Post by The Ultimate Nullifier on Feb 15, 2015 18:48:14 GMT -6
variety.com/2015/music/news/sam-andrew-big-brother-and-the-holding-company-guitarist-dies-at-73-1201434194/
Sam Andrew, Big Brother and the Holding Company Guitarist, Dies at 73
Sam Andrew, the psychedelic guitarist and co-founder of Big Brother and the Holding Company, died on Thursday. He was 73.
Andrew, who was also a singer, songwriter and composer, was in poor health after suffering a heart attack and resulting complications from open-heart surgery 10 weeks prior.
Andrew and bassist Peter Albin founded Big Brother and the Holding Company in 1965 in San Francisco. Andrew helped launch Janis Joplin’s career after their manager Chet Helms convinced her to join Big Brother instead of her local psychedelic rock band, Austin’s the 13th Floor Elevators.
Big Brother recorded two albums, their 1967 self-titled debut and 1968’s “Cheap Thrills.” Some of the singles, including “Down on Me,” “Summertime” and “Combination of the Two,” which Andrew wrote, are on Joplin’s greatest hits albums as well.
His early compositions, such as “Call on Me,” are considered some of the band’s most enduring singles. Andrew acted as the band’s musical director up until his illness in early 2015.
Big Brother and the Holding Company posted the sad news on their Facebook page.
“Yesterday, ten weeks after his heart attack and the open-heart surgery that followed it, Sam lost his gallant fight to hold onto the life he lived so well. He died peacefully in [wife] Elise’s arms at 5:15 pm. There will be much more to say about him in the days to come and there will come a time when we will gather together to remember him… For now we can all remember him in our own ways until we can remember him together. He lived his life in music and art and a loving marriage. It doesn’t get much better than that.”
Joplin and Andrew left Big Brother in 1968 to launch her solo career, recording Joplin’s debut “I Got Dem Ol’ Kozmic Blues Again Mama!” and forming the Kozmic Blues Band.
He rejoined a reformed Big Brother the following year to record “Be a Brother” before the band broke up again in 1972. Andrew and Albin reunited Big Brother once more in 1987. The two founders and drummer Dave Getz performed together as recently as October 2014.
In addition to touring with Big Brother, Andrew created a solo project, the Sam Andrew Band, in the 1990s.
Sam Andrew, Big Brother and the Holding Company Guitarist, Dies at 73
Sam Andrew, the psychedelic guitarist and co-founder of Big Brother and the Holding Company, died on Thursday. He was 73.
Andrew, who was also a singer, songwriter and composer, was in poor health after suffering a heart attack and resulting complications from open-heart surgery 10 weeks prior.
Andrew and bassist Peter Albin founded Big Brother and the Holding Company in 1965 in San Francisco. Andrew helped launch Janis Joplin’s career after their manager Chet Helms convinced her to join Big Brother instead of her local psychedelic rock band, Austin’s the 13th Floor Elevators.
Big Brother recorded two albums, their 1967 self-titled debut and 1968’s “Cheap Thrills.” Some of the singles, including “Down on Me,” “Summertime” and “Combination of the Two,” which Andrew wrote, are on Joplin’s greatest hits albums as well.
His early compositions, such as “Call on Me,” are considered some of the band’s most enduring singles. Andrew acted as the band’s musical director up until his illness in early 2015.
Big Brother and the Holding Company posted the sad news on their Facebook page.
“Yesterday, ten weeks after his heart attack and the open-heart surgery that followed it, Sam lost his gallant fight to hold onto the life he lived so well. He died peacefully in [wife] Elise’s arms at 5:15 pm. There will be much more to say about him in the days to come and there will come a time when we will gather together to remember him… For now we can all remember him in our own ways until we can remember him together. He lived his life in music and art and a loving marriage. It doesn’t get much better than that.”
Joplin and Andrew left Big Brother in 1968 to launch her solo career, recording Joplin’s debut “I Got Dem Ol’ Kozmic Blues Again Mama!” and forming the Kozmic Blues Band.
He rejoined a reformed Big Brother the following year to record “Be a Brother” before the band broke up again in 1972. Andrew and Albin reunited Big Brother once more in 1987. The two founders and drummer Dave Getz performed together as recently as October 2014.
In addition to touring with Big Brother, Andrew created a solo project, the Sam Andrew Band, in the 1990s.