Keith Emerson Dead at 71.

[happyrat1]

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/n...ke-and-palmer-keyboardist-dead-at-71-20160311

Keith Emerson, Emerson, Lake and Palmer Keyboardist, Dead at 71

Keith Emerson, founding member and keyboardist of Emerson, Lake and Palmer and a prog rock legend, died Friday. He was 71. His bandmate Carl Palmer and the trio's official Facebook confirmed Emerson's death. TMZ reported that police found Emerson with a single gunshot wound to the head, though they could not confirm that Emerson died by suicide. "We regret to announce that Keith Emerson died last night at his home in Santa Monica, Los Angeles, aged 71. We ask that the family’s privacy and grief be respected," the band wrote.

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After discovering the Hammond and Moog in his teenage years, Emerson grew into one of the greatest keyboardists of his generation, first as a member of the Nice before founding the prog supergroup Emerson, Lake and Palmer. ELP formed in 1970 after Emerson, guitarist Greg Lake (formerly of King Crimson) and drummer Carl Palmer, a veteran of the Crazy World of Arthur Brown, joined together for a project that would better showcase their musicianship.

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According to the internet rumor mill it was a suicide for the following reasons.

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The unfolding story is: Keith had some sort of problem with his right hand, and at this point in his life can only use 8 fingers to play keys with. Naturally, this led him to a severe depression (imagine being one of the world's top pianists/keyboardists and not be able to use 20% of your fingers anymore). His girlfriend found him dead at his Santa Monica apartment... with a single gunshot wound to the head. So far its being investigated as suicide.

...snip...

This is a horrifying story to me. Keith's Lucky Man performance was one of the main reasons I started playing keys in the first place.

Such is the power of music that it can force one to make the ultimate decision sheerly for the sake of one's art.

RIP Mr Emerson. Tonight there's a bright new star in the heavens.

 

[SeaGtGruff]

I know, this is beyond sad. Words are inadequate for expressing my feelings about this. He was definitely one of my "heroes" of the musical world. RIP, Mr. Emerson.

 

[Rayblewit]

Oh happyrat! I was reading your post here a couple of hours ago. I have had trouble coming to terms with this news. I was hoping it was hoax. So sad!

 

[Thasaidon]

The first. The greatest. The iconic one.
R.I.P.

 

[happyrat1]

First Bowie.

Now Keith.

One by one all of our childhood idols are falling like cordwood.

Here he was in all of his glory!

Gary

 

[Thasaidon]

Happyrat, actually the video you posted is so sad... You can see him struggling with his right hand, trying to fight against the disease which no longer allowed him to do what he used to do in THAT way...
I'd rather remember this great man this way

Marco

 

[happyrat1]

Actually it was difficult to find any of his better performances on camera.

Cameramen seem to think that somehow guitarists and bassists and drummers are more photogenic than keyboardists.

And yes, you can see him favoring his right pinky and ring fingers but I'd still rather remember him that way than like this.

Doing unspeakable things to his Hammond

Gary

 

[happyrat1]

Here's a glimpse inside the mind of the man from 2013. He really seemed to have it all together back then.

Gary

 

[Fred Coulter]

The first rock album I remember listening to was Emerson, Lake and Palmer. My dad had heard of him as a childhood prodigy, so when it came out, he bought it.

I saw ELP live in 1975 (I think) in Atlanta. Amusingly, the radio was advertising that seats were still available as we were heading home after the show. Before the concert, PFM was being played over the PA. I've seen them again several times, including once when UK opened for them. That was a good show.

I was dating my wife for several years, and she was beginning to think I'd never ask her to marry me. I had missed the obvious Valentines Day proposal date. We drove up to Poughkeepsie to see Three at a small venue in 1988. One advantage of the small venue is that the playing doesn't get lost in the reverb, and there are no studio tricks. So my wife was able to hear just how good he was. On the way home, she kept telling me just how good he was (and implying that I wasn't as good). So, in order to change the subject, I pulled over at a rest area on the New York Thruway and proposed to her. For the next five minutes, she didn't mention anything about how good he was. Unfortunately, we were driving to Brooklyn, so she had plenty of time to return to that conversation.

The world is a worse place without Keith in it.

 

[Becky]

Such sad news!

 

[zac staylon]

Imagine not being able to play for countless fans..
I would be in a state of which to me at this moment is inexplicable ..