Marcie Jones, Lead Singer of Marcie & The Cookies, Dies at 79

Australian music trailblazer Marcie Jones has died at the age of 79, just days after publicly revealing a leukemia diagnosis.

The beloved vocalist first rose to fame in the late 1960s as the powerhouse lead singer of Marcie & The Cookies, an all-female vocal group that helped break ground in Australia’s male-dominated music scene. After her time with the Cookies, Jones launched a solo career that included a string of singles and her debut album, That Girl Jones, across the 1970s.

Rolling Stone Australia reported that Jones passed away on Friday (May 31), with her daughter-in-law Lisa Asta confirming the news in a Facebook tribute shared the following day.

“It’s with great sadness to let you all know that my beautiful mother-in-law, Marcie Jones, passed away yesterday evening,” Asta wrote. “I feel numb inside. Marc, never again will there be our little outbursts of song and dance. You made me laugh so hard and always gave me great advice.”

“You were a legend, an icon, and you will always be remembered. You always said that we were so alike in many ways, and that’s why I know you will always be my guiding light. I will miss you so much. I love you. Until we meet again to sing another song.”

The Herald Sun reported that just five days earlier, on May 27, Jones had revealed her leukemia diagnosis on social media.

“Sorry to start the day with rotten news,” she wrote. “I am in hospital with leukemia, starting treatment soon. We are all feeling very scared but I’ll fight as hard as I can.”

ARIA and PPCA both paid tribute to Jones following her passing.

“We are saddened to hear of the passing of Marcie Jones, a true pioneer of Australian music,” ARIA wrote in a statement.

“As the powerhouse voice behind Marcie and the Cookies, Marcie helped pave the way for women in a male-dominated industry, breaking new ground in the 1960s and touring internationally with her signature sound.

“From The Go!! Show to global stages alongside The Monkees, The Seekers, Cliff Richard and Tom Jones, Marcie’s impact on Australian music history is undeniable.”

PPCA added, “From her beginnings as a teenage performer to her rise as a charting solo artist and the lead of the pioneering girl group Marcie and the Cookies, Marcie championed originality, resilience and talent. She was a proud contributor to Australia’s musical identity, taking her voice across Asia, Europe and the UK, and sharing the stage with international legends.”

They added that her legacy “will continue to inspire generations of artists.”

Throughout her decades-long career, Jones performed across Asia, Europe and the U.K., and shared the stage with legends including The Monkees, Cliff Richard, Tom Jones and The Seekers.

Her 2008 memoir Runs In The Blood described her as “an unsung Australian music legend” who “may not have received the accolades of some of her more recognised peers, but has remained stoic in her determination to perform, write and be a mother to her two boys.”