Alan White, longtime drummer of Yes, has died at age 72 “after a short illness,” the English prog rock band introduced on Thursday.
“The news has shocked and stunned the entire YES family. Alan had been looking forward to the forthcoming UK Tour, to celebrating his 50th Anniversary with YES and their iconic Close To The Edge album, where Alan’s journey with YES began in July 1972,” the band shared on Instagram alongside a photograph of their drummer of fifty years. “He recently celebrated the 40th Anniversary of his marriage to his loving wife Gigi. Alan passed away, peacefully at home.”
His household additionally confirmed his loss of life with a message on his Facebook web page.
The band’s tribute famous that White was “considered one of the greatest drummers of all time.” White — who was born in County Durham, England, on June 14, 1949 — joined Yes in the summertime of 1972 after authentic drummer Bill Bruford left to hitch King Crimson. Prior to that, John Lennon 1969 invited him to hitch the late Beatle and Yoko Ono’s Plastic Ono Band; White contributed to Lennon’s Imagine album, together with the long-lasting title monitor. His work with Lennon additionally resulted in White’s collaboration with one other Beatle — he performed drums on George Harrison’s 1970 launch All Things Must Pass.
Yes discovered chart success within the United States with hits similar to “Owner of a Lonely Heart” off 1983’s 90125; the music reached the summit of the Billboard Hot 100 in January 1984. Other hit singles embody “Roundabout” — from 1971’s Fragile — peaking at No. 13, and “Leave It,” additionally from 90125, which reached an excessive of No. 24. While Yes didn’t have any No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200, the band did land seven albums within the all-genre chart’s high 10: 1972’s Close to the Edge (No. 3), Fragile (No. 4), 1974’s Relayer (No. 5), 90125 (No. 5), 1973’s Tales From the Topographic Ocean (No. 6), 1977’s Going for the One (No. 8), and 1978’s Tormato (No. 10).
White and the band have been additionally inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017.
In asserting White’s loss of life, Yes famous that the band’s fiftieth anniversary Close to the Edge tour within the U.Okay. could be devoted to its beloved drummer.
White is survived by his spouse Gigi, his youngsters Jesse and Cassie, and two grandchildren.
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