ROCK VOICE: John Lawton at a concert from 2001. Photo: Stefan Scheer / Wikimedia Commons
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John Lawton, former vocalist in Uriah Heep, died June 29 – 74 years old.
It writes the band on its official Twitter account on Tuesday.
Lawton was born on July 11, 1946 and turned 74 years old.
The vocalist participated in a number of bands, and was vocalist for Uriah Heep in the period from 1977 to 1979.
During these three years, he and Uriah Heep released three studio albums: “Firefly” in 1976, “Innocent Victim” in 1978 and “Fallen Angel” in 1978. Lawton also appeared on the live album “Live in Europe” in 1979.
– It is with great sadness that we share the crushing and tragic news of the sudden and totally unexpected death of John Lawton on June 29, 2021, the band writes on Twitter.
– John will be sorely missed, it says in the Twitter message.
—-ROCK LEGENDS: Guitarist Mick Box and his Uriah Heep from the Blues festival Hell blues in 2004. Photo: Pål R. Hansen
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– Came as a big shock
Michael Box, the guitarist in Uriah Heep, and the only current member since the group was formed in 1969, writes on Twitter that it is with great sadness that he receives the news of his former colleague.
– John Lawton’s death came as a big shock and has made me numb, he writes.
– John was a big part of the Uriah Heep family, and when he appeared on stage as a replacement for Bernie (Bernie Shaw, also vocalist in Uriah Heep), he said over the microphone: “You can check out, but you can never leave Heep ».
Box writes further about the fantastic experiences they have had, and that he will always remember the time they had together.
– Rock music has lost one of the best rock voices that has ever existed, and his legacy will live on, he concludes.
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