Mark Abrahamian, who has been guitarist for Starship with Mickey Thomas since 2000, passed away on Sunday after a performance in Norfolk, Nebraska from an apparent heart attack. He was 46.
Mark Abrahamian
According to an interview with road manager Scott Harrison by the Associated Press, Abrahamian said he wasn’t feeling well during the after-show dinner and excused himself to the next room where he collapsed.
The members of Starship posted the following on their Facebook page:
We are all shocked and saddened at the sudden loss of our guitar player Mark Abrahamian. Mark was a kind, thoughtful and innovative soul. He was also a friend and family member. Mark also happened to be one hell of a guitar player. We are devastated by the loss of our brother and just dealing with it the best we can.
Abrahamian took up the guitar at age 10 and aspired to play like his hero, Ace Frehley of KISS. He later said, after hearing Eddie Van Halen play Eruption, “I went home and didn’t leave my room until the Ninth Grade.”
Later, while attending The Musicians Institute, he found jazz, funk, blues and classical music, becoming a well rounded guitarist.
According to his official webpage, Abrahamian has played with the likes of Jimmi Jameson of Survivor, Bobby Kimble of Toto, Mike Reno of Loverboy, Chuck Negron of Three Dog Night,
Fee Waybill of The Tubes, Pat Travers, Doug Feiger of the Knack and Christopher Cross.
