Richie Hayward RIP
tedalvy@aoldotcom
Little Feat’s Richie Hayward: 1946-2010
Little Feat co-founder Richie Hayward has died after a long battle
with liver disease. He was 64.
Hayward played drums in the seminal band throughout its entire career.
In the late 1960s, he played with original Little Feat frontman Lowell
George in the band’s precursor The Factory. George and Hayward co-
founded Little Feat in 1969 along with Bill Payne and Roy Estrada.
They established a distinctive style of improvisational southern rock
that mixed elements of blues, rock boogie and funk. Little Feat went
on hiatus in 1978 and officially parted ways a year later after George
died of an accidental overdose. Hayward helped reform the band in 1987
and continued to play with the group until last year when health
concerns prevented him touring. Hayward lived in British Columbia
until his death.
“We saw him just recently,” longtime Little Feat member Paul Barrere
said in a recent Jambands.com interview. “We played up in his hometown
of Comox, British Columbia. He looked surprisingly well. Thinner, but
he didn’t look emaciated in any way. He gets fatigued fairly easily.
He had a recent CAT scan of his liver, and they are waiting on the
results of that to see if they will put him on the transplant list.
His residency has been established, so I believe he is eligible for
the NHS [National Health Service], which is wonderful. When he saw us,
he was in great spirits. I talked to him a couple of days ago and he
said he misses us already. He’s such a fighter. Richie’s amazing. If a
cat has nine lives, Richie’s got 18.”
Hayward was also an accomplished sideman and played on recordings by
such diverse artists as Eric Clapton, Warren Zevon, Travis Tritt,
Robert Palmer, Tom Waits, Taj Mahal, Barbra Streisand, John Cale,
Buddy Guy, Arlo Guthrie, Carly Simon, Bob Seger and many others.
Hayward and Little Feat also collaborated with a new generation of
jambands in the ’90s and ’00s, including Jimmy Herring, Bela Fleck,
String Cheese Incident, Leftover Salmon and Warren Haynes. The band’s
association with Phil Lesh & Friends and cover of Phish’s “Sample in a
Jar” also brought an element of improvisation back into the group’s
live sound. In addition, he played in the jamband all-star band
Justice League with Herring, T. Lavitz and and Adam Nitty.
Many musicians, ranging from the members of Leftover Salmon to Little
Feat, played benefit shows for Hayward in the past year. He had no
insurance at the time his condition was diagnosed. Fab Faux guitarist
Jimmy Vivino also saluted the musician from the stage with Gov’t Mule
at New York’s Central Park Summer Stage last night.
His last public performance was a sit in with Little Feat at the
Vancouver Island Music Fest on July 11, 2010.
http://www.jambands.com/news/2010/08/12/little-feat-s-richie-hayward-1946-2010
Posted to Hoy Hoy Little Feat Digest by Ted Alvy:
Richie Hayward was a man of few words on stage who spoke miles of
rainbows with his unique beat on life. RIP. Rhythm In Peace.
TO NEON PARK by Richie Hayward
Your gift of expression,
love of life, subtle wit
humorous spirituality
and gentle ways
I shall never forget.
God keep you my friend,
you are free.
I will miss you.
Dear Richie Hayward: Although I only met you through your music, may I
speak your kind words about Marty back at you with joy. Peace, Ted
Alvy
Linda (Gibbon) Bangham published this Tribute by Richie Hayward to
Neon Park (Martin Muller) after Marty passed away on September 1, 1993
[FEATPRINTS #9 Winter 1993-1994] (This issue is dedicated to Neon
Park, long may he live in our visions)
http://www.ripbang.com/FeatPrints/
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