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Long John Baldry Passes Away At Age 64

On July 21st British R&B singer "Long John Baldry" passed away in the Vancouver General Hospital in Vancouver, BC, after battling with a chest infection for the last four months.

Leaving behind two siblings, Margaret and Roger, and also long-time friend and partner Felix "Oz" Rexach.

His friends at Stony Plain are sad at their friend's passing. "John was a funny, wise, gentle and kind man, who was well aware of his role in the musical history but seemingly amused by it. Everything he did served the music he made," says a representative of Stony Plain.

He began his career in the late ’50s playing folk and jazz music and was one of the founding fathers of British Rock n' Roll in the ’60s.

While appearing at the Cavern in Liverpool in the early ’60s, he became friends with Paul McCartney. For the internationally televised special "Around the Beatles" for the Rediffusion in 1964, Baldry was invited to perform with P.J. Proby and Cilla Black

Later in his career he fronted the Hoochie Coochie Men along with Rod Stewart.

After a short time with Bluesology, where Elton John was on keyboard, Baldry went solo. In 1967, he had a number one UK hit, "Let The Heartache Begin". In addition, with the assistance of Rod Stewart and Elton John, he recorded the album, It Ain't Easy, which featured the song "Don't try to Lay no Boogie Woogie on the King of Rock n' Roll".

In the early ’80s he emigrated to Canada. He recorded for EMI Music Canada, and since 1991 he has recorded five albums for Stony Plain Records in Edmonton, AB.

Baldry has also lent his voice to commercials and is known as the voice of Robotnik on the "Sonic The Hedgehog" computer game, and the narrator for the Winnie the Pooh recordings for Walt Disney Records.

Donations can be made at any TD Canada Trust branch to 'Remembering Long John Baldry,' account number 31382-004-0391-5214469. For those outside of Canada, donations can be made to LiveTourArtists, 1451 White Oaks Blvd., Oakville, ON L6H 4R9.

Long John Baldry will be missed by everyone who knew him.

For more information visit, www.johnbaldry.com, or www.stonyplainrecords.com.

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