Little Feat guitarist Paul Barrere died on Oct. 26 due to complications of medical issues. The band announced the sad news on their website, sending well wishes to his surviving family and to his many fans, who were "his extending family." He was 71 years old.
<iframe width="620" height="349" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1SZSX7TA4Uk" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Barrere attending high school with Little Feat founder Lowell George, and even auditioned for the band on bass in 1969. Three years later, he'd join on guitar, and his first recording with the band was their seminal 1973 album, Dixie Chicken. In all, he played in Little Feat for 47 years and influenced countless artists and guitarists in the worlds of rock and jam music over the last five decades.
As a songwriter, Barrere also made significant contributions to the band, writing or co-writing a number of songs including “All That You Dream,” “Old Folks Boogie,” “Time Loves A Hero” and “Feats Don’t Fail Me Now.”
<iframe width="620" height="349" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4TkZxjydJ6o" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Barrere and Little Feat were nominated for the GRAMMY for Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal for "Let It Roll" at the 31st GRAMMY Awards in 1988. Outside of Little Feat, Barrere also recorded with artists such as Taj Mahal, Jack Bruce and Carly Simon.
In 1994, Barrere was diagnosed with Hepetits C, and in 2015 he was diagnosed with liver cancer. He was forced to miss Little Feat's 50th Anniversary tour this summer, which landed in Huntington, N.Y., on the evening of his death, where the band payed tribute to their longtime bandmate.
"As the song he sang so many times put it, he was always “Willin’,' but it was not meant to be," his bandmates wrote. "Paul, sail on to the next place in your journey with our abiding love for a life always dedicated to the muse and the music. We are grateful for the time we have shared."
<iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fwarrenhaynes%2Fposts%2F10156917835927799&width=500" width="500" height="544" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe>
Fellow guitar greats such as Warren Haynes and Bonnie Raitt reacted to the sad news and paid tribute to Barrere on social media. Barrere leaves a lasting legacy in the music world in the music he made, the musicians he influenced and the lives he touched.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">(1/2) Oh my God. I just heard about the passing of another dear friend, Little Feat's Paul Barrere. A brilliant guitarist, singer and songwriter---a cornerstone of one of the greatest bands of all time. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PaulBarrere?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PaulBarrere</a> <a href="https://t.co/vS4rqXhD4J">pic.twitter.com/vS4rqXhD4J</a></p>— Bonnie Raitt (@TheBonnieRaitt) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheBonnieRaitt/status/1188332916943679488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 27, 2019</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">(2/2) I'm glad he is free of pain and may he rest in peace. I send my deep love and condolences to his family, bandmates and friends. We will hold him in our hearts and celebrate his life and music always. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PaulBarrere?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PaulBarrere</a> <a href="https://t.co/DQuNNPCwNd">pic.twitter.com/DQuNNPCwNd</a></p>— Bonnie Raitt (@TheBonnieRaitt) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheBonnieRaitt/status/1188332745451171840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 27, 2019</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
GRAMMY-Winning Producer & Engineer Ed Cherney Dies At 69
