Alvin Lee Dead

[why]

I missed this about a month ago -- legendary guitarist Alvin Lee of Ten Years After (and also famous for his Woodstock performance, "I'm Going Home") died at 68 on March 6th.

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/03/06/showbiz/obit-alvin-lee

(CNN) -- Alvin Lee, the speed-fingered British guitarist who lit up Woodstock with a monumental 11-minute version of his song "I'm Going Home," has died, according to his website. He was 68.
"With great sadness, we have to announce that Alvin unexpectedly passed away early this morning after unforeseen complications following a routine surgical procedure," read the message on alvinlee.com. "We have lost a wonderful, much loved father and companion. The world has lost a great and truly gifted musician."
The note was signed by Lee's daughter, Jasmin, wife, Evi, and former companion Suzanne.
Lee died Wednesday.
Born in Nottingham, England, in 1944, Lee was the leader of the band Ten Years After.
His performance at Woodstock in 1969 catapulted him into the front ranks of the period's British guitar heroes, which included Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page and Pete Townshend.
In an image from the 1973 book "Rock Dreams," he and those four others are pictured in tuxedos carrying guitar cases into a building.
"Groups would play for an hour without pausing, not to be mobbed or screamed at but in hopes of an ovation," critic Nik Cohn wrote about musicians in the caption.
Despite his status as a musician, Lee never reached the critical or popular heights of his countrymen.
Ten Years After never had a Top 10 album in America, though 1971's "A Space in Time" went platinum thanks to the group's only Top 40 hit, "I'd Love to Change the World."
Lee released his latest album, "Still on the Road to Freedom," last August.

[VIDEO][/VIDEO]

 

[Stu]

Woodchopper's Ball is about the fastest I have ever heard a guitar played. He was amazing.

 

[romafan]

I have a really nice record he did w/ an American gospel singer by the name of Mylon LeFevre in the early '70s called On the Road to Freedom. IIRC, there were a bunch of great back-up musicians. It's the anithesis of his TYA work - gentle, accoustic stuff...

 

[why]

Cool stuff. Alvin Lee was the man.