Keith Emerson Of Emerson Lake And Palmer Dies

Keith Emerson, keyboardist of the legendary rock trio Emerson Lake and Palmer has passed away at the age of 71. It is being reported that Emerson died from a self-inflicted gunshot to the head. TMZ reports that Emerson has been suffering from depression over the degenerative nerve tissue in one of his hands, hindering his ability to play.

The following is a statement from bandmate Carl Palmer's publicist regarding Emerson's death:

"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," Palmer said. "He was a pioneer and an innovator whose musical genius touched all of us in the worlds of rock, classical and jazz."
 

The last time Emerson Lake and Palmer performed together was back in 2010 for their 40th reunion at the High Voltage Festival in London. Their most recent recorded album was In the Hot Seat back in 1994. Since then, Emerson became a regular collaborator with Marc Bonilla where they released Keith Emerson featuring Marc Bonilla in 2008, Boys Club: Live From California (which also featured Glenn Hughes) in 2009, and The Three Fates Project in 2012.

Emerson first made it big as a member of the Nice, who received widespread recognition in 1968 for their instrumental rearrangement of Leonard Bernstein's "America" into a protest song. He later joined Palmer and Greg Lake in 1970 to form Emerson Lake and Palmer.

"I will always remember his warm smile, good sense of humor, compelling showmanship, and dedication to his musical craft," says Palmer. "I am very lucky to have known him nd to have made the music we did, together."

(source: Ultimate Classic Rock)