Joe Brown, Close Friend and Musician

Alvin was probably the best Rock ‘n Roll guitarist I’ve ever met. It is going to be a great loss to us all. I’ll certainly miss him.

Chris Wright, Chairman (non Exec) BMG Chrysalis UK

My career, and the foundations of the entire Chrysalis organisation started when Alvin and his group, who soon changed their name to Ten Years After, came up to Manchester in 1966 to play in a small student blues club I operated with a friend. I immediately signed them to a management contract, and later they joined both Chrysalis Records and Chrysalis Music.

They went on to be an integral part of the British rock and blues invasion of the States, and starred at both the Woodstock Festival, and in the subsequent film.

For a while in the late 60s and early 70s they were on a par with any group in the World in terms of popularity.

He was known as the fastest guitarist in the West, but that belied the fact that he was also one of the most talented, and certainly the most proficient. He was also a great on stage performer.

It is really sad we will never see him again. His passing leaves a tremendous void in an era of great British music.

Brian May, Musician

Writing on his website “(Lee was) a legendary and influential guitarist and very nice bloke. His speed and dexterity, in the days when I would go as a student to the Marquee Club to see Ten Years After, was scary and exciting. He was daring enough to play and sing close to his limit every time. As a man off-stage, his persona was modest and gentle. On stage – a giant who will be missed greatly.

Roger Chapman, Musician

Alvin Lee. What a great natural guitar player. Frightened of nothing, just grabbed a guitar & rocked like f***.
Met him in 1961 thereabouts, shared a stage in Nottingham with him & he was on it then. Playing songs, me being a bit snobbish, I never thought any other British muso knew except myself so I was instantly impressed & have been ever since. Always stayed pals even though we were separated by different roles & countries.
He did a lot of really good stuff on my albums over the years. “Do you wanna run through Alv” I’d say & he’d reply “nah just sling it down & take it”. What a natural! What a guy!
Lotsa love Alvin it was a pleasure knowing you.

Mylon Le Fevre, Musician

Everybody knows he was a great musician and guitarist but he was a lot more than that to me. He was my brother and friend from the first time I met him in 1970. His was a good man with a good heart. He was an honest man. As far as I know he did everything he ever told me he would do. He never lied to me one time. He was generous, kind and loyal to our friendship. He was a Rock Star and I was just a country boy from Georgia, in an opening band. But from the beginning he treated me like an equal. We met when my band opened for TYA on one of their first American Tours after the Woodstock Festival. At first we just hung out after the gigs, got loaded and jammed. Eventually we started to write some songs together. After one of the five tours we did together we decided while on vacation in Jamaica to lay down some tracks and see where it led us. That was the beginning of “On the Road to Freedom”. During the 43 years that I knew him, I learned to truly love him like a brother and I will miss him. It was an honour to be his friend.

Slash, on Twitter

I just heard about Alvin Lee’s passing. He was the 1st badass, super fast lead guitarist I remember hearing as a kid. legend. RIP.

Geezer Butler, Black Sabbath

Shocked and saddened to hear of Alvin Lee passing, one of the true greats and a major influence on Sabbath,” writes Butler. “The fastest guitar in the west. He was one of the few people that believed in Sabbath when we started out, and he got us our first major London gig, at the Marquee. A true gentleman and lovely bloke. RIP Alvin.

Bill Ward, Black Sabbath

Thank you, Alvin for all that you were. For all that you gave. You were one of a kind. Your music rocked with passion, force, excitement; brave in risk, bringing this listener to the point of “wowism”. In short, thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Our condolences go to Alvin’s family. Heartfelt sympathy at this time of loss.

Joe Satriani, Musician

Alvin Lee was a big influence on my playing. He was a great musician and a gentleman, too. I still have the pick he gave me a few years back…R.I.P Alvin Lee… Joe.

Glenn Hughes, Deep Purple

RIP Alvin Lee….. so very sad to hear of another friend passing.

Joe Bonamassa

Rest in Peace Alvin Lee… Another hero gone this week…. This is becoming too regular ……. A very sad night… Enjoy the song…ladies and gents..

Kenny Wayne Shepard

Rest in Peace Alvin Lee one of the greatest guitar players ever. We lost you too soon. Thanks for the music.

Mick Mars, Motley Crue

Rest in peace Alvin Lee. I loved you very much. You taught me well.

Peter Frampton

I still can’t believe we’ve lost Alvin Lee. My day went into slow motion after I heard this. Been talking to friends about times we all spent together. It’s very sad. He was a wonderful person and an amazing guitar player.

Leslie West

God Speed Dear Friend. I hope you bring the pedals I gave you to heaven. They need it a little louder up there.

Keith Emerson

Dear Alvin, you checked out way too early my friend. I’ll miss the fun we had on mini- motorcycles, you as “Awful- Knawful” and our failed attempt to swim back to England from the Bahamas. That was some time ago, but we made it through. Above all, everyone will remember the fun and the music you made.

Tommy Iommi, Black Sabbath

I was extremely saddened to hear of Alvin’s death. It was a great shock. I had not known that he was ill. Alvin was a really great guitar player but, more importantly, has been a good friend of Black Sabbath over the years.

In the early days, when we were still going by the name of Earth, it was Alvin who helped us get some gigs. He’d been out there a bit before us, and knew the ropes. We’d sit and talk the night away at a flat in London. I remember telling him that we were thinking of changing our name to Black Sabbath. He was horrified! He told me we’d never do any good with a name like that.

Ric Lee

We are all stunned. All of us. I don’t think it’s even sunk in yet as to the reality of his passing. We are all thinking of his family and friends today, and offer our own condolences.

Leo Lyons

It came as a complete shock to me. I still haven’t taken it in. I feel very sad. He was the closest thing I had to a brother. We had our differences, but we shared so many great experiences together that nothing can take away. I will miss him very much. He was an inspiration for a generation of guitar players. Keep on rockin’, Alvin!

Chick Churchill

It has taken me a few days to accept that my inspiration has gone. Though I accept it, it does not make it any easier. In the early days he gave me such encouragement with my keyboard playing that he made me a much better player. When I lived in Spain we spent many hours together and Evi cooked some wonderful meals for us. Evi and I have emailed and she is a very brave lady. I send all my hearfelt prayers to Evi, Jasmin and Suzanne. I shall miss a great man.

Bryan Adams

Alvin Lee RIP. We jammed together many years ago in Sweden. Such an incredible guitarist.

The Zombies

So sad to hear of Alvin Lee’s passing. I vividly remember Ten Years After supporting us back in ’67, when they were an up and coming young band. I was totally knocked out with his playing. ~ Rod

Fish, Former Lead Singer of Marillon

A great guitarist and fine and lovely bloke. Will never forget the laughs we had together in Tel Aviv at an extremely dodgy festival and the eternal drinking in the bar waiting on the gig that never happened.

Foghat

Truly one of the great guitarists of our time. Our hearts and thoughts are with his family and friends. You will be missed.

Steve Hackett, Genesis

I’m sad to hear of the passing of Alvin Lee. He was a great guitarist and ten Years After was an extraordinary band.

Vernon Reid (Living Colour)

Alvin Lee, like Gary Moore and Rory Gallagher, was a Burning down The House With Everythin In It. MOFO of a player. RIP to 1 of the GREATS.

Alex Skolnick (Alex Skolnick Trio; Testament)

RIP Alvin Lee. After Jimi, his guitar performance at Woodstock was my favourite.

Pete Pritchard

Would like to thank the many people who have sent me messages of sympathy at the sudden and tragic passing of Alvin Lee on 6th March.

It was my honour to play bass for him these last ten years. Alvin was a wonderful and unique man. He was totally unaffected by his rock star status and hated all the “star” hype, preferring to be one of the lads in the band.

To say he was an amazing guitarist is an understatement. Often his solos would nearly lift me off the stage.

I never saw him play a bad show. He always walked off to a standing ovation and encores.
He loved his Rock n roll, rockabilly, blues and jazz and I will miss our chats on all things music so much.

We were due to play the Olympia in Paris April 7th. This will now be a very difficult day for me indeed. I can’t believe that I will never again be together with Alvin, Evi (Alvin’s wife), Richard Newman (drums) and Steve Rispin (sound), laughing backstage, enjoying each other’s company and making music. My condolences to Alvin’s family at this dreadfully sad time. With love and respect, PETE.

Canned Heat

R.I.P. ALVIN LEE of Ten Years After who was one of the Few English bands to play at Woodstock in 1969. You will be missed by many who loved you and your Guitar Skills and Vocals.Canned Heat send their Condolences to his Family and Friends.

Tim Hinkley

People often say, “what a wonderful person he/she was”, about those that have passed to another world. In some cases this is not so. In Alvin Lee’s case it is so….he was a wonderful person…a very generous, simple and down to earth person. His love of Blues and Rock’n Roll carried him through life and it shows in his phenomenal guitar playing. When his daughter, Jasmin was born in London, Alvin came to my apartment in Chelsea and I sat in awe while Alvin played guitar for hours. We made some great music together over many a year in his various home studios. The first, Space Studios was at Hook End Manor with a Helios board, Studer tape machines, Tannoy Reds and Neumann microphones….no digital gimmickery in those days! Ian Wallace, Boz Burrell, Mel Collins, Alvin and myself were, “The Gits”… Alvin’s name! Gosh, I’m still shellshocked that he’s gone.

Justin Hayward

I knew Alvin well in the 60’s and 70’s since Ten Years After and The Moodies were both on Decca and were often booked together. There was a friendly rivalry between us because of the label thing although their music and ours were completely different. Both bands were booked by Bill Graham and landed, with great success, in the USA at the same time … I recall that Alvin kindly lent me his amps when mine blew up at a psychedelic club in Chicago in 1968.

Alvin played with great courage and took risks on the guitar that few of the other British blues boys dared to take.

He was, and always will be, acknowledged as one of the greatest British guitar players ever.

Alvin Lee will never be forgotten.

Omar Kent Dykes, Omar and The Howlers

My thoughts and prayers are with the friends and family of Alvin. We have lost a tremendously talented artist, and he will be greatly missed.

Dennis Greaves, Nine Below Zero

Just about to go on stage last night in Hamburg Wednesday, when we heard the news about the passing of Alvin Lee. As you may or may not know we toured the UK and the USA with Alvin and had a great time with him and he was always very supportive of Nine Below Zero, he even gave me a couple of his old Marshall 4×12 cabinets. Alvin is one of the reasons I play a Gibson 335 and was a big influence on me as a kid. Last time we saw him was in Norway looking fit and healthy. Hard to believe another great guitarist has gone.

Kim Simmonds, Savoy Brown

In shock over the death of Alvin Lee. I remember his first London appearance. He shook the guitar world up back then.