Obit: Andrew Gold June 2011

Subject: Obit: Andrew Gold June 2011
From: Mary Katherine
Date: 04 Jun 11 - 01:01 PM

Stunned and sorry to learn this morning that singer, songwriter, musician and actor Andrew Gold has died.

Subject: RE: Obit: Andrew Gold June 2011
From: katlaughing
Date: 04 Jun 11 - 11:44 PM

I didn't know who he was until I looked him up on google. My gosh, he was prolific and obviously extremely talented. How sad he is gone so young.

Here is an obit I found for him HERE


"Andrew Gold Dies From Heart Attack At 59
By Paul Cashmere
3 hours ago (Sun, 05 Jun 2011 10:05:17 +1000)

Singer / songwriter Andrew Gold has died at the age of 59 from a heart attack.

Gold was best known for his 1977 hit 'Lonely Boy' and 1978's 'Thank You For Being A Friend', the later became the theme for the hit TV series The Golden Girls that ran from 1985-1992.

Gold continued in TV writing the theme song for 'Mad About You' known as 'Final Frontier'.

Andrew Gold was born in Burbank. His mother Marni Nixon was the singing voice for many Hollywood actresses. She was the real singer for Natalie Wood in 'West Side Story', Deborah Kerr in 'The King And I' and Audrey Hepburn in 'My Fair Lady'. His father Ernest Gold was an Academy Award winning composer. He wrote the music for 'Exodus'.

Gold's first band Bryndle featured Kenny Edwards, Wendy Waldman and Karla Bonoff. He worked closely with Linda Ronstadt as multi-instrumentalist on five of her albums from 1974's 'Heart Like A Wheel' and onwards.

His big hit 'Lonely Boy' was featured in the movies 'Boogie Nights' and 'The Waterboy'.

Andrew Gold worked with Art Garfunkel on the 'Breakaway' album. He played every instrument on Art's solo hit 'I Only Have Eyes For You'. He also played guitar and drums on Eric Carmen's 'She Did It'.

Andrew has sung on records or played live with three of the four Beatles, Paul McCartney, John Lennon and Ringo Starr and has toured with the Eagles and Jackson Browne.

A big 10CC fan, after the band broke up in the 80's Gold formed Wax with Graham Goldman. They were together for 5 years and delivered the hits 'Right Between Your Eyes' and 'Bridge To Your Heart'."

Subject: RE: Obit: Andrew Gold June 2011
From: Will Fly
Date: 05 Jun 11 - 04:13 AM

My favourite AG number was "Never Let Her Slip Away" from around 1978.

Subject: RE: Obit: Andrew Gold June 2011
From: alanabit
Date: 05 Jun 11 - 10:35 AM

I loved that one too Will. "Lonely Boy" was another great pop song. He virtually made Linda Ronstadt, didn't he? He was her bandleader and right hand man for years. Very sad news to hear he has gone.

Subject: RE: Obit: Andrew Gold June 2011
From: open mike
Date: 05 Jun 11 - 03:30 PM

http://www.andrewgold.com/
this is a temporary page and has no mention of his passing,
but does have some pix and info.

Subject: RE: Obit: Andrew Gold June 2011
From: Stringsinger
Date: 05 Jun 11 - 05:06 PM

As I understood it, his father was Ernest Gold, a film composer and I recall that his mother was Marnie Nixon, the vocalist who worked in the movie business as well as being a classical singer. (I taught Marnie guitar.)

(I'm pretty sure I have this right and if not, please someone correct me.)

I remember Andrew from Bryndle, Kenny Edwards, (who I was sorry to see passed away on
August 18) Karla Bonoff, a former student of mine and Wendy Waldman.

These are nice folks (two gone now). They were very talented and smart.

Subject: RE: Obit: Andrew Gold June 2011
From: open mike
Date: 05 Jun 11 - 05:51 PM

Bryndle was a wonderful group...
as is the current trio..http://www.therefugeesmusic.com/
Wendy Waldman, Cindy Bullens, and Deborah Holland...
(probably deserves its own thread...sort of a drift from Andrew Gold..)

Subject: RE: Obit: Andrew Gold June 2011
From: pdq
Date: 05 Jun 11 - 06:14 PM

He probably did the best he could with Linda Ronstadt. The five records he directed are her definitive work.

She was never able to focus on one style of music and never made an eclectic choice of material hold together well, something that Mary McCaslin was able to do.

She refused to commit to true Country Music as Emmylou Harris, Chris Hillman and Jill Crosston (now known as Lacy J. Dalton) have done. Ronstadt wanders aimlessly to this day, a voice in search of good taste.

Subject: RE: Obit: Andrew Gold June 2011
From: Stringsinger
Date: 05 Jun 11 - 06:35 PM

Linda has come into her own as an interpreter of Mexican music. Her newest album
"Canciones de Mi Padre" is wonderful. I think Linda was one of the most versatile
singers who could do almost any style from "Pirates of Penzance" to rock and roll,
"Heat Wave" and "I Think I'm Gonna' Love You For a Long Long Time".

I don't agree that her material choice didn't hold together well. She was popular for
a long time and you don't get that way unless you make good choices for the public.

I remember her from the days of the Stone Ponys and "Different Drum".

I had the pleasure of teaching her guitar one summer in L.A. She is a lovely person.

Subject: RE: Obit: Andrew Gold June 2011
From: evansakes
Date: 06 Jun 11 - 12:03 PM

A very sad loss. He was a great musician, writer and singer. A friend of mine told me he'd been fronting a Byrds tribute band in recent years.

Here's a live version of Lonely Boy from 1977. The year before I saw him supporting and accompanying Linda Ronstadt at (I believe) her only ever British gig at London'r New Victoria Theatre.

As for the opinion exprssed above ("Ronstadt wanders aimlessly to this day, a voice in search of good taste") all I can say is I've never heard such rubbish in all my life. She's commonly regarded as the best female voice of her generation. She can also sing across a wide range of genres. Check out her three albums with the Nelson Riddle Orchestra, the 'Canciones di mi padre' project, the two 'Trio' albums with Dolly and Emmylou albums plus the recent one she did with Anna Savoy.

Also you need to listen to this performance (with Andrew Gold at the piano) Linda Rostadt singing Tracy Nelson's 'Down So Low' 1976