Gilson Lavis, Jools Holland’s Hootenanny bandmate and Squeeze star, dies aged 74
Jools Holland has announced Gilson Lavis’s death at age 74 (Picture: Jools Holland/Facebook)
Gilson Lavis, best known for beingthe drummer in the band Squeeze, has died at the age of 74.
His bandmate Jools Holland announced the news on social media, on Thursday, revealing he died on November 5.
‘I’m very sad to report that Gilson Lavis my dear friend and long-standing drummer, passed away at his home in Lincolnshire last night.’
He sent his ‘love and sympathy’ to Lavis’s wife and son.
‘On behalf of my Orchestra, Squeeze, the many musicians who have worked with and befriended Gilson over the years and all the people he has supported through the AA fellowship, I send our love and sympathy to Nikki and Gilson, his dear wife and son,’ he said on Instagram.
He shared a number of images of himself with Lavis over the years, showing their changing looks after decades of friendship.
Lavin had worked with Jools for decades (Picture: Michal Augustini/Shutterstock)
Lavis died at home with his family (Picture: Michal Augustini/Shutterstock)
Squeeze rose to fame during the 1970s, after they formed in London in 1974.
Their most famous single, Cool for Cats, along with the tunes Up the Junction and Labelled with Love, hit the Top 10 in the UK.
The group split in 1982, reformed in 1985, broke up again in 1999, and reformed for the final time in 2007.
Lavis was a member of the group between 1976 and 1982 and again for the second incarnation from 1985 until 1992.
Although he didn’t return to the band in the final incarnation in 2007, he continued to work with Jools as the drummer in Jools Holland’s Rhythm and Blues Orchestra.
He worked with various musicians throughout his career (Photo by Richard Ecclestone/Redferns)
He retired from drumming at the end of 2024, the year before his death.
Jools announced the news on Facebook on December 2: ‘Thank you to everyone who came out to our milestone and emotional shows at the Royal Albert Hall.
‘Which marked our last on stage performances with our drummer, nuclear reactor and dear friend Gilson Lavis.
‘For nearly 50 years we have shared a stage, toured the world and made a lifetime of memories. Thank you Gilson, happy retirement. Look forward to reading your book.’
Glenn Tilbrook, Chris Difford, John Bentley, Gilson Lavis and Jools Holland made up the band (Picture: Times Newspapers/Shutterstock)
The band had many incarnations over the years including L-R: Gilson Lavis, Glenn Tilbrook, Chris Difford, Jools Holland, Keith Wilkinson, and Andy Metcalf(Picture: David Redfern/Redferns)
Before joining Squeeze, Lavin had huge musical experience after touring with the likes of Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis and Dolly Parton.
Aside from being a musician, he was also a celebrated portrait artist, and had several exhibitions in London.
He painted numerous musicians, including Lily Allen, Paloma Faith, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, Louis Armstrong, Lulu and Smokey Robinson.
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