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Obituaries
Elton keyboardist dies
By CMU Editorial | Published on Monday 7 September 2009
Keyboardist Guy Babylon, best known for his work with Elton John, has died after suffering a heart attack at his LA home. He was 53.
Babylon started working with Elton John in 1988, playing keyboards on both Elton’s recorded work, from ‘Sleeping With The Past’ onwards, and at John’s live shows. By 1992 Babylon had become John’s lead keyboardist, and he worked on Elton’s other projects too, winning a Grammy in 2001 for his contribution to musical ‘Aida’.
As well as his work with John, Babylon also played with rock group Iron Butterfly and disco group Tavares, and with Warpipes, a side project of Davey Johnstone, another member of Elton John’s band.
In a statement on his website, Elton said: “I am devastated and heartbroken at the death of Guy Babylon. Guy played over 1000 shows with me, and we worked together on ‘The Road To El Dorado’, ‘Aida’, ‘Billy Elliot’, ‘Lestat’ and ‘Gnomeo And Juliet’, as well as on countless albums. He was one of the most brilliant musicians I ever knew, a true genius, a gentle angel – and I loved him so much. David and I send our deep condolences to [Guy’s family] Kathy, Max, Ben and Jessica, to Guy’s parents, to Kathy’s parents and to all his immediate loved ones”.
