Kelly Groucutt
Encyclopedia
Kelly Groucutt born Michael William Groucutt, was an English
musician who was best known for being the bass
player for the band
Electric Light Orchestra
(ELO), between 1974 and 1983. He was born in Coseley
, West Midlands
.
; and after Lynne, Bev Bevan
and Richard Tandy
had watched him play, he was invited to join ELO, to replace Mike de Albuquerque, who had recently left the band. Upon joining, he was immediately asked to adopt a stage name because ELO had already had several members named Michael, Mike or Mik; he chose Kelly as being a school nickname. ELO then set off on their Eldorado tour. He soon established himself as a fan favourite by taking over lead vocal duties on a few songs as well as gaining a great rapport with live audiences. His distinctive voice
can also be best heard on later ELO songs such as "Nightrider
" (1975), "Poker" (1975), "Above the Clouds
" (1976), "Sweet Is the Night" (1977), "Across the Border" (1977) and "The Diary of Horace Wimp" (1979). While he did not perform the operatic vocals in the studio, Groucutt often displayed his vocal talents by replicating them during live performances of "Rockaria!
" (1976).
The first Electric Light Orchestra album
to feature Kelly on bass guitar and as a backing vocalist was 1975's Face the Music. He continued contributing on the following albums A New World Record
(1976), Out of the Blue
(1977), Discovery
(1979), Xanadu
(1980) and Time
(1981).
In 1982 he released his self titled, solo
debut album, Kelly. This album featured fellow ELO members Bev Bevan
, Richard Tandy
, Mik Kaminski
and their orchestral co-arranger and conductor Louis Clark
. In 2001 this album was remastered for CD.
Groucutt remained with ELO until the onset of the recording sessions for 1983's Secret Messages
album. It was at this juncture that he left the band, unhappy with royalty payments during his tenure, and made the decision to sue management and band leader Jeff Lynne
. A settlement for the sum of £300,000 was reached out of court prior to proceedings. He is credited with playing bass on Secret Messages
, although it has been stated from an official source that he only played on four songs.
He took part in some of the many ELO spin-off groups: OrKestra, ELO Part II
, and The Orchestra. He toured worldwide with The Orchestra (former members of ELO and ELO Part II) and also took part in tours as part of a local, little known band called Session 60.
Groucutt died on the afternoon of 19 February 2009, following a heart attack suffered the previous night.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
musician who was best known for being the bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
player for the band
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
Electric Light Orchestra
Electric Light Orchestra
Electric Light Orchestra were a British rock group from Birmingham who released eleven studio albums between 1971 and 1986 and another album in 2001. ELO were formed to accommodate Roy Wood and Jeff Lynne's desire to create modern rock and pop songs with classical overtones...
(ELO), between 1974 and 1983. He was born in Coseley
Coseley
Coseley is a town located mostly within the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley in the English West Midlands. Part of the Black Country, it lies south east of Wolverhampton and north of Dudley....
, West Midlands
West Midlands (region)
The West Midlands is an official region of England, covering the western half of the area traditionally known as the Midlands. It contains the second most populous British city, Birmingham, and the larger West Midlands conurbation, which includes the city of Wolverhampton and large towns of Dudley,...
.
Early career
Groucutt began his musical career at 15 as Rikki Storm of Rikki Storm and the Falcons. He went on to sing with various outfits during the '60s, picking up the guitar as he went along. Groucutt was also a member of a band called "Sight and Sound", and later with a band called "Barefoot".Electric Light Orchestra
It was while playing with Barefoot in Birmingham that he was spotted by ELO's Jeff LynneJeff Lynne
Jeffrey "Jeff" Lynne is an English songwriter, composer, arranger, singer, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer who gained fame as the leader and sole constant member of Electric Light Orchestra and was a co-founder and member of The Traveling Wilburys together with George Harrison, Bob...
; and after Lynne, Bev Bevan
Bev Bevan
Bev Bevan is an English rock musician, who was the drummer and one of the original members of The Move and Electric Light Orchestra...
and Richard Tandy
Richard Tandy
Richard Tandy , is best known as the keyboard player in the rock band, Electric Light Orchestra...
had watched him play, he was invited to join ELO, to replace Mike de Albuquerque, who had recently left the band. Upon joining, he was immediately asked to adopt a stage name because ELO had already had several members named Michael, Mike or Mik; he chose Kelly as being a school nickname. ELO then set off on their Eldorado tour. He soon established himself as a fan favourite by taking over lead vocal duties on a few songs as well as gaining a great rapport with live audiences. His distinctive voice
Voice
Voice may refer to:* Human voice* Voice control or voice activation* Writer's voice* Voice acting* Voice vote* Voice message-In film:* Voice , a 2005 South Korean film* The Voice , a 2010 Turkish horror film directed by Ümit Ünal...
can also be best heard on later ELO songs such as "Nightrider
Nightrider (ELO song)
"Nightrider" is a song from Electric Light Orchestra's album Face The Music.The song's title is a titular tip of the hat to Lynne's first major band, The Nightriders. This was the second single released from the album after "Evil Woman", in 1976. The B-side on the single was a live version of ...
