Jimmy Niven, keyboard player for a number of Australian bands including The Sports, The Pink Finks and Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band, passed away in Melbourne on Monday (April 9, 2012).
The Sports
Jimmy started his career with The Pink Finks. The band also featured Ross Wilson and Ross Hannaford, later of Daddy Cool.
He was also a member of The Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band with Jim Conway and had the hit songs ‘My Canary Has Circles Under His Eyes’ and ‘Wangaratta Wahine’.
Jimmy then joined The Sports and went onto international success. ‘Who Listens To The Radio’ was a US hit for the band. That is Jimmy on keyboards in the open seconds of the song. He left The Sports in 1980. The band broke up a year later.
Jimmy Niven died after a short battle with cancer. He is survived by two children and one grandchild.
