Leslie West Dies At 75 Following Cardiac Arrest
Guitarist Leslie West and co-founder of Mountain passed away at the age of 75. The musician died on Dec. 23 after he went through a cardiac arrest two days back, but he remained unconscious in the hospital. West's publicist Steve Karas issued a press release and recalled his career.
"The iconic guitarist, vocalist, songwriter, and storyteller has left a legacy that to this day is celebrated by peers and fans across The World. From 1964 through today, few artists have left a more significant mark on music as we know it," per statement.
The statement further mentioned that several guitarists across the world are going to unite to pay tribute to the original artist. The lengthy statement was shared on Facebook and revealed that the musician was born in New York City.
West rose to fame in the mid-1960s while he was started his career with The Vagrants band being a founder member. Interestingly, his brother Larry Weinstein also participated in the band as a member while he made his first solo music track with Mountain album released in 1969.
The guitarist teamed up with Felix Pappalardi, a bass player and producer, to create the band. Although the band didn't stay together for a long time, they created six albums within a couple of years. The band produced some notable tracks that defined the group, such as Theme from an Imaginary Western and Mississippi Queen.
However, the Nantucket Sleighride star kept performing after the band parted their ways and made his way to radio and acting. He was featured in movies such as The Money Pit, released in 1986, and Family Honor, released in 1973. He also appeared on the Howard Stern Show as a regular guest.
West also earned Long Island Music Hall of Fame in 2006, and the organization plans to honor him with Best of the Awards Galas television special on New Year's Eve. Norm Presslin, the co-founder of Long Island Music Hall of Fame, disclosed that West was a good friend.
Moreover, Presslin recalled that West participated in the television broadcast a couple of months ago with his fellow inductees. Geezer Butler, who founded the Black Sabbath rock band, also reflected on the loss and said it was sad to hear about the guitarist's death. He addressed the late musician as a lovely bloke and said that it during the first tour of Mountain was supported by Sabbath.