Tony McPhee, the influential singer and guitarist leader of cult English blues and rock back the Groundhogs, has died at 79. The founding member of the group was reported to have passed due to complications after taking a fall in 2022.
“We are deeply saddened to announce that 79 year old guitar and blues legend Tony (TS) McPhee, died peacefully at home today 6th June, from complications following a fall last year,” a statement on the band’s official Facebook read. “He is survived by his devoted wife Joanna, sons Conan & Vincent, grandchildren Scarlett & Victor and loving sister Olive.”
Videos by PopCulture.com
McPhee kicked off his life in music back in the ’60s as a member of the Dollarbills, later renamed the Groundhogs. He would remain with the group and in the industry across six decades, producing hits like “Walking Blues,” “The Liberty Years,” and “Garden.” John Cruickshank helped found the band, with the pair later joined in 1964 by Bob Hall on keyboards and Dave Boorman on the drums. Clive Brooks would later join the group.
His love of the blues started early in his childhood, devouring imported blues albums, according to NME. According to the outlet, he explained his love of the music to Classic Rock in 2007. “[It] was then that I first heard this raw stuff and my ears pricked up. There was some good pop music at the time but nothing that really stirred you. Then I went to see Cyril Davies at the Marquee in 1963, heard proper R&B and thought: ‘this’ll do’”
The Groundhogs has a respectable reputation as a great supporting act to blues artists, backing up Little Walter and Jimmy Reed on tour. Their most successful period saw the group score three back-to-back top 10 U.K. albums and a supporting role on The Rolling Stones’ 1971 tour, according to Metro.
McPhee was forced to step back from the band a bit in 2009 after suffering a stroke that hit his vocals. He would eventually retire from the group in 2015. “Tony McPhee is an absolute genius. He was the British Hendrix, y’know? He could do soaring feedback solos, and really took the whole guitar-playing thing as far as he could. And what he doesn’t know about the blues isn’t worth knowing,” The Damned’s bassist-turned-guitarist Captain Sensible told Classic Rock.
