Rick Stevens, one-time
lead singer of Oakland’s own Tower of Power, has died as of September 5,
2017. He died of liver cancer at the age of 77. His first recording with the
band was on their debut album “East Bay Grease” on one of my personal
favorites, “Sparkling in the Sand” from 1970. He led the group for their
recording of the smash “You’re Still a Young Man,” and I can still hear his
voice singing it with so much emotion, from the one and only time I saw the
band live, way back in 1972.
Stevens left Tower of Power after
recording vocals on “What is Hip” and “So Very Hard to Go, but his vocals were
re-recorded after his departure. Since leaving Tower of Power, Stevens
encountered hardships in his life and was released from prison in 2012. He
resumed his singing career with Rick Stevens and Love Power, and in 2013, he sat
in onstage with his former group, leading “You’re Still a Young Man.”
Stevens, having spent several of his
best years imprisoned, perhaps did not live the life that was intended for him,
but for me, his voice will live on.
© 09/05/2017
No comments:
Post a Comment