John Lord's Death

Eight years ago today, on the 16th of July 2012, the rock community lost Jon Lord, who is best known as the amazing keyboardist of the British hard-rock band Deep Purple. He was found to be suffering from pancreatic cancer one year before his death. And after treatments in both England and Israel, he died at the London Clinic after suffering from a pulmonary embolism. He was 71 when he died.

A statement that was shared from his website said he had passed "from Darkness to Light", and that he was "surrounded by his loving family" when he died. On 9th of August 2011, in a message that was also posted to his website, Lord had said: "I shall, of course, be continuing to write music – in my world, it just has to be part of the therapy – and I fully expect to be back in good shape next year.” Though Deep Purple went on to be known with their heavy metal and hard rock sound, they started their career with a more proggy sound, especially thanks to Lord’s keyboard. Though he started playing piano as a child and took more of a classical approach to music; in his teenage years, he turned his attention to blues and rock’n’roll. But, of course, his most iconic instrument would be the Hammond organ.

In his tribute to Lord, friend and fellow keyboard player Rick Wakeman said: “I was first made aware of Jon with Shades Of Deep Purple in the mid-1960s and I was a great fan. We became great friends and wrote stuff for [regular fundraising event] Sunflower Jam. And we were going to write and record an album before he become ill.”

"His contribution to music and to classic rock was immeasurable and I will miss him terribly,” Wakeman added.

We would like to offer our deepest and most sincere condolences to his family and wish that he will always be remembered through his wonderful music.