R.I.P. Doug Baynham, veteran Rock vocalist and bass player

Doug Baynham in 2011 -Lee Ann White

Veteran Rock singer and bassist Doug Baynham passed away on Saturday October 3 from a bad reaction to chemotherapy, according to a friend.

Fellow Rock singer and longtime friend of Baynham, Al Reilly, who first posted the news on social media, said Baynham was taking treatments for a tumor and a month ago had undergone what is known as a “Whipple Procedure” —an operation on cancer patients that removes part of the pancreas— and “was in great spirits and feeling fantastic when I spoke to him after,” Reilly said.

Doug Baynham in 2011 -Lee-Anne White

He would have been taking the chemotherapy as part of a continuing course of treatment and it appears something must have gone wrong on Saturday.

His music career as a lead singer and bassist spanned nearly 50 years as he first came onto the scene in the ‘70s as lead singer for the super-group Bayb until 1982, when he hooked up with departing Zon drummer Kim Hunt to form the band Urgent. The group’s album Timing was well received but they split up in ’85, with Hunt and Baynham going on to start short-lived Mach IV.

Doug Baynham in his hair Metal days -Roberta Terzolo

[You can see Baynham and the band performing the original song “Bad News” in a video posted on YouTube by Paulo Cardoso.  You can also check out (and buy) the album Timing on a page at rateyourmusic.com.]

He was also the lead singer and bassist for Foreigner tribute Dirty White Boys and most recently lead singer and bassist of Stumblin’ Blind.

Reilly said Baynham was a “well loved Musician who will be sorely missed in the music community!! This one cut Deep!!”

Others agreed.  Here’s a smattering of social media posts from this past week:

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Gypsy Ric: “Thanks for your kindness and the best memories, u had a heart of gold and a voice of an angel! I can hear you singing in heaven! Huge hugs.”

Frank Zirone:  “I’m so sorry to hear that my friend and incredible vocal talent Doug Baynham passed yesterday. Doug and I had intersecting careers in the music business going back to the 80’s. We got together for dinner a few times about five years ago and he was kind enough to fill in his performance when Don Maclean passed. Godspeed Doug. You will be missed.”

Roxanne Tellier  “Multi-talented, warm-hearted, musically generous, big time dog lover, and one of the best huggers I’ve ever known.”

Chris Hiney: “In addition to being a dog whisperer and one of the nicest people you could ever hope to meet, he was one of the most naturally gifted singers I’ve ever heard. He just had it. Even just hearing him warm up or sound check was jaw dropping.”

No details have yet been released about a funeral or commemoration of his life.

-By Gary 17, TorontoMoon.ca
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Copyright 2020 by Gary Webb-Proctor/TorontoMoon.ca

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