Leslie West, best known a founding member of the hard rock band Mountain, has passed away at the age of 75.
According to Deadline, his death was first confirmed by long-time associates Dean Guitars. His family then further confirmed that he had died of a heart attack.
Dean Guitars CEO Evan Rubinson shared his thoughts via Twitter, writing “To a man that I truly loved more than most — the funniest, most honest guy I’ve met.”
To a man that I truly loved more than most — the funniest, most honest guy I’ve met. #RIP #LeslieWest https://t.co/UGGlZsxD0o
— Evan Rubinson (@EvanRubinson) December 23, 2020
West suffered a cardiac arrest at his home in Florida. He was taken to a nearby hospital but never regained consciousness.
The musician will perhaps be best remembered for the belting all-time rock classic ‘Mississippi Queen’, a track taken from Mountain’s debut album Climbing!. The song was the band’s most successful commercial single, reaching number 21 in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. It would go on to be covered by other iconic rock performers, including Dave Grohl and Ozzy Osbourne
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West told Guitar Player magazine that the song “has just everything you need to make it a winner. You’ve got the cowbell, the riff is pretty damn good, and it sounds incredible. It feels like it wants to jump out of your car radio. To me, it sounds like a big, thick milkshake. It’s rich and chocolatey. Who doesn’t love that?”
The titanic presence was also considered one of the greatest guitarist of his time, no mean feat in an era that contained the likes of Jimmy Page and Eric Clapton. His oversized physicality belied a keen melodic sensibility that surprised and impressed audiences.
West’s career in music started in the 60’s as a member of the Vagrants, a blue-eyed soul band. Alongside Cream producer Felix Pappalardi, he formed Mountain, wryly named after West’s physical size. The iconic group performed at Woodstock on its second day, between Canned Heat and the Grateful Dead.
After Mountain broke up in 1974, West battled several health issues over the proceeding years but kept working in music. He’s survived by his wife, Jenni Maurer, who he memorably married onstage at a Woodstock 40th anniversary concert in 2009.
Check out ‘Mississippi Queen’ by Mountain:
