STATUS QUO Guitarist Rick Parfitt Dies Aged 68
December 24th, 2016
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 Rick Parfitt |
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Rick Parfitt, guitarist of English rock group Status Quo, passed away on December 24th, 2016 at the age of 68.
The axeman died from an infection following an admission to hospital in Marbella, Spain on Thursday, suffering from complications from a shoulder injury.
His family and Status Quo manager Simon Porter issued the following statement: “We are truly devastated to have to announce that Status Quo guitarist Rick Parfitt has passed away at lunchtime today.
“He died in hospital in Marbella, Spain as a result of a severe infection, having been admitted to hospital on Thursday evening following complications to a shoulder injury incurred by a previous fall.
“This tragic news comes at a time when Rick was hugely looking forward to launching a solo career with an album and autobiography planned for 2017 following his departure from Status Quo’s touring activities on medical advice.
“He will be sorely missed by his family, friends, fellow band members, management, crew and his dedicated legion of fans from throughout the world, gained through 50 years of monumental success with Status Quo.
“Rick is survived by his wife Lyndsay, their twins Tommy and Lily and Rick’s adult children Rick Jnr and Harry.
“No further comment will be made at this time and Rick’s family, and the band, ask for their privacy to be respected at this difficult time.”
Richard John Parfitt was born in Woking, Surrey on October 12th, 1948.
Parfitt began playing guitar at the age of 11, leaving school at the age of 15. He subsequently was employed to perform at the Sunshine Holiday Camp in Hayling Island, Hampshire, earning £5 a week.
In 1965, Parfitt met Francis Rossi while the pair were both playing with respective bands at a Butlins holiday camp in Minehead.
Status Quo was formed in 1967, consisting of; Francis Rossi (vocals and guitars), Rick Parfitt (guitars), Alan Lancaster (bass), John Coghlan (drums) and Roy Lynes (keyboards). 1968 single ‘Pictures Of Matchstick Men’, a psychedelic affair, entered the UK charts at position seven. Successor ‘Black Veils Of Melancholy’ failed to chart, although the Marty Wilde-penned ‘Ice In The Sun’ charted at position eight.
Status Quo would abandon the psychedelic direction, later favouring a more traditional style of rock. Breakthrough album Piledriver was issued in 1972 through the Vertigo label, for which Parfitt co-wrote two tracks. A template for subsequent efforts, Parfitt wrote a number of tracks, including the likes of 1979’s UK number four single ‘Whatever You Want’ – co-authored with Andy Bown.
A farewell tour was embarked on in 1984, although Status Quo continued in light of Bob Geldof asking the band to open 1985’s Live Aid concert.
Parfitt suffered from a number of health problems in later years, undergoing quadruple heart bypass surgery in 1997, suffering a throat cancer scare in 2005, and surviving a heart attack in 2011.
Parfitt and Rossi were both awarded an OBE in 2010 for services to music.
In October, the guitarist revealed that he would no longer perform with Status Quo after suffering from a heart attack during the summer of 2016.
