Alan White, Longtime Drummer for Yes, John Lennon, Dead at 72

Alan White, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame drummer who performed with the progressive rock band Yes, died on Thursday. He was 72. White also performed with John Lennon on the Imagine album and was a member of the Plastic Ono Band.

White died after a short illness, Yes announced on their website. He was preparing to join the band for their upcoming U.K. tour and to mark his 50th anniversary with the band. They plan to dedicate their 50th Anniversary Close to the Edge U.K. Tour in June to White.

White was born on June 14, 1949, in Pelton, England. He drummed with several local bands until he got the call that changed his life. In 1969, Lennon invited White to join him, Yoko Ono, Eric Clapton, and Klaus Voormann for the Toronto Rock and Roll Festival that September. White was shocked and accepted the invitation. The concert was recorded and released as Live Peace in Toronto 1969.

Lennon continued working with White on Imagine and the “Instant Karma!” single. He drummed on “Imagine,” “Jealous Guy” and “How Do You Sleep.” He also worked with George Harrison on his first solo album, All Things Must Pass. White worked with other artists on The Beatles‘ Apple Records label, including Billy Preston and Doris Troy.

In a 2019 Rolling Stone interview, White said he knew instantly that “Imagine” would be a classic song. “When we did the backing track, I’m not sure how many takes we did. I think in the [Imagine] book they said nine, but I thought it was only four or five,” White recalled. “They were all magical, but I remember the take that was actually used on the album. I remember that was very special. We all looked around and said, ‘That was it. That’s perfect.’ There was a lot of feeling in the room that it was a bit magical.”

His association with Lennon led to more session work and he joined Ginger Baker’s Air Force, featuring Cream drummer Ginger Baker and Steve Winwood. In 1972, White joined Yes for the tour to support Close to the Edge after Bill Bruford left the band. White received offers from other acts after the 1972-1973 tour ended, but he chose to remain with Yes. 

The drummer was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Yes in 2017. After bassist Chris Squire died, White was the longest-tenured member of Yes. White was plagued with health issues in recent years. His time on stage with the band was limited with Jay Schellen often filling in.

White lived near Seattle with his wife Gigi and their children Jesse and Cassi, all of whom survive him. White and Gigi celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary on May 15.