" (1975), "Poker" (1975), "Above the Clouds
Above the Clouds (Electric Light Orchestra song)
Above the Clouds is a song recorded by Electric Light Orchestra.The song is the 7th track from their multi-platinum album A New World Record. Running for only 2 minutes and 16 seconds, it is the shortest track of the album, and is also one of the calmer tracks featuring pizzicato bass strings. It...
" (1976), "Sweet Is the Night" (1977), "Across the Border" (1977) and "The Diary of Horace Wimp" (1979). While he did not perform the operatic vocals in the studio, Groucutt often displayed his vocal talents by replicating them during live performances of "Rockaria!
Rockaria!
"Rockaria!" is a song by Electric Light Orchestra. It was the third track on the band's successful 1976 album A New World Record and was the second single from the album. Featuring the operatic voice of Mary Thomas during the introduction, she flubbed the first take by starting the vocals too early...
" (1976).
The first Electric Light Orchestra album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
to feature Kelly on bass guitar and as a backing vocalist was 1975's Face the Music. He continued contributing on the following albums A New World Record
A New World Record
A New World Record is the sixth studio album by Electric Light Orchestra, released in 1976.-Overview:The second album to be recorded at Musicland Studios in Munich, the LP proved to be the band's long awaited breakthrough in the UK: after seeing their previous three studio recordings fail to chart...
(1976), Out of the Blue
Out of the Blue (Electric Light Orchestra album)
The 30th Anniversary Edition was released on February, 20th 2007 with three bonus tracks.-Personnel:ELO*Jeff Lynne – lead vocals, backing vocals, guitar, keyboards, percussion*Bev Bevan – drums, percussion, backing vocals, fire extinguisher on "Mr...
(1977), Discovery
Discovery (Electric Light Orchestra album)
Discovery is a 1979 album by Electric Light Orchestra.-History:Discovery was the band's first No. 1 album in the UK, entering the chart at that position and staying there for five weeks...
(1979), Xanadu
Xanadu (Soundtrack)
Xanadu is the soundtrack of the 1980 musical film of the same name, featuring the Australian singer Olivia Newton-John and the Britsh group Electric Light Orchestra....
(1980) and Time
Time (Electric Light Orchestra album)
Time is a concept album by Electric Light Orchestra released in 1981 through Jet Records. The album tells the story, through its songs and lyrics, about a man from the 1980's finding himself in the year 2095 and trying to come to terms with being unable to return and adjusting to his new...
(1981).
In 1982 he released his self titled, solo
Solo album
A solo album, in popular music, is an album headlined by a current or former member of a band. A solo album may feature simply one person performing all instruments, but typically features the work of other collaborators; rather, it may be made with different collaborators than the artist is...
debut album, Kelly. This album featured fellow ELO members Bev Bevan
Bev Bevan
Bev Bevan is an English rock musician, who was the drummer and one of the original members of The Move and Electric Light Orchestra...
, Richard Tandy
Richard Tandy
Richard Tandy , is best known as the keyboard player in the rock band, Electric Light Orchestra...
, Mik Kaminski
Mik Kaminski
Mik Kaminski is best known for playing violin in the Electric Light Orchestra between 1973 and 1979.-Biography:...
and their orchestral co-arranger and conductor Louis Clark
Louis Clark
Louis Clark is a British musical arranger and keyboard player.He trained at Leeds College of Music. He was the conductor of the orchestra and choir hired to back Electric Light Orchestra's sound, introduced on their album Eldorado in 1974...
. In 2001 this album was remastered for CD.
Groucutt remained with ELO until the onset of the recording sessions for 1983's Secret Messages
Secret Messages
Secret Messages is an album by Electric Light Orchestra, released in 1983 through Jet Records. It would be the last ELO album to feature bassist Kelly Groucutt, conductor Louis Clark and real stringed instruments...
album. It was at this juncture that he left the band, unhappy with royalty payments during his tenure, and made the decision to sue management and band leader Jeff Lynne
Jeff Lynne
Jeffrey "Jeff" Lynne is an English songwriter, composer, arranger, singer, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer who gained fame as the leader and sole constant member of Electric Light Orchestra and was a co-founder and member of The Traveling Wilburys together with George Harrison, Bob...
. A settlement for the sum of £300,000 was reached out of court prior to proceedings. He is credited with playing bass on Secret Messages
Secret Messages
Secret Messages is an album by Electric Light Orchestra, released in 1983 through Jet Records. It would be the last ELO album to feature bassist Kelly Groucutt, conductor Louis Clark and real stringed instruments...
, although it has been stated from an official source that he only played on four songs.
He took part in some of the many ELO spin-off groups: OrKestra, ELO Part II
ELO Part II
ELO Part II were an offshoot band formed by Electric Light Orchestra drummer Bev Bevan. The band also included former ELO bassist Kelly Groucutt, conductor Louis Clark and violinist Mik Kaminski for most of its career...
, and The Orchestra. He toured worldwide with The Orchestra (former members of ELO and ELO Part II) and also took part in tours as part of a local, little known band called Session 60.
Personal life
In 2006 Groucutt married his second wife, long time girlfriend Anna-Maria Bialaga. He had four children and two grandchildren.Groucutt died on the afternoon of 19 February 2009, following a heart attack suffered the previous night.