Raymond 'Boz' Burrell: 1946-2006

NEW YORK (Atlantic Records) - Raymond "Boz" Burrell, an original member and bass player with Swan Song/Atlantic recording group Bad Company, passed away of a heart attack on September 21 at his residence in Spain.

"Boz was a great musician and a great human being," said Atlantic Records Founding Chairman Ahmet Ertegun. "Atlantic began its long relationship with Boz when he was a member of King Crimson in the early 1970s, and so we were thrilled when he was recruited to become a founding member of Bad Company. The band went on to make a string of great records, and they were one of the most important and successful groups in the history of Atlantic. Steeped in jazz and blues, Boz's rock-solid playing was the anchor of the band's sound. We will miss him terribly, but his many fans will never forget all that he contributed to the history of rock and roll."

Born in England in 1946, Boz Burrell began his musical career as a vocalist with various jazz, soul, and rock bands. In 1970, he joined the second line-up of King Crimson as the band's new singer and bassist, being taught the instrument by Crimson founder/guitarist Robert Fripp. Leaving the band in 1972, he enjoyed a stint with legendary British bluesman Alexis Korner before being recruited by vocalist Paul Rodgers (ex-Free) and guitarist Mick Ralphs (ex-Mott the Hoople) for a new band they were forming. Joined by drummer Simon Kirke (ex-Free), the band became Bad Company, and was the first group signed to Led Zeppelin's new Swan Song label.

Bad Company's self-titled debut album immediately jumped to the top of the charts, and the band enjoyed enormous success for nearly a decade. They released a string of multi-platinum albums which included such hits as "Can't Get Enough," "Movin' On," "Feel Like Makin' Love," "Rock 'N' Roll Fantasy," and others. The group disbanded in 1982, and Burrell subsequently joined a reformed version of the band in the mid-'80s. In the 1990s, Burrell worked with guitarist Alvin Lee and formed a partnership with Scottish blues vocalist Tam White. In 1998, he joined the original members of Bad Company to record several new tracks and embark on their first tour in 20 years.