Born on this day in 1947, Greg Lake, the English bassist, guitarist, singer, songwriter, and producer who gained prominence as a founding member of King Crimson and Emerson, Lake & Palmer would have turned 77. Sadly, we lost Greg on December 7, 2016, in London, after suffering from cancer, at the age of 69.
Lake began to play the guitar at the age of 12 and wrote his first song, "Lucky Man", at the same age. He became a full-time musician at 17, playing in several rock bands until fellow guitarist Robert Fripp invited him to join King Crimson as their singer and bassist. Lake left the band in 1970 and achieved significant success in the 1970s and beyond as the singer, guitarist, bassist, and producer of ELP. As a member of ELP, Lake wrote and recorded several popular songs including "Lucky Man" and "From the Beginning". Both songs entered the UK and US singles charts.
Lake launched a solo career, beginning with his 1975 single "I Believe in Father Christmas" which reached number two in the UK. He went on to release solo albums and singles thereafter, collaborating with several artists in the process. Lake performed with various groups in the 1980s, and occasional ELP reunions in the 1990s, and toured regularly as a solo artist into the 21st century.
In his memory, here's a video trip down memory lane featuring some of Greg's finest moments.
