In Memoriam - Page 21

It’s another tough day in the bass world. Rock icon and bass legend Ian “Lemmy” Kilmister, who fronted Motörhead since 1975, has died at the age of 70. The news was confirmed by the band’s Facebook page. “There is no easy way to say this,” the statement read. “Our mighty, noble friend Lemmy passed away today after a short battle...

Vardis bassist Terry Horbury has passed away after a battle with cancer. He was 65 years old. The band announced his death on their Facebook page. “Many of his generation had their lives changed by music in the 1960s,” the statement read, “but Terry’s first Cream gig in ’67 started him down a path which encompassed 50 years and 60...

His main instrument may have been saxophone, but Wilton Felder’s early work as a bass guitarist launched him into the history books of the low end. The musician, who played the bass line for the Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back”, passed away on September 27th at the age of 75. Longtime collaborator Ray Parker, Jr. broke the news on...

Bass legend Chris Squire, who stood at the helm of progressive rock in Yes since 1968, has died of cancer. He was 67 years old. Yes released a statement on their Facebook page announcing the news. “It’s with the heaviest of hearts and unbearable sadness that we must inform you of the passing of our dear friend and Yes co-founder,...

Bass legend Louis Johnson, the funk session musician who played on Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean”, has passed away of undisclosed causes. He was 60 years old. Nicknamed “Thunder Thumbs,” Johnson was born in Los Angeles in 1955 and learned to play bass alongside his brother George. The duo would work alongside each other with Bobby Womack, the Supremes, and Billy...

Bassist Rutger Gunnarsson, who made waves with Swedish pop sensation ABBA, has passed away. He was 69 years old. Gunnarsson was born in Linköping, Sweden in 1946. Originally a guitarist, he was studying at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm when a friend convinced him to audition for the Hootenanny Singers, a folk band that included future ABBA frontman...

Bassist Craig Gruber, best known as an original member of Rainbow, has passed away from prostate cancer. He was 63 years old. Gruber’s rise in the rock world began when he joined Elf in late 1973. The band was fronted by Ronnie James Dio, who also covered bass duties before Gruber’s introduction. The bassist was featured on two studio albums...

Scott Clendenin, who played bass with Death, has passed away at the age of 47. A cause of death has not been released, though former band manager Eric Greif stated he had been facing health challenges. Clendenin joined the band in 1996 and was featured on 1998’s The Sound of Perseverance. The bassist continued with Death until frontman Chuck Schuldiner’s...

Andy Fraser, bassist and founding member of the ’60s rock band Free, has passed away at 62. Although a cause of death has not been released, Fraser had recently been battling AIDS and cancer. Fraser was born in London in 1952 and began music studies on piano at the tender age of five. He switched to guitar when he was...

Mike Porcaro, who played bass for the seminal rock band Toto, has passed away after a long battle with ALS. He was 59 years old. Porcaro came from a musical family. His father is jazz drummer Joe Porcaro, and he is the middle brother of drummer Jeff Porcaro and keyboardist Steve Porcaro. Though Mike played on several unofficial sessions since...

Danny McCulloch, who played bass for the second incarnation of The Animals, has passed away from cardiac heart failure. He was 69 years old. McCulloch was born in West London in 1945 and got his musical start in his teens. His first band was The Avro Boys, who went on to become Tony Craven & The Casuals in the late...

Joe B. Mauldin, who helped change the face of popular music as bassist for Buddy Holly and the Crickets, passed away February 7th after a battle with cancer. He was 74 years old. The Lubbock, Texas native started music early. Born on July 8, 1940, he first recorded with The Four Teens in 1955 at only 15 years old. He...