Founding Moby Grape guitarist Jerry Miller has died of unspecified causes at the age of 81.
According to Deadline, the news was first posted on the Moby Grape Facebook fan page and by journalist Eric Brenner.
Born July 10, 1943 in Tacoma, Miller played on an early version of the 1960 Bobby Fuller hit “I Fought the Law.” In 1966 he and his bandmate in the Frantics, drummer Don Stevenson, moved to San Francisco and formed Moby Grape with bassist Bob Mosley and fellow guitarists Peter Lewis and Skip Spence.
The group quickly built a strong reputation, and after a bidding war released their acclaimed self-titled debut album in 1967. With all five members writing songs and vocals, Moby Grape blended psychedelic rock, pop and country in unique and inventive ways.
Read More: The Story of Moby Grape’s Debut Album
Miller recorded four more albums with Moby Grape over the next four years before their initial breakup. Partly due to ongoing legal conflicts over ownership of the name with their former manager, he would reunite with his bandmates in various configurations and under varying names over the next few decades.
He also led his own group, the Jerry Miller Band, and collaborated with his former bandmates on many of their solo albums. Miller celebrated his 81st birthday on July 14 with a party in his hometown of Tacoma. He can be seen performing at that show below.
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Gallery Credit: Allison Rapp