ANDREW GOLD 1951-2011
Singer/songwriter Andrew Gold (59) sadly passed away on June 3rd 2011 in Los Angeles of a heart attack, having suffered renal cancer over the past few years. Best known for his 70's hits "Lonely Boy", "Thank You For Being A Friend", "Never Let Her Slip Away" and "Stay", he was a multi-talented musician, singer, producer and songwriter having worked with some of the top names in the business. SongLink editor David Stark knew him through mutual pal Graham Gouldman of 10cc, with whom Gold formed the hit duo Wax in 1983, and commented, "I hadn't seen Andrew for some while, but he always was, and still is, one of my favourite songwriters of all time. It's a very sad loss to the industry, but I'm sure his hits will continue to be played on UK radio for many years to come."
Andrew Gold was born in August 1951 in Burbank, Los Angeles. His father Ernest won an Oscar for the score of 1960 film "Exodus," while his mother Marni Nixon, was a singer, providing vocals for Audrey Hepburn in "My Fair Lady," among others. In the 70's, as well as producing his own records, he played all the instruments on Art Garfunkel's hit "I Only Have Eyes For You" (a UK #1), as well as most of Garfunkel's album Breakaway. He played on Stephen Bishop's hit, "On and On"; played and/or sang on records and/or live performances with Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, John Lennon, Brian Wilson, Don Henley, Cher's hit album, Heart of Stone, wrote hits for Trisha Yearwood, Wynonna Judd, for whom he co-wrote the #1 single "I Saw The Light" with Lisa Angelle, who he later produced in her own right. He toured with The Eagles, played on records and toured with Jackson Browne, produced, wrote and sang/played on three 10cc tracks; played and sang on record, and toured with James Taylor, produced singles for Vince Gill, and Karla Bonoff, including her #19 hit "Personally", wrote and produced for Celine Dion; and was second engineer on part of Joni Mitchell's Blue album, among many other achievements.
David Stark continues: "The top picture, taken by me in 1997, is of Andrew at Ritz Radio station in Wembley, London with Peter Robinson of Dome Records (right) who put out "The Wax Files", a compilation of old and new Wax recordings. The second shot shows us at Graham Gouldman's house, along with Andrew's first wife Vanessa, who was an old friend of mine from NW London, and with whom he had three daughters. He later married Leslie Kogan, to whom SongLink sends sincere condolences."
Links:
http://www.andrewgold.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Gold
http://www.facebook.com/andrewgoldmusic
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/jun/06/andrew-gold-obituary
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