SAM AULTON, former lead singer of Hunter Valley rock band Crimson Tide, has died after a long journey with breast cancer.
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The Horseshoe Bend mother of two passed away on December 5. She was 46 years old.
Her last performance with Crimson Tide was in October 2016, just weeks before her death from complications associated with stage four metastatic cancer.
Born in 1970 in Hornsby, Aulton’s family moved to Laguna when she was nine years old.
She maintained strong ties with the community.
Music was in her bones and the world around her. Her adopted father Patrick Aulton was a jingle writer who produced Gough Whitlams’ It’s Time.
Coincidentally her birth father Gerry Anderson also worked in the jingle writing and music industry.
Aulton was first diagnosed with cancer in 2000. She underwent a partial mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
She continued to perform during treatment.
“The first gig she did after chemo, she wasn’t sure how she was going to go. She literally had a bucket on the stage, it was at West Wallsend Workers Club,” Crimson Tide band mate Sally Wilson said.
She showed great determination through her battle with the illness.
“Her hair fell out and she wore a wig that looked so ridiculous,” Ms Wilson said.
“She ripped it off halfway through the gig.”
After recovering she continued to perform, also working in other acts and singing on and off with Crimson Tide.
Ms Wilson described Aulton as a “unique” and “gutsy” singer.
“Her voice is unlike anyone I have ever heard before,” she said.
“A very unique style … powerful, ballsy rock’n’roll.”
In 2011 she was diagnosed with stage four metastatic breast cancer.
She decided against conventional treatment due to the severe side effects.
She became intensely interested in whole food and alternative healing.
She worked in her partner’s East Maitland business Organic Feast until she became too ill.
Brent Fairns said his wife’s life and journey with cancer had a “ripple effect”.
“She became very active in wanting to help others and educate them,” he said.
“She ran shop tours, introducing (people) to new ingredients.
“Every one she did was full. No matter what she did it worked.”
She trained to become a counsellor in order to help others with cancer.
She wrote a book about her life and journey with the disease. It is expected to be published this year.
She is survived by daughters, Maggie, 12, and Ruby, 9.