Ray Manzarek, founding member of The Doors, dies at 74

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Publicist: Ray Manzarek, founding member of The Doors, dies at 74 from cancer

http://www.washingtonpost.com/enter...ec0d86-c193-11e2-9aa6-fc21ae807a8a_story.html


Ray Manzarek, the keyboardist and founding member of The Doors who had a dramatic impact on rock ‘n’ roll, has died. He was 74.

Publicist Heidi Robinson-Fitzgerald says Manzarek died Monday at the RoMed Clinic in Rosenheim, Germany, surrounded by his family. Robinson-Fitzgerald says his manager, Tom Vitorino, confirmed Manzarek died around 3:30 p.m. EDT. He had bile duct cancer.

Manzarek founded The Doors after meeting then-poet Jim Morrison in California. The band went on to become one of the most successful rock ‘n’ roll acts to emerge from the 1960s and continues to resonate with fans decades after Morrison’s death brought an effective end to the band.

The Chicago native continued to remain active in music after Morrison’s 1971 death. He briefly tried to hold the band together by serving as vocalist, but eventually the group fell apart. He played in other bands over the years, produced other acts, became an author and worked on films.

The Doors were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Manzarek is among the most notable keyboard players in rock history. His lead-instrument work with the band at a time when the guitar often dominated added a distinct end-times flavor that matched Morrison’s often out there imagery and persona.

The group is best known for hits like “L.A.Woman,” ‘’Break On Through to the Other Side,” ‘’The End” and “Light My Fire” — a song particularly colored by his keyboard work — and came to symbolize the decadence of Los Angeles as the counterculture grew in the U.S.

Manzarek is survived by his wife, Dorothy, his son Pablo and two brothers, Rick and James.

Google News search Ray Manzarek: https://www.google.com/search?hl=en...0.0.178.178.0j1.1.0...0.0...1ac.1.S28Xisr8lJQ
 
I'm a huge Doors fan, and this one hits hard. Guess having all but Jim gave me some hope...but now that Ray is gone...truly, THE MUSIC IS OVER!

RIP Ray - maybe you can find Jim and jam a bit.

"sigh"
 
Apart from his work with the Doors, Ray's Carmina Burana album knocked me Orff my perch.
Ray-Manzarek-Carmina-Burana-448966.jpg
It's too bad that QQ wasn't around when Jim was alive. No doubt he would have relished being called "member."
 
A fine musician and musical visionary--as was his band. May he rest well. So long, Ray, and thanks for the music....

ED
 
R.I.P. Mr. Manzarek.

What a terrible way to go :( my cousin suffered dreadfully also from bile duct cancer and was dead within 2 years of the diagnosis, aged just 54.

I'll play "Riders On The Storm" in 5.1 at full whack in his honour this evening.
 
When I hear "Light My Fire", my brain knows every move he makes on the long keyboard solo in the middle, almost hearing the notes before they are played. And to think how he came up with that and it's stood the test of time, just "noodling on the keyboard".

We lost another one
 
I gew up with this band among others, and when I 1st heard the surround album, it was quite the experience. The first few tunes, older don't sound so good, just ok. Then suddenly that snare drum, and holy sheet!!
But the Doors have a special place in me, music relates to events in your life so much.
 
R.I.P. Mr. Manzarek.

What a terrible way to go :( my cousin suffered dreadfully also from bile duct cancer and was dead within 2 years of the diagnosis, aged just 54.

I'll play "Riders On The Storm" in 5.1 at full whack in his honour this evening.

I did the same last night.

RIP Ray
 
My friends and I used to walk down the street singing The Doors' songs (and correcting each other on lyrics) and they have always been my favorite band and the best band ever out of Los Angeles.

You guys have expressed some of the same thoughts as I have too. I am the same way with the "Light My Fire" solo, Jon. Just one of those incredible things that happened in rock and roll. My friend, who was a keyboardist, learned it complete with my help. I kept playing short segments of it over and over on a record player until Kerry got it right and then he could play the whole thing perfectly.

This is very sad. Only two of them left now too.

Doug
 
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