Kim Simmonds, leader of the post-Beatles wave of British blues bands with Savoy Brown, has died aged 75, the band has announced. The band announced on Facebook Thursday that Simmonds died Tuesday. The group has been together for over 55 years.
Simmonds is battling stage 4 signet cell colon cancer, which accounts for no more than 1% of cases. Savoy Brown was part of the British Invasion blues rock surge of the late 60s. Mixing originals with American blues standards, the band features a rotating cast of musicians, with Simmonds at its core.
Simmonds, originally from Wales. Eventually became a solo artist backed by a backup band. He moved to the US 30 years ago and settled in New York. Savoy Brown was founded in 1967 in London. Simmonds remained an active musician until this year when he finally posted on the band’s website that his cancer battle forced him to cancel dates for the rest of the year.
He mentioned at the time that the band was planning a new album. The group’s albums of note include Hellbound Train, Street Corner Talking, and Going to the Delta. The band’s song “Hellbound Train” has over 10 million plays on Spotify.
“I’m Tired – Where Am I” and “Tell Mama” have over two million plays. In its heyday, Savoy Brown played Carnegie Hall, Fillmore East, Fillmore West, and London’s Royal Albert Hall, according to its website. Kiss, ZZ Top, and The Doobie Brothers often opened for the band’s national tours.
He joined Hollywood Rockwall in 1998. He is survived by his wife, Deborah, and a daughter, Eve. No memorial plans have been disclosed.
