David Clayton-Thomas has died at the age of 84.
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His death was confirmed by a press release from his representative. Clayton-Thomas was the lead singer for the legendary jazz-rock band Blood, Sweat & Tears, helping to give the group its distinctive sound.
Three of their songs reached the No. 2 spot on the Billboard Hot 100: "You've Made Me So Very Happy," "And When I Die," and "Spinning Wheel," which was written by Clayton-Thomas.
A Folk Legend Helped Blood, Sweat & Tears Become Legends
Born in Surrey, England, under the name David Henry Thomsett, Clayton-Thomas was the son of a Canadian soldier and an English music student. His family would eventually settle in a Toronto suburb.
However, the singer's relationship with his father became fractured, and Clayton-Thomas lived on the streets during his teenage years. He also frequented jails and reformatories, where an inmate left behind a battered guitar. Clayton-Thomas taught himself to play and began performing in jailhouse concerts.
After his release in 1962, Clayton-Thomas began playing R&B clubs in Toronto, Detroit, and Chicago. Mentored by rockabilly legend Ronnie Hawkins, he went on to front several bands.
During a performance in New York City, folk legend Judy Collins happened to hear Clayton-Thomas sing. She then told her friend, Blood, Sweat & Tears drummer Bobby Colomby, about his extraordinary voice. Colomby then asked Clayton-Thomas to join the band.
The Group Won a Grammy Over the Beatles
Blood, Sweat & Tears' 1968 self-titled album, Clayton-Thomas' first with the group, would go on to sell 10 million copies worldwide. It also won five Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year, beating out the Beatles' Abbey Road.
In 1970, the band would also be the first from North American to perform in Eastern Europe. Exhausted from touring, Clayton-Thomas left the band in 1972. He returned several years later and led the group until 2004. He also released several acclaimed solo records.
Clayton-Thomas would go on to be inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. He also received a Juno Award for his outstanding contribution to Canadian music. In 2010, he earned a star on Canada's Walk of Fame. He continued to perform in his later years.
"People like me don't retire," he once said. "This is what I was put here to do."
