Arthur Lee Dead at 61
Posted: Fri Aug 04, 2006 8:04 am
Arthur Lee has died in hospital from Leukemia.
The frontman for 60's band Love had been suffering from the disease for many years and was thought to have been making good progress thanks to stem cell procedures but it was not to be.His wife Diane by his side as he passed.
Lee was born Arthur Taylor Porter in Memphis in 1945. He formed Love in Los Angeles in 1965.
Love were one of the psychedelic bands of the West Coast, taking their influences from the Byrds and The Stones.In turn, Arthur Lee and Love became a major influence on The Doors.
Lee was a prolific songwriter, often passing on songs that he could not use for himself to other artists. One song was recorded by Rosa Lee Brooks and featured Jimi Hendrix as a session guitarist. His songs have been recorded by Boo Radleys, Alice Cooper, The Damned, The *******, Lenny Kravitz, Lime Spiders, Matthew Sweet, Ramones, Robert Plant, Sarah Brightman and Urge Overkill. Love broke up in 1968 but in recent years, Lee went back on the road to perform songs from that era.On June 23, Love's friends and fans gathered at the Beacon Theater for a benefit concert for the sick musician. The show featured Robert Plant, Ryan Adams, Ian Hunter, Nils Lofgren, Yo La Tengo and Garland Jefferys.
The frontman for 60's band Love had been suffering from the disease for many years and was thought to have been making good progress thanks to stem cell procedures but it was not to be.His wife Diane by his side as he passed.
Lee was born Arthur Taylor Porter in Memphis in 1945. He formed Love in Los Angeles in 1965.
Love were one of the psychedelic bands of the West Coast, taking their influences from the Byrds and The Stones.In turn, Arthur Lee and Love became a major influence on The Doors.
Lee was a prolific songwriter, often passing on songs that he could not use for himself to other artists. One song was recorded by Rosa Lee Brooks and featured Jimi Hendrix as a session guitarist. His songs have been recorded by Boo Radleys, Alice Cooper, The Damned, The *******, Lenny Kravitz, Lime Spiders, Matthew Sweet, Ramones, Robert Plant, Sarah Brightman and Urge Overkill. Love broke up in 1968 but in recent years, Lee went back on the road to perform songs from that era.On June 23, Love's friends and fans gathered at the Beacon Theater for a benefit concert for the sick musician. The show featured Robert Plant, Ryan Adams, Ian Hunter, Nils Lofgren, Yo La Tengo and Garland Jefferys.