Keyboard Player Peter Jones, (Mississippi, Little River Band, John Farnham), Has Died - Noise11.com
Little River Band debut

Keyboard Player Peter Jones, (Mississippi, Little River Band, John Farnham), Has Died

by Paul Cashmere on June 7, 2025

in News

Peter Jones, renowned Australian keyboard player who has played on recordings for Little River Band, Crowded House, The Ferrets and John Farnham, has died.

Little River Band co-founder announced Peter’s passing on his socials stating:

David Briggs just called me with the news that Peter Jones passed away last night.
He had been very unwell for some time.

His contribution to my musical life was immense.

• Kings Of The World
• It’s A Long Way There
• Reminsicing
• Take It Easy On Me
• The Night Owls
• Please Don’t Ask Me
and many others.

His peerless musicianship was at the very core of so many Little River Band recordings.
Indeed… ‘the 5th Beatle’ has left the building.

Goble once cited the importance of Peter’s work on ‘Reminiscing’.

For Debbie Kruger’s book ‘Songwriters Speak’ he said, “I loved watching old black and white movies, and I always also loved the music of Glenn Miller and Cole Porter, that whole era of writing, and it was my attempt to write a song to depict the romantic era. It came out very quickly, I wrote it in about half an hour. Even though a lot of people think it sounds complicated, on the guitar it’s very simple to play. It nearly never got recorded – when the time came to record it, the keyboard player I wanted to use, Peter Jones, was out of town, so we cut the band track with a different keyboard player. It didn’t work. A few days later when we tried it again with a different keyboard player, again it didn’t work, and the band was losing interest in the song. Just before the album was finished, Peter Jones came back into town, the band and I had an argument because I wanted to give Reminiscing a third chance. Peter played on it, we cut it, and finished it, and sent the album to Capitol. Capitol said that they couldn’t hear any singles on the album, and didn’t know what to release. Five weeks later, someone at Capitol’s New York office said ‘You’re all crazy, Reminiscing is a smash.’ Capitol put it out, and it just immediately caught on fire, and became our highest chart hit.”

Peter played piano on Little River Band’s debut album on every track except ‘Emma’.

He was the piano player on John Farnham’s ‘Uncovered’ album. That’s him on the first notes you hear on Farnham’s ‘Help’.

He also played piano of pre-Little River Band band Mississippi.

In the 90s Peter took on production. Kate Ceberano and Her Sextet – Like Now’ was the first album he produced.

International work includes Morrissey ‘This Is Morrissey’ as well as Sandi Shaw and Prefab Sprout. He also played on albums for Skyhooks, Australian Crawl and Vince Jones.

Stay updated with your free Noise11.com daily music news email alert. Subscribe to Noise11 Music News here

Be the first to see NOISE11.com’s newest interviews and special features on YOUTUBE and updated regularly. See things first SUBSCRIBE here: Noise11 on YouTube SUBSCRIBE

Noise11.com

Follow us at https://bsky.app/profile/noise11.bsky.social

Noise11 on Instagram

Comment on the news of the day, join Noise11 on Facebook

Related Posts

Angus Young AC/DC Etihad Stadium, Rock Or Bust World Tour. Photo by Ros O'Gorman
AC/DC Angus Young is Only The Schoolboy on Stage, at Home He is Told to ‘Wipe His Feet’

The public persona and private life of Angus Young of AC/DC are total opposites.

4 hours ago
The Doobie Brothers Tom Johnston at Deni Blues and Roots Festival on Sunday 20 April 2014.
The Doobie Brothers’ Tom Johnston Has No Plans For A Third Solo Album

It has been 54 years since The Doobie Brothers released their debut album. Between then and now, co-founder, singer, guitarist and songwriter has only released two solo albums and they were 46 and 44 years ago. To find out why there has never been a third Tom Johnston solo album, Noise11 asked Tom.

5 hours ago
Dolly Parton in concert photo by Ros O'Gorman
Dolly Parton To Play Vegas Residency

Dolly Parton, who hasn't toured regularly in nearly a decade, has announced a six-concert run at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.

7 hours ago
Mick Ralphs of Bad Company
Bad Company and Mott The Hoople Mike Ralphs Dead at 81

Guitarist Mick Ralphs, a founding member of both Mott The Hoople and Bad Company, has died at the age of 81.

7 hours ago
Amyl and the Sniffers photo by John Angus Stewart
Amyl & The Sniffers Next Australian Shows Will Be With AC/DC

Amyl & The Sniffers’ next Australian shows will be with AC/DC in November.

1 day ago
Angus Young AC/DC performing at Etihad Stadium in Melbourne on Sunday 6 December 2015. They are in Australia on the final leg of their Rock Or Bust World Tour. photo by Ros O'Gorman
AC/DC Power Up Tour Is Coming To Australia in November

AC/DC will play their first Australian dates since 2015 in November 2025. All is set for two shows in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Perth and one for Adelaide.

2 days ago
Angus Young of AC/DC. photo by Ros O'Gorman, Noise11, photo
AC/DC Drop The Biggest Hint Yet of The World’s Worst Kept Secret The 2025 Australian Tour

The news AC/DC fans have been waiting for is about to drop. The Australian tour announcement is imminent with even AC/DC now spreading the gossip on their socials with the iconic Thunderbolt symbol prominently on display along one of Melbourne’s busiest streets, Punt Road in Cremorne.

2 days ago