Alan White Of Yes Dies At Age 72 - Noise11.com
Yes Alan White

Alan White Of Yes Dies At Age 72

by Paul Cashmere on May 27, 2022

in News

Alan White, the drummer for Yes as well as John Lennon’s Imagine album and George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass, has died at age 72 after a short illness.

White played on both John’s ‘Imagine’ single and George’s ‘My Sweet Lord’. He was the original Plastic Ono Band drummer featured on the ‘Live Peace In Toronto 1969 album’. The line-up was John and Yoko with Eric Clapton, Klaus Voormann and White. Alan also played on Lennon’s ‘Instant Karma’ single.

Alan joined Yes in 1972 for their fifth album ‘Close To The Edge’.

The white family announced, “Alan White, our beloved husband, dad, and grandpa, passed away at the age of 72 at his Seattle-area home on May 26, 2022, after a brief illness.

Throughout his life and six-decade career, Alan was many things to many people: a certified rock star to fans around the world; band mate to a select few, and gentleman and friend to all who met him.

Alan was born in Pelton, County Durham, England on June 14, 1949. He began piano lessons at the age of six, began playing the drums at age twelve, and has been performing publicly since the age of thirteen.

Throughout the 1960s, Alan honed his craft with a variety of bands, including The Downbeats, The Gamblers, Billy Fury, Alan Price Big Band, Bell and Arc, Terry Reid, Happy Magazine (later called Griffin), and Balls with Trevor Burton (The Move) and Denny Laine (Wings).

In 1968, Alan joined Ginger Baker’s Airforce, a new group that was put together by the former drummer of Cream and other noted musicians from England’s music scene including Steve Winwood, formerly of Traffic.

In 1969, Alan received what he thought at the time to be a prank phone call, but it was John Lennon calling to ask Alan to join the Plastic Ono Band. The next day Alan found himself learning songs in the back of an airliner headed to Toronto with Lennon, Yoko Ono, Eric Clapton, and Klaus Voormann. The ensuing album, Live Peace in Toronto, sold millions of copies, peaking at number 10 on the charts.

Alan’s association with Lennon continued, recording singles like ‘Instant Karma’ and the subsequent landmark album, Imagine, with Alan providing drums for the title song, ‘Jealous Guy’, and ‘How Do You Sleep at Night’. Alan’s work with Lennon led to an introduction to George Harrison, who asked Alan to perform on the album All Things Must Pass, including the single, ‘My Sweet Lord’, released in 1970. Alan subsequently worked with many artists for the Apple label, including Billy Preston, Rosetta Hightower, and Doris Troy.

Alan joined YES on July 27, 1972, and with only three days to learn the music, YES opened their US tour before 15,000 fans in Dallas, Texas on July 30, 1972. Alan has been with YES ever since, and with the passing of founding member, Chris Squire, in June 2015, Alan is the longest continuously serving band member.

Alan is preceded in death by his parents, Raymond and May White (née Thrower), his sister-in-law, Mindi Hall, and many loyal furry companions. He is survived by his wife of forty years (May 15, 1982) Rogena “Gigi” (née Walberg), his children, Jesse (Emily), their two children JJ and Ellie, and Cassi (Kela), and sister-in-law Andrea Holmqvist (Robert).

Gigi, Jesse, and Cassi
Seattle, WA

In a statement from the band Yes, they announced, “It is with deep sadness that YES announce Alan White, their much-loved drummer and friend of 50 years, has passed away, aged 72, after a short illness. The news has shocked and stunned the entire YES family. Alan had been looking forward to the forthcoming UK Tour, to celebrating his 50th Anniversary with YES and their iconic Close To The Edge album, where Alan’s journey with YES began in July 1972. He recently celebrated the 40th Anniversary of his marriage to his loving wife Gigi. Alan passed away, peacefully at home.

Alan is considered to be one of the greatest rock drummers of all time. He was born in 1949 in County Durham and joined YES on 30th July 1972 for the Close to the Edge Tour. He had previously worked with John Lennon’s Plastic Ono band after a phone call in 1969 to play at the Toronto Rock Festival. Alan continued working with Lennon including on the Imagine album and with George Harrison on All Things Must Pass. He also worked with several other musicians over the years, including Ginger Baker’s Air Force, Joe Cocker, Gary Wright, Doris Troy and Billy Preston to name but a few. Alan White was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of YES in 2017.

A number of health setbacks since 2016, had restricted Alan’s time on stage with YES on recent tours with Jay Schellen filling in and Alan joining the band, to great applause, towards the end of each set.

YES will dedicate their 50th Anniversary Close to the Edge UK Tour in June to White.”

Yes singer Jon Anderson posted, “Dear Alan. My best man at my wedding to Janee in Maui 1997

We love you and will miss you

You were just the best of the best for Yes and wonderful soul…

We wrote Turn of the Century together all those years ago, just one of so many wonderful times together…

And now you’re in heaven ….resting after the long journey Home to meet your dear Mom…and Chris of course”.

Alan was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with Yes in 2017. He died at his home in Newcastle just three days after it was announced he would not be able to participate in the upcoming Yes Close To The Edge 50th anniversary tour.

Be the first to see NOISE.com’s newest interviews and special features on YOUTUBE and updated regularly. See things first SUBSCRIBE here: Noise11 on YouTube SUBSCRIBE

Noise11.com

Follow Noise11 on Social Media

Noise11 on Instagram

You’ll discover music news first following Noise11 on Twitter

Comment on the news of the day, join Noise11 on Facebook

Related Posts

Jay Shellen of Yes photo by Goeff Ford via Yes Facebook page
Yes Name Jay Schellen As New Drummer

Yes have appointed Jay Schellen as their permanent new drummer following the death of Alan White.

February 16, 2023
Yes Alan White
Yes To Continue UK Tour In Honor Of Alan White

Yes will continue with the 50th anniversary Close To The Edge tour in honor of drummer Alan White.

June 3, 2022
Chris Squire and Alan White of Yes in 2012 photo by Ros O'Gorman
Alan White Out Of Yes Tour Due To Illness

Yes drummer Alan White has pulled out of the band's 50th anniversary 'Close To The Edge' UK and Ireland tour.

May 24, 2022
Yes Alan White
Alan White Drops Out Of Yes With Back Injuries

Yes drummer Alan White has announced that he has left the band's current tour to undergo back surgery.

July 19, 2016
Chris Squire of Yes. Photo by Ros O'Gorman
REVIEW: Yes, Melbourne, April 11, 2012

I must admit I had reservations about going to see Yes without Jon Anderson on vocals but that was quickly set aside as soon as they started.

April 12, 2012
Yes
Why The Yes And Led Zeppelin Supergroup Did Not Happen

The shortlived Yes and Led Zeppelin supergroup XYZ never got off the group because it was the wrong timing for Robert Plant.

February 10, 2012
Yes
Yes Will Play In Perth

Yes have added a Perth date to their run of Bluesfest sideshows in April.

January 27, 2012