Aussie music legend Johnny Young"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tina Arena<\/a> has shared her heartache following the death of her mentor and close friend, Australian music legend Johnny Young<\/a>. <\/p>\n

The singer, 58, credited Young for her entire music career during an appearance on glowmusic.co\u2019s vodcast recorded just hours after news broke of his passing aged 79 on Friday.<\/p>\n

\"Tina<\/p>\n

Tina Arena appeared on a podcast just hours after news broke than John Young had died.\u00a0Instagram\/glowmusic.co, Instagram\/@TinaArena<\/p>\n

\u201cThe thing that has happened overnight and is very raw for me is the passing of John Young\u2026 which is someone who started my career. If it wasn\u2019t for him, I wouldn\u2019t be sitting here today,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Young launched Arena\u2019s career on the\u00a0Young Talent Time\u00a0variety show when she first appeared in 1974 at just seven years old. <\/p>\n

\u201cHe was the one. It was his show \u2013 he made the creative decisions and chose the kids, and we had a really wonderful relationship,\u201d she continued.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s like my second dad, and his passing\u2026 pretty tough. I hope he\u2019s looking down on us, and I\u2019m sure he is.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dannii Minogue, who first appeared on\u00a0Young Talent Time\u00a0on her eighth birthday in 1979, said Young\u2019s death was heartbreaking.<\/p>\n

\u201cJohnny Young holds a place in so many hearts, and today my heart is broken,\u201d she\u00a0wrote on Instagram<\/a>\u00a0on Friday. <\/p>\n

\u201cHe has so many achievements from his music and TV career, pop writing and releases, and family entertainment on our televisions. For me, this is where my career started, and generations of Aussies hold\u00a0Young Talent Time\u00a0and the song\u00a0All My Loving\u00a0so fondly in their memories.\u201d<\/p>\n

In a statement released by his family, it was revealed that Young\u00a0passed away<\/a>\u00a0following a brief battle with\u00a0pancreatic cancer<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"PERTH,<\/p>\n

Young died aged 79 after a brief battle with pancreatic cancer. \u00a0Getty<\/p>\n

\u201cJohnny Young, born Johnny Benjamin De Jong,\u00a0\u00a0has passed away following a brief battle with pancreatic cancer,\u201d the statement read.<\/p>\n

\u201cJohnny was the creator,\u00a0host and producer of the much loved television show\u00a0Young Talent Time. He wrote and produced many iconic hit songs including The\u00a0Real Thing\u00a0and\u00a0Smily.<\/p>\n

\u201cJohnny leaves behind his wife Marisha, sister Cornelia, daughters Anna and Fleur, son Craig (dec.), seven grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe family respectfully asks for privacy during this difficult time. Details of a memorial service will be announced soon.\u201d<\/p>\n

Young launched the careers of many Aussie stars including Arena, Danni Minogue and Jamie Redfern on\u00a0Young Talent Time, which he hosted from 1971 to 1988.<\/p>\n

Young had three children \u2013 two daughters, Anna and Fleur, and a son called Craig \u2013 as well as nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.<\/p>\n

In a cruel twist of fate, Young tragically lost his only son Craig Young to pancreatic cancer in 2014 when he was just 48.<\/p>\n

Craig was Young\u2019s child from his first marriage to his childhood sweetheart, Jane, who also sadly passed away from leukaemia in her 20s.<\/p>\n

He shared two daughters, Anna and Fleur, from his second marriage which ended in 1995 after 20 years together.<\/p>\n

He went on to marry for a third time to Polish-born wife Marisha, and the couple were together for over 20 years until he passed away.<\/p>\n