The following message was posted on his website today:
With great sadness we have to announce that Alvin unexpectedly passed away early this morning after unforseen complications following a routine surgical procedure.
We have lost a wonderful much loved father and companion, the world has lost a truly great and gifted musician.
Jasmin, Evi and Suzanne
Although Ten Years After released its self-titled debut album in ’67, it wasn’t until the seventies that the group really caught on worldwide with albums like 1971’s A Space in Time (with included its biggest hit, “I’d Love to Change the World”) and 1972’s Rock & Roll Music to the World (which boasted the rollicking boogie number “Choo Choo Mama”).
But the song I’ll always remember most off Recorded Live is the 9 1/2-minute original, “I’m Going Home”. That’s the one that really showed off Lee’s amazing speed and dexterity.
In the meantime, here’s a mellow, contemplative tune I really like from 1989’s About Time, the final Ten Years After album Lee played on. The lyrics seem pretty apt:
Oh, outside my window there’s a light shinin’ bright, and it keeps on callin’ me into the night. Outside my window, somethin’ callin’ me, yeah. Outside my window, someone waits for me, yeah, yeah.