This is just terrible news. The greatest rock keyboardist ever.
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RIP KEITH EMERSON- It is with profound sadness I have to report the death of Keith Emerson last night in Santa Monica, CA. Below is the official statement from Carl Palmer:
I am deeply saddened to learn of the passing of my good friend and brother-in-music, Keith Emerson. Keith was a gentle soul whose love for music and passion for his performance as a keyboard player will remain unmatched for many years to come. He was a pioneer and an innovator whose musical genius touched all of us in the worlds of rock, classical and jazz. I will always remember his warm smile, good sense of humor, compelling showmanship, and dedication to his musical craft. I am very lucky to have known him and to have made the music we did, together. Rest in peace, Keith.
Discovering Keith and hearing BSS at age 13 led me to getting back into playing piano and begging my father for a loan to purchase a Minimoog D more than 40 years ago. I am definitely saddened by this news.
Yeah - I think I first heard BSS in '75. For some reason, my sister had a copy (not her kind of music). Got me totally into synthesizers, Hammond organ, the art of H.R. Giger (this was a few years before Alien), and composers like Ginastera, Copland, Bartok, Mussorgsky, Janáček, and others. So much of my introduction to the arts came from that one album and where it lead me.
The main reason why I got interested in Synths and playing them with a classical touch was because of Keith. Now he’s in heaven jamming with all the masters. Oh what a LUCKY MAN he is. RIP Keith.
I spoke to him for about 10 seconds at this last NAMM. That was the second time I met him in person. I know lots of people are taking this loss very personally, and you have all my sympathies.
As much as we don’t like to speak about it, things like chronic pain and depression can be terminal. The best we can do is give those who live with those conditions as much compassion as possible. We also should not look down upon them when they decide it’s time for them to leave this earth.
And remember, when you’re going to do a job, do the toughest thing first. Kevin used to call that the “Hoedown Method.”
Thank you, Keith, up there, mainly for the first 3 years of the '70ies when I rubbed down the tapes as a teeny till they became transparent, listening to all ELP’s GREAT records.
Its allso sad to me as for the others to see what can happen to people in a sudden. Hope I don’t end up like this…
First heard the album Trilogy when I was 14 years old, was hooked other and then saw ELP in 1974. Absolutely stunned at Keith’s death and hit me hard. Sadly missed !
