Alan White, drummer of the British prog rock giants Yes, has died at the age of 72.
The news was confirmed by the drummer’s wife Gigi in a special statement to the public:
“Alan White, my beloved husband, our father and grandfather, passed away at the age of 72 at his home in Seattle on May 26, 2022, after a short illness.
Over the course of his life and a music career spanning sixty years, Alan became a hero to many. A celebrated rock star to fans all over the world, a chosen member of the band, and a gentleman and friend to everyone who crossed his path.
Alan White was born in Pelton, in the English county of Durham, on June 14, 1949. He started learning piano at six, and took up the drums at twelve. He first performed in front of an audience when he was thirteen.
Through the sixties, Alan White cut his teeth in numerous bands, including: The Downbeats, The Gamblers, Billy Fury, Alan Price Big Band, Bell and Arc, Terry Reid, Happy Magazine (later renamed Griffin) and Balls, where he was joined by Trevor Burton (The Move) and Denny Laine (Wings).
In 1968, Alan White joined Ginger Baker’s Airforce. It was a new band that sprang up on the initiative of the by-then former Cream member, featuring other renowned English musicians, including Steve Winwood (Traffic, solo, among others).
In 1969, Alan White got a phone call that the modest musician figured had almost certainly been a mistake, until he was convinced that none other than former Beatle John Lennon was on the other end. Lennon asked him to join the Plastic Ono Band. The very next day, Alan found himself on a shared flight to Toronto, with John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Eric Clapton and Klaus Voormann keeping him company. The album that followed that trip, “Live Peace In Toronto” to be exact, sold in the millions and landed at number ten on the best-selling albums chart.
Alan’s connection with Lennon lasted, and White recorded the single Instant Karma with John, among other things, plus one of the essential albums of Lennon’s solo career, “Imagine”, where White contributed drums on the title track, as well as on Jelous Guy and How Do You Sleep at Night. Alan’s work with Lennon also caught the ear of George Harrison, who invited White to play on Harrison’s album “All Things Must Pass”, released in 1970, for which White laid down drums on the single My Sweet Lord, among other tracks. In that period White worked with many other artists under the Apple label, including Billy Preston, Rosetta Hightower and Doris Troy.
Alan White officially joined Yes on July 27, 1972. He replaced Bill Bruford, who had moved over to King Crimson. When he arrived at Yes, Alan White had just three days to learn the Yes repertoire for a tour that kicked off on July 30, 2022 in Dallas, in front of a crowd of 15,000. From then until his death, Alan White remained a permanent member of Yes. Alongside founding member, bassist Chris Squire, who passed away in 2015, Alan White is the musician who spent the longest time as a member of Yes.”
