A legendary keyboard player who once toured with Elvis Presley has died at the age of 82.
Nashville star David Briggs passed away in Alabama this month, The New York Times reported. His brother shared that his death was caused by complications of renal cancer.
David was a big name in the music scene in the US, having worked with all the greats such as the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, country music superstar Dolly Parton and Johnny Nash. He started out playing the piano on hits in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, then headed to Nashville in the 60s to work as a studio musician.
(Image: Getty Images)
In 1964 he was in Tommy Roe’s backing band when the US singer and songwriter opened for The Beatles in their first US concert. Then the following year he worked with Elvis in the studio for the first time.
David played the piano for the star’s 1966 single Love Letters, and the partnership worked. From there they worked together until the Hound Dog singer died in 1977.
As well as session work, David was in the singer’s band TCB from 1969. TCB toured with Elvis and continued to perform at some events after he died.
(Image: Getty Images)
During his long career, David worked on a raft of top tracks including Dolly Parton’s Coat Of Many Colors and Jimmy Hughes’ Steal Away. He also wrote and arranged jingles for massive firms like KFC and Coca-Cola.
David also co-owned a company called Willin’ David Music and it published music. One well-known track on its books was Up Where We Belong, which featured in the 1982 Richard Gere movie An Officer And A Gentleman.
Kyle Young, CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, was among those to pay tribute. He said in a statement that David was a “man of music” and talked about his vast impact on the music world.
“David Briggs could play keyboards in any style,” Young said. “For more than four decades, his deft touch graced countless country, R&B, rock, and pop recordings.
(Image: Getty Images North America)
“He was eighteen years old when he played piano on Arthur Alexander’s epochal Muscle Shoals hit ‘You Better Move On. Recruited to Nashville by producer Owen Bradley, Briggs immediately became a studio fixture, enhancing records by Elvis Presley, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Reba McEntire, and many more.
“He further shaped Music City in co-founding Quadrafonic Studio and opening his own House of David studio. He was a man of music through and through.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
