Ray Manzarek, keyboardist and founding member of The Doors, dies at 74 from cancer

[marble falls]

Last edited Mon Aug 10, 2020, 04:53 PM - Edit history (1)

Ray Manzarek, a founding member of The Doors whose versatile and often haunting keyboards complimented Jim Morrison’s gloomy baritone and helped set the mood for some of rock’s most enduring songs, has died. He was 74.

Manzarek died Monday in Rosenheim, Germany, surrounded by his family, said publicist Heidi Robinson-Fitzgerald. Robinson-Fitzgerald said his manager, Tom Vitorino, confirmed Manzarek died after being stricken by bile duct cancer.

The Doors’ original lineup, which also included drummer John Densmore and guitarist Robbie Krieger, was only together for a few years. But the band has retained a large and obsessive following decades after Morrison’s death, in 1971.

The Doors have sold more than 100 million records and songs such as “Light My Fire” and “Riders On the Storm” are still “classic” rock standards. For Doors admirers, the band symbolized the darker side of the Los Angeles lifestyle, what happened to the city after the sun went down and the Beach Boys fans headed home.

<snip>


Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/publicist-ray-manzarek-founding-member-of-the-doors-dies-at-74-from-cancer/2013/05/20/2dec0d86-c193-11e2-9aa6-fc21ae807a8a_story.html

[GReedDiamond]

1. That's some bad news...

...RIP Ray.

[marble falls]

2. Odd sort of cancer, though.....

[GReedDiamond]

3. "Bile duct cancer"...

...I've never even heard of that one before.

I'm kind of surprised at how sad I feel about Ray's passing.

He is an Icon of rock.

I'm really bummed, and it's on the same day as the OK tragedy...truly a black day, it is.

[marble falls]

4. Yup. When the steady, stable and talented ones go ...

it starts getting closer. I'll be playing the doors today.