Founding member of prog rock band Ambrosia, Christopher North, has died at the age of 75. No cause of death has been made public, but in a statement on Facebook, the band revealed the San Francisco native had fought a “brave and successful battle with throat cancer.” It added that even then, “his spirit remained tied to the music and the fans he loved.” North was also hit by a car in October while walking to a restaurant, the band said at the time. Ambrosia, which he started with vocalist David Pack, bassist Joe Puerta, and drummer Burleigh Drummond, said, “We will always remember ‘Northwind’ for his fiery, ‘intense’ stage presence—a legacy that began when he was first discovered playing in a dimly lit room, his organ topped with a bottle of wine.” He left the band in 1977, but later rejoined to work on hits including “Biggest Part of Me” and “You’re the Only Woman (You & I).” The band added, “We celebrate a true craftsman of the classic rock era whose lush piano lines and soaring organ swells will remain timeless. He was truly one of a kind, and loved dearly by his fans and bandmates.”
The post ’70s Rocker Dead at 75 After Health Battles appeared first on The Daily Beast
