Influential Folk Musician Davy Graham Dies at 68

Posted on Dec 18th 2008 11:00AM by Gaylord Fields

Davy Graham, whose nimble guitar playing inspired scores of fellow folk musicians, has died in London, succumbing to complication brought about by lung cancer. The guitar virtuoso, whose teeming influence on oither players and songwriters greatly outshone his commercial success, was 68.

One of the mainstays of the British folk movement of the 1960s, Graham's prowess and eclecticism on the acoustic guitar made him a focal and listening point for anyone plying their trade in the folk vein, including Paul Simon, who recorded a version of Graham's 1962 composition 'Anji' with Simon & Garfunkel. Unlike the majority of his Brit-folk peers, Graham looked outside the British Isles for musical influences, incorporating classical, jazz, blues and Eastern sounds into his playing.

Read a further account of this folk legend's life and music here.

Dearly Departed Musicians

Davy Graham, Dec. 15: The folk singer known and respected across the music world for his nimble fingers and innovative use of tuning, died from a seizure in his London home. He was 68, and also had a long battle lung cancer.

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Odetta, Date Unknown: The singer who became intertwined with the civil rights movement and sang during the 1963 march on Washington died of what her manager says was a heart attack. She was 77.

Ralph Joseph "Jody" Reynolds, Nov. 7: The rockabilly singer, whose lone Top 10 hit 'Endless Sleep' ushered in a wave of similar songs about teens and tragedy in the late 1950s, died of liver cancer. He was 75.

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Mitch Mitchell, Nov. 12: The rock durmmer, left, and last surviving member of the legendary Jimi Hendrix Experience, was found dead of apparent natural causes in a Portland hotel room at age 61. The leader of the band overdosed in 1970, while bassist Noel Redding, right, died in 2003.

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Miriam Makeba, Nov. 10: THe South African singing legend who was banned from her own country for more than 30 years under apartheid died from a heart attack after collapsing on stage in Italy. She was 76.

Shakir Stewart, Nov. 1: The Island Def Jam executive who became head of the legendary rap label following Jay-Z's departure, killed himself on Nov. 1. Police say he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was 34 years old.

Merl Saunders, Oct. 24: The rock and jazz keyboardist who recorded albums with music titans like The Grateful Dead and Miles Davis, died at the age of 74 after complications from a stroke.

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Dee Dee Warwick, Oct. 18: The soul songstress died after months of declining health. Warwick, the sister of soul legend Dionne, also achieved a great deal of success, both as a solo artist as well as with her sister.

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Levi Stubbs, Oct. 17: The iconic lead singer, second from left, who gave voice to Four Tops classics like "Reach Out I'll Be There" and "Baby I Need Your Loving" died at 72 from complications of cancer and a stroke. Abdul Fakir, far left, is now the sole living member of the original quartet.

Nick Reynolds, Oct. 1: The Kingston Trio led the folk music uprising in the late 1950s, paving the way for the Dylans and the Baezs of the world. Reynolds, right with Dave Guard and Bob Shane, had been in the hospital with acute respiratory disease before his family took him off life support. He was 75.