Tributes paid to prog rock pioneer Emerson
Keith Emerson, one of the greatest keyboardists of his generation and founder member of the prog rock group Emerson, Lake & Palmer, has died.
His death was announced in a brief statement on the group’s Facebook page: “We regret to announce that Keith Emerson died last night at his home in Santa Monica, Los Angeles, aged 71.”
Emerson, Lake & Palmer were formed in 1970 and the group performed their debut at the Isle of Wight Festival before a succession of records over the next decade made them one of the most popular and best-known bands of their era.
Emerson was born in the UK in 1944 and was classically trained. He was a member of the group Nice before co-founding Emerson, Lake & Palmer with Greg Lake and Carl Palmer. They disbanded in 1979 but re-formed in the 1990s. They reunited again for a last tour in 2010.
Palmer paid tribute to Emerson last night in a statement in which he said: “Keith was a gentle soul whose love for music and passion for his performance as a keyboard player will remain unmatched for many years to come.
“He was a pioneer and an innovator whose musical genius touched all of us in the worlds of rock, classical and jazz. I will always remember his warm smile, good sense of humour, compelling showmanship and dedication to his musical craft. I am very lucky to have known him and to have made the music we did together.”
Much of the group’s recognised sound, a mix of rock ‘n’ roll, electronics and improvised jazz with classical influences, came from his mastery of the Moog synthesiser, Hammond organ and the piano.
The group’s 1973 album Brain Salad Surgery is hailed by many fans as their best. Their first two albums made the UK top five.