Alan White, longstanding drummer for prog rock band Yes, died at the age of 72
Key Takeaways:
- Alan White, Yes's long-serving drummer who collaborated with John Lennon and George Harrison on projects, has passed away. He was 72 years old at the time.
- White was born in 1949 in Pelton, County Durham, England, and has since lived in the Seattle area.
Alan White, Yes's long-serving drummer and contributor on ventures with John Lennon and George Harrison, has died. At the time, he was 72 years old.
White's death was announced on his Facebook page by his family. According to the post, he died on Thursday at his home in the Seattle area following a brief illness. Because of health issues, White will not be joining Yes on their upcoming UK tour to mark the 50th anniversary of the legendary album "Close to the Edge."
In 1972, White replaced Bill Bruford, the band's original drummer. White was a constant in a band known for lineup fluctuations, and he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a veteran of Yes in 2017.
Although he didn't play on "Close to the Edge," he has appeared on every subsequent Yes studio album for nearly 5 decades, including the band's most recent record, "The Quest," released last year.
White has remained with the band throughout its various incarnations. Yes was a pioneering band in England's progressive rock era, which gained popularity in the early 1970s alongside Genesis, Pink Floyd, and Jethro Tull. They were noted for their elaborate arrangements and individual members' musical abilities.
Many bands affiliated with progressive rock faltered when the genre fell out of favor in the late 1970s.
Yes rebuilt themselves in the 1980s as a harder-edged band that appealed to younger fans more sensitive to heavy metal and the visual signals of music videos, with White staying behind the drum kit. Yes released the mega-hit album "90125" in 1983.
White was born in Pelton, County Durham, England, in 1949 and has lived in the Seattle region since then. According to his family, he started piano lessons at the age of six and drum instruction at the age of twelve.
Throughout the 1960s, White was a member of various bands in England. John Lennon requested him to join his Plastic Ono Band in 1969. In a 2021 interview with The Seattle Times, White stated he thought the renowned Beatle's call was a joke.
"'Hello, this is John Lennon," a voice said, according to White. "I placed the receiver down and went back to the kitchen, thinking it was a mate pulling my leg."
White performed with John Lennon's band in Toronto in 1969, including guitarist Eric Clapton. White also contributed percussion to George Harrison's solo album "All Things Must Pass," released in 1970.
"Alan was many things to different people: a recognized rock star to fans across the world; band member to a chosen few, and gentleman as well as a friend to everyone who met him," his family said in a statement announcing his death.