“So to him,we say thank you,and to all those who loved him and were close to him,we say how sorry we are that he’s gone too soon.”

In 2007,the promoter was sentenced to 15 months in jail for tax evasion following an investigation by the Australian Taxation Office into offshore tax havens.

He was convicted after pleading guilty to not paying $318,000 in tax between 1994 and 2003. He spent 10 months in jail and the remainder of his sentence in home detention.

At the time,the promoter spoke of the “extraordinary grief” of being made the public face of the $300 million investigations and said his wife and children got him through the ordeal.

The Brisbane-born promoter went on to discover and manage Delta Goodrem. Wheatley helped her to launch her debut albumInnocent Eyes in 2003. The album was a success,but the pair parted ways that same year.

Radio and TV executive Cherie Romaro remembered Wheatley as “a friend,boss,and a collaborator for more than 35 years” who was “one of the kindest,gentlest people I have ever met.”

“I still vividly remember the day he and John came into 2DAYFM when I was the program director. They played meYou’re the Voice,and we were the first to play it on air. He never forgot,more recently presenting me with a 35th-anniversary copy,signed by John Farnham,” she said.

Ms Romaro said Wheatley was “always thinking of others and how he could get involved,” including the huge fundraising efforts for farmers impacted so heavily by drought.

“We worked on a number of radio projects,he was so passionate and continued to have new ideas even up to just before he became ill,” she said. “He was a giant of the music and radio industry,but most of all I shall miss my friend.”

Known in radio circles for his role in setting up the first commercial FM station in Australia,Wheatley returned to the radio business in 2013,buying Sunshine Coast’s 91.9 Sea FM and 92.7 Mix FM for $17.7 million with Oceania Capital partners.

Lee Simon,who was part of the broadcasting team at 92.3 Eon FM when it first hit the airwaves in Melbourne 42 years ago,said Wheatley’s “positivity and enthusiasm and support was a big driver of all of that back then” and he remained “extremely humble in the many successes he had”.

“Radio was always a passion of his ... and that station,which is now known as Triple M,was an extremely exciting period for all of us,” Simon said.

“Glenn always conducted himself as a gentleman,he was quiet but extremely enthusiastic and passionate. He had a very good eye and a very good ear (for what artists needed) and invested himself completely,both personally and professionally,in doing everything that was needed to provide the talent he was looking after with every opportunity to grow and succeed.”

Entertainment editor Richard Wilkins broke down on radio on Wednesday morning as he remembered “one of the founding fathers” of the Australian music industry,noting the loss of music promoter Michael Gudinski and INXS manager Chris Murphy in recent years.

“They’ll all be haggling the hell out of each other upstairs at the moment,” Wilkins who works for Nine,the owner on this masthead,said.

Wilkins said while Farnham had the voice,Wheatley had the smarts and managed the singer’s career brilliantly.

“Glenn was such a beautiful guy,lovely,he was always so positive,he would always have a deal going,” he said. “Everyone spent the night ringing each other in the business last night. No one can believe he’s gone ... it’s very sad. I’m so sorry to have lost such a dear friend to so many lovely people.”

Singer and producerDavid Campbell also extended his thoughts to Wheatley’s family on social media, adding the promoter’s legacy was remarkable.

“This is so bloody sad,” Campbell said. “What a lovely man.”

with Sarah McPhee

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