Colonel Bruce Hampton Dies After Collapsing On Stage During His Own Birthday Concert

[Recursion]

Source: NPR

Colonel Bruce Hampton, guitarist and respected elder statesman of the jam-band community, died Monday night after collapsing on stage during the encore of his own birthday celebration. He was 70 years old.

Hampton was close to wrapping up Hampton 70 — a birthday concert featuring members of Phish, Widespread Panic and Leftover Salmon, among others — when he collapsed on stage at the Fox Theater in Atlanta. Hampton's death was confirmed in a statement from his family, shared by the Tedeschi Trucks Band.

Former bandmate Jeff Mosier wrote on Facebook that he could "could have never imagined a more joyful departure."

Hampton, born Gustav Berglund III, began his music career in the late '60s with the Hampton Grease Band, which toured with The Grateful Dead. In the early '90s, while leading the Aquarium Rescue Unit, Hampton was widely credited with helping inspire and foster a new wave of improvisational "jam band" artists — including Widespread Panic, Blues Traveler, Dave Matthews and Phish.

Read more: http://www.npr.org/sections/therecord/2017/05/02/526538126/colonel-bruce-hampton-dies-after-collapsing-on-stage-during-his-own-birthday-con

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RIP to a great musician. That's the way to go out.

[still_one]

1. Very sad, but it seems it happened when he was doing what he loved to do best

[Recursion]

2. That seems like an awesome way to go, honestly (nt)

[marybourg]

3. Envious. What a way to go! nt

[seshers]

4. I was there...

but left before the encore to avoid the post-show traffic. I had the opportunity to hang with him on multiple occasions. He was a true original and will be sorely missed.

[berksdem]

5. Love the Col...

God bless... he went out in style and was a true pioneer.

[neohippie]

6. I like to believe that he ascended like a Buddha

The Colonel was a prophet to many in the music community. He encouraged others to free themselves from their egos and play their instruments using the infinite energy found in the universe outside of ourselves.

He was a master surrounded by many of his students, his friends and his adoring fans, he gave his all in every performance, up until the moment he signaled for his 14 year old protege to take his solo during the song, "Turn on your love-light" at the culmination of the event to celebrate his 70th birthday. This was his expiration day, he had nothing left to share with all of us but his legacy.

He often said he would play music until he died because of his passion for performance. He was always a prankster and touched everyone he met, he never knew a stranger. He was an experimental musician who was ahead of his time in the early part of his career and many have him to thank for his influence on their playing and on the jam band music scene in general.

I was fortunate to see him perform many times over decades and to have met him and enjoyed his wit and company.

[colbertforpresident]

7. RIP Colonel Bruce

One of the most influential musicians of our time!

[DemoTex]

8. Ironically, Hampton died during a performance in Atlanta ..

Last year, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra double bassist - 87 year old Jane Little - collapsed and died onstage during a symphonic rendition of "There's No Business Like Show Business." Ms. Little had been with the ASO for 77 years (started at age 16 during WW2).

I'll take a direct lightning strike to a fire lookout tower during the height of fire season. I'll never know what hit me (I presume), and all of you can say, "Demotex died doing what he loved. With his fire boots on."

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

9. Too bad!

I really liked the Aquarium Rescue Unit stuff.........

[bathroommonkey76]

10. An underrated band

I've followed Jimmy Herring for a long time and was fortunate enough to see Aquarium Rescue Unit twice in my life.

RIP

Bruce

[Eko]

11. "A modern day poet". Such a huge loss for the music community.