Washington [US], August 6 (ANI): Judith Durham, an Australian folk music legend whose band, The Seekers, had several international hits with her voice on them, has passed away at the age of 79.

According to Deadline, Durham passed away on Friday night at Melbourne's Alfred Hospital due to complications from lung disease. Both the Musicoast record label and Universal Music Australia announced her passing.

Durham joined The Seekers in 1963, and thanks to the harmony of their voices, the four became the first Australian band to have a significant chart and commercial success in the UK and the US. The hits "The Carnival is Over," "I'll Never Find Another You," "A World of Our Own," and "Georgy Girl" helped them sell more than 50 million records.

Durham went solo in 1968 but recorded with The Seekers again in the 1990s.

"This is a sad day for Judith's family, her fellow Seekers, the staff of Musicoast, the music industry and fans worldwide, and all of us who have been part of Judith's life for so long," said The Seekers' management team member Graham Simpson.

Her bandmates in The Seekers -- Keith Potger, Bruce Woodley, and Athol Guy -- said their lives had been changed forever by losing "our treasured lifelong friend and shining star".

"Her struggle was intense and heroic, never complaining of her destiny and fully accepting its conclusion. Her magnificent musical legacy Keith, Bruce and I are so blessed to share," they said in a joint statement.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described Durham as "a national treasure and an Australian icon.""Judith Durham gave voice to a new strand of our identity and helped blaze a trail for a new generation of Aussie artists," Albanese wrote on Twitter. "Her kindness will be missed by many, the anthems she gave to our nation will never be forgotten."Premier Dan Andrews of her native Victoria claimed that Durham had dominated the music industry both domestically and internationally.

"With her unique voice and stage presence leading The Seekers, the band became one of Australia's biggest chart toppers," he said. (ANI